How to get my poinsettia (sp?) to go red for Xmas?

Any ideas?

How to get my poinsettia (sp?) to go red for Xmas?
Fall

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Before night temperatures fall below 55-60°F at night, bring the poinsettia indoors to a sunny location. Check for pests and diseases and place poinsettia in a south window.

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Flowering is "photoperiodically" induced in the poinsettia. This means that flowers begin to form when the days are a certain length, or, more accurately, when the nights are long enough. The poinsettia is a short-day or long-night plant. Without long nights, this plant will continue to produce leaves and will grow but will never flower. You must make certain it receives no light from any source.

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Very short periods of lighting at night may be enough to prevent or interfere with flowering. Even light from a street light can stop flowering. If the plant is to be grown in a room that is lighted nightly, cover it completely at dusk (5p.m.) every day with a heavy paper bag, a piece of opaque black cloth, other light-tight cover or place in a dark closet.

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Flower initiation begins in late September and early October. Dark periods longer than 12 hours are necessary for flower set. Flowers mature in from 60 to 85 days depending on varieties, temperature and light intensity.

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Because flower initiation depends upon the length of the dark period, your poinsettia must be kept completely dark from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. The time to give this treatment is from the end of September until December 15.

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Once you can see the flowers developing in the growing plants, i. e., when the floral bracts start to show definite color, it is not as important to continue giving the dark period, though it is advisable to continue until the bracts are almost fully expanded.

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Temperatures should be no less than 55°F at night, but not more than 70°F. During the day give the poinsettia as much sunlight as possible.

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Reduce the amount of fertilizer given after bringing the plant indoors. Growth is slower in the lower light intensity inside the house.

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High night temperatures, coupled with low-light intensity, low nutrition, dry soil or improper photoperiod may delay maturity.
Reply:Starting now, give it 14-16 hours of continual dark every night and it's usual sunlight for the day. If you don't want to truck it to a closet every evening, maybe a box over the top would suffice. After 8+ weeks enough chemical should have been produced within the plant to start the flowering process.
Reply:Put them in a darkend room out of electric light for 12 to 18 hours, this is what we do at our nursery.
Reply:******* Hello---I am a Certified Master Gardener. *******



When handling your Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) wear thick gloves. The sap is irritating to the skin, and can cause redness and blistering.



Keep the plant in area where children and/or pets cannot touch or handle it. Ingested, it is HIGHLY TOXIC.



To get it to turn red by Christmas, do the following:



Beginning in early October, move the plant to a closet that is COMPLETELY DARK. Leave it in the dark for no less than 14 hours per day.



In the morning, move the plant into light for 10 hours. No more, no less. Repeat this process for 10 weeks.



I sincerely hope this helps.



PAMELA JUDGE
Reply:have you got a green house if so keep it in there untill xmas
Reply:First they ned to be kept in the dark for 12 hours per night then keep them at 60 to 70 degrees Celsius during the day and 55- 60 degrees Celsius at night. Keep them away from gas fires and draughts, don't let leaves touch cold windows and don't over water check the water daily, when the soil is dry, water allow water to drain into saucer and discard excess water. Give houseplant fertiliser once a month but do not fertilise when in bloom. Did you know that poinsettias represent 85% of all potted plant sales during the festive season. and are native plants of Mexico and are known as flores de noche buena or flowers of the Holy Night.



Hope this helps and have a nice day.
Reply:You really needed to start getting it ready LAST Christmas.

Sorry - but they are sold as one shot items in stores - in order to get it ready for this chrissy you should have started a feeding %26amp; sun %26amp; heat regime as soon as it stopped being red LAST christmas.