• How to care for a houseplant Christmas star. Poinsettia the Beautiful - how to care for at home. "Christmas tree": care

    22.09.2020

    In winter, the counters of most stores are decorated with an unusual poinsettia flower, which is often called the Christmas star by the people. It is no coincidence that this plant deserves such an interesting name. Firstly, it usually blooms in December, so it portends the onset of winter holidays, and secondly, during flowering, very beautiful bract leaves form on its top. appearance resembling bright stars.

    History of the poinsettia

    How to buy a good poinsettia

    When choosing a poinsettia in a store, first of all, pay attention to its leaves - they should be clean, green and strong, and seem thick to the touch. No less important are the bracts, on which there should be no damage or stains. Do not buy a poinsettia that is close to the entrance to the store, because it has probably been exposed to temperature changes many times and has most likely weakened from this.

    To keep the plant blooming for as long as possible, try to choose specimens that have yellowish, unopened buds in the center of the inflorescence. It does not hurt to check the soil, which will show how well the flower was cared for, make sure that it is not too wet and not too dry.

    Since the poinsettia Christmas flower is very sensitive to low temperatures, it must be protected from the cold during transportation home, for example, wrap the plant in paper or place it in a bulky bag. When you bring a flower home, do not immediately unpack it so that it does not suffer from a strong temperature difference.

    Read also:

    Indoor plants that do not require care

    Flower Christmas star - how to care for during flowering

    Remember, to please the eye for more than one winter, with small flowers and luxurious bracts, only that Christmas star flower, the care, transplantation and circumcision of which went according to all the rules, can. Unfortunately, caring for a poinsettia is not so easy, since it is very capricious and requires a lot of attention.

    First of all, the flower needs to provide the right climate. Best of all, he will feel in a well-lit place near the east, west or south window. At the same time, the light falling on the plant should only be diffused, since direct sunlight can harm it.

    Besides poinsettia does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, drafts and cold, and at the slightest discomfort it is quite capable of shedding foliage. During its flowering period, it is desirable that the air in the room is humid, and the ambient temperature is about twenty degrees and in no case below sixteen.

    Watering

    To keep the poinsettia flower as long as possible, caring for it should include regular spraying and proper watering. Both waterlogging and drying out of the soil can ruin the plant. The following rules will help prevent this:

    • During the flowering period, the plant must be watered with plenty of warm water, but only when the top layer of soil begins to dry out.
    • After watering the poinsettia in an hour, it is necessary to drain all the water from the pan, this will avoid excessive waterlogging of the soil.
    • Very favorable for the Christmas star spraying with settled water at room temperature. This will not only provide the necessary moisture to the plant, but also protect it from spider mites.

    Christmas flower - how to care after flowering

    Usually, the poinsettia stops flowering in early March, at the same time it sheds foliage and enters a dormant period. In order to further ensure good growth plants and the formation of flowers, its shoots must be cut by about half and put the pot in a dark or heavily shaded, cool place, but keep in mind that the temperature in it should not be less than ten degrees. It is recommended to keep it there for one and a half to two months. During this period, it is necessary to significantly reduce watering, but you should not allow the soil to dry out.

    During circumcision and transplantation of poinsettia, great care must be taken, since its juice is poisonous and can cause irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, and if it enters the stomach, it can lead to poisoning, accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting.

    Around the beginning of May, the dormant time of the Christmas star flower ends and the most auspicious time comes. time for transplant. You need to transplant the flower into a slightly larger pot and into suitable soil. The soil should consist of three parts of sod and leaf soil and one part of peat, sand and humus. You should also take care of good drainage.

    See more photos of the Christmas star below:

    Home care


    The Christmas star in care is a completely unpretentious plant; it will grow without any problems in any corner of an apartment or office.

    The only thing to take care of is required amount light and ambient temperature.

    Watering

    During flowering, which occurs in winter, as well as during the growth phase in summer, the plant requires abundant watering. An earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out, but stagnant water will also be fatal. The main indicator for watering is a slight drying of the upper part of the soil. After watering, the water in the pan is left for an hour, and then drained.

    In autumn and spring, the Star of Bethlehem has periods of rest, during which watering is done in minimal quantities, but without drying the earth.

    The water used for irrigation should be warm (room temperature) and well settled.

    Air humidity

    Dry and warm air bad effect on a plant. With low humidity in the apartment, the beautiful poinsettia should be regularly sprayed with water (1-2 times a day). This is especially true in winter during the period of active battery operation. central heating. A good solution would be to place the plant pot on a pallet. with wet gravel or expanded clay.

    The main symptom of dry indoor air is yellowing the ends of the leaves with their subsequent reset.

    Temperature regime

    Poinsettia is a heat-loving plant, the lowest possible temperature for it +15 degrees.

    During the period of active growth (summer), room temperature should be +20-22 degrees. It must be maintained at this level until mid-October. From this moment begins the period of budding and flowering, when the temperature should be +17-19 degrees. It should be noted that at low temperatures, the color of the bracts becomes brighter, while at higher temperatures, the size of the bracts increases.

    The growth of poinsettia slows down if the night temperature exceeds the daytime.

    Top dressing (fertilizer)

    Feeding takes place in two stages.

    In spring and summer, during the growth period, universal fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or fertilizers for decorative leafy plants with a high nitrogen content, are used. Giving a big boost to growth humus, humus or bird droppings.

    September-November 1 time Fertilizer for ornamental flowering plants can be applied per week. During flowering, any top dressing stops.

    pruning

    pruning salutary affects the poinsettia. To stimulate growth in March, all shoots are shortened by about 1/3 , while each should remain at least 5 new kidneys. The processes remaining from the procedure can be rooted, and new plants can be obtained.

    In the summer, it is allowed to periodically carry out formative pruning, pinching the tops.

    Light mode

    In summer, when the phase of active growth passes, the flower must be provided lighting for more than 12 hours in a day. At the same time, direct sunlight comes up until noon, after which the pot is covered from direct rays so that the lighting is bright, but diffused.

    Reduction of daylight hours less than 12 hours is for a Christmas star a sign of flowering. First, the coloring of the bracts occurs. From the end of September, it is very important to cover the pot at night from any possible light, including moonlight or artificial lighting (in the apartment, street, etc.). This can be done by covering it with a cardboard box or a tight plastic bag. For 10 weeks every day for at least 14 hours the plant must be in total darkness.

    ATTENTION! Even the slightest amount of light can knock down the internal "timer" of the beautiful poinsettia and postpone flowering.

    Lifespan

    The plant is perennial, and therefore, with proper care, it can live for many years. It is acceptable to grow a Christmas star as an annual or completely renew every 2-3 years from cut cuttings.

    Poinsettia flowers have no scent.

    Growth per year

    The growth period is summer, so if the Bethlehem star is purchased already blooming, then in the same season it will no longer grow. After rest and spring pruning, it grows rapidly, adding from 30 to 45 cm in height during the summer months.

    reproduction

    Poinsettia at home is propagated by cuttings. The optimal period for this procedure is from April to May.

    ATTENTION! Cutting cuttings due to toxic juice should be done with gloves!


    During spring pruning, cuttings are cut from a healthy plant from 10-15 cm. The lower leaves on them are removed, and the cut point is washed for some time with water to remove the juice. After that, drainage holes are made in the bottom of disposable plastic cups, and the soil substrate is poured there.

    For the best rooting the lower sections are coated with a root formation stimulator. After that, the shoots are stuck into the ground by 3 cm and covered with a film to form a mini-greenhouse.

    The cups are regularly ventilated, the ambient temperature must be +15-21 degree. Watering is done so that the soil is not wet, but slightly moist.

    Under optimal conditions, the process of rooting the star of Bethlehem takes 2 months. After that, the plants from the cups are transplanted into pots, and care is taken as for an adult plant.

    Bloom

    Flowering takes place from October-November to February-March. The flowers are yellow, inconspicuous due to their small size. The bracts are large and of various bright colors (depending on the species). After the end of flowering, they turn pale and fall off.

    Transfer

    old plants transplanted between April and May, this can also be combined with formative pruning. If grafting was carried out in the same period, then rooted sprouts are planted in containers in June-July.

    The pot is chosen a few centimeters larger than the previous one. However, the rule here is the more the container will be in size, the higher can grow poinsettia. At the bottom, a layer of expanded clay drainage or broken bricks must be poured. The old soil is shaken from the roots, but you should not clean it off using force - you can damage the root system.

    After transplanting, the pot is placed in a warm room on a well-lit window sill and they begin to water it intensively, not forgetting to remove excess water from the pan. This is a sign for the plant that the growth period has begun.

    Transplantation and care after purchase

    The acquisition of poinsettia is a kind of lottery - flowering plants are brought in in winter, after pouring abundantly the soil with water. At temperatures around zero, this becomes an impetus for the freezing of the soil and damage to the root system rot. Therefore, it is best to choose semi-dry, unblown plant, possibly standing for several days in the store.


    Immediately after entering the apartment, the flower is placed on a lighted window, where the flowering period passes. After 3-4 weeks, after the end of flowering and acclimatization, a transplant is made into a new, more spacious pot, by transshipment coma.

    Christmas Star Ground

    A slightly acidic substrate with an indicator is preferred pH 5.8-6.5. Land for planting poinsettia is mixed independently. For this, two parts of leafy soil, three parts of clay-turf and one part of peat soil and sand are taken. You can also add a little humus.

    If it is not possible to prepare the soil yourself, then a simple universal composition from the store is used with the addition of a small part of the sand.

    Diseases and pests

    Of the insect pests, the plant is most often is affected thrips, scale insects, whiteflies, mealybugs and spider mites. You can destroy them both with the help of improvised means (for example, washing plant with a sponge and soapy water), and sprinkling chemicals.

    In addition, when in adverse conditions, poinsettia can get sick various types rot (most often gray), fusarium or powdery mildew.

    Conclusion

    Poinsettia fine or Christmas star is an unusual plant that blooms during the winter months. Moreover, the most noticeable are not the flowers themselves, but bright large blossoms. Proper care carried out in 2 stages - in summer for growth and in winter - for flowering. In spring and autumn, the plant is dormant. The most important are the conditions for temperature, air humidity and watering.

    Useful video

    Learn all the secrets of caring for the Christmas star:

    Poinsettia is a plant that has several names. Known as the beautiful Euphorbia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), the beautiful poinsettia (Poinsettia) and the Christmas star flower. The last name is popular and is due to the fact that the beautiful red flowers in their shape resemble a star that appears on the plant during the Christmas holidays. The plant belongs to the euphorbia family. It occurs naturally in Mexico and Central America.

    Breeders achieve a wide variety of shades, but red for poinsettia is a classic.

    In the wild, the poinsettia is much taller and more massive than at home.

    Outwardly, the poinsettia growing at home on the windowsill is slightly different from the plant in natural conditions. In nature, the poinsettia can grow up to 4 meters. The stems of the wild poinsettia form an evergreen shrub, and at home the leaves turn yellow and crumble.

    The shape and color of leaves, bracts and flowers are identical in natural and domesticated poinsettia (except for seasonal yellowing). The leaves are dark green in color, elliptical in shape with serrated edges. The bush is formed up to 50 cm high from leaves 10-15 cm long. Poinsettia flowers are small and inconspicuous, painted in a yellowish tint and collected in rosettes. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the Christmas flower has large red flowers. In fact, what everyone considers a flower is a bract.

    The large bract of the poinsettia attracts more attention than the flower itself. The decorative qualities of the plant depend on the bract. In nature, this part of the plant is painted in a bright red color. Today, there are types of poinsettia bred by breeders and having a very different color of bracts. Thanks to this, you can use the flower to decorate your home in the winter.

    Breeders have bred several varieties with bracts of various shades.

    How to save a flower

    It is customary to give a Christmas star in winter. During this period, the plant produces bright bracts, attracting attention. Not many people know how to care for poinsettia at home, so the plant dies soon after flowering ends.

    It is quite possible to save a flower bought in a store, but for this you need to try. It is important to know that poinsettia care includes several stages, the sequence of which must be strictly observed. After buying or receiving a gift, the plant must be watered, moderately moistening the soil. Regular watering should be ensured as long as the bracts remain fresh. After they wither, the leaves begin to fall. During this period, watering should be reduced to a minimum.

    As soon as the Christmas tree throws off all the leaves, the stems must be cut, leaving sprouts 15 cm high. Watering should be stopped, and the pot in which the poinsettia flower grows should be removed to a dark, cool place. The sleep period continues until May.

    Resumption of growth

    For several months of winter dormancy, the poinsettia's root system is strengthened. In May, active care of the Christmas star flower should be resumed. The pot must be moved from a dark place to a light one, increase the air temperature, resume watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. As soon as the leaves begin to actively appear, the plant must be transplanted into a new soil.

    After transplantation and until autumn, caring for a Christmas star consists in regular watering. In early October, it is necessary to organize the shading of the plant in order to achieve active flowering in winter. The period of darkness should be 14 hours. To do this, the pots can be left in closed boxes or put in a closet at night. Creating such conditions contributes to the emergence of buds, which the poinsettia plant will release in December.

    During the period of the appearance of bracts, care at home should be carried out as usual. It is enough to monitor the moderate soil moisture and regularly feed with mineral fertilizers. Comfortable temperature during flowering is 16-18 degrees.

    Abundant flowering can be achieved only a year after the rooting of a young plant.

    reproduction

    Under natural conditions, the most beautiful spurge reproduces by seeds. In a plant placed in a pot, it is difficult to achieve full ripening of seeds, so cuttings help to propagate the flower. Planting material is cut at the beginning of summer, when young shoots actively appear. The cut stalk should contain 4-5 internodes. The lower leaves should be cut off.

    Before rooting the poinsettia cuttings, the sticky milky juice must be removed. If this is not done, the cutting will not take root. The viscous substance released from the stems will clog all pores, and rooting indoor flower poinsettia will become impossible. In order for the milky juice to flow out of the stems, it is necessary to place the cuttings vertically in a container of warm water. It is enough to hold the planting material in water for 20 minutes, after which the cuttings can be rooted in a mixture of peat and earth.

    To get young plants of the "Christmas star", you can put the cuttings in plain water. At the same time, it is important that the sun's rays do not penetrate into the dishes with water. After the cuttings take root, they can be planted in a light mixture. To compile the soil mixture, it is necessary to take a sheet substrate, earth, peat and sand in equal quantities.

    Full rooting of poinsettia occurs in a month. Young shoots should not be disturbed during the summer. The first transplant can be done in the fall, after which caring for poinsettia obtained from cuttings is no different from caring for old plants. The appearance of flowers with red bracts is possible only a year after the first poinsettia transplant. In order for a magnificent beautiful bouquet to form in one pot, it is necessary to plant 5-6 cuttings in one container, choosing a mix of shades of bracts.

    Plant features

    When caring for a Christmas star flower, precautions must be taken. The juice of this plant is poisonous, can provoke allergies, burn the cornea of ​​​​the eye. The milky juice of the flower, if it enters the stomach, can cause poisoning.

    The negative impact on human health characterizes many plants of this family, and the most beautiful euphorbia is no exception. You can protect yourself from poisonous juice by using rubber gloves during transplantation and grafting.

    Pests

    For this plant, several types of insects are dangerous: thrips, whiteflies, mealybugs, scale insects, aphids, mites. Signs of mealybug damage are a white, waxy substance that appears on the leaves. Traces of the whitefly are found in the form of sticky spots on the leaves. The tick leaves a barely visible cobweb on the star plant.

    When any of the pests appear, the poinsettia can be saved using systemic insecticides or folk remedies. To do this, the Christmas star should be sprayed with the drug, repeating the pest treatment after a week. Chemicals it is advisable to use with a large number of plants damaged by insects.

    To destroy pests, you can use folk remedies. Aphids and scale insects die when the leaves are treated with a solution of ordinary laundry soap. The mealybug is afraid of mineral oil. You can catch adult whiteflies by stretching sticky fly tape between the leaves.

    Milkweed leaf damaged by pests.

    Diseases

    Sometimes the care and reproduction of poinsettias are overshadowed by diseases. The most common are gray rot, powdery mildew and fusarium. With powdery mildew, the New Year's flower is covered with a white bloom. Over time, white spots cover the entire surface of the plant, darken and the flower dies. Timely treatment with the drug "Fitosporin-M" helps to eliminate the fungal disease.

    Gray rot looks like mold. Gray rot fungus appears at high humidity, when watering and care are not performed correctly. From this disease helps "Fundazol" or "Celandine".

    The plant can lose its healthy appearance with improper care. Yellowing of the leaves is observed with excessive soil moisture, dry air. If these factors are not changed and the right conditions are not created, the flower may die.

    Falling leaves after flowering is normal for poinsettias. But if the leaves began to wither and fall off at the height of growth, then the plant was subjected to a sharp temperature drop or the soil was too dry.

    By observing simple agrotechnical rules, you can achieve lush growth and abundant flowering of the Christmas star. At home, the plant will not grow as large as in natural nature, but this will not affect the decorative qualities of its bracts.

    In Europe, it is one of the symbols of Christmas. This flower is also called there the Bethlehem or Christmas star.

    Poinsettias were brought to Europe from Mexico in 1834. In those days, the flower was given the name of the most beautiful poinsettia (Poinsettia pulcherrima). This name became colloquial and is still in use today. But modern botanists call poinsettia the most beautiful euphorbia (Euphorbia pulcherrima).

    Christmas star The poinsettia is named for the bracts that form a star-like rosette around the inflorescences. At the time of flowering, the bracts become bright shades - in different varieties found red, pink, cream color. But the flowers of the poinsettia are rather inconspicuous, almost imperceptible.

    The leaves of this plant are large, 10-15 cm long, whole, green. In nature, the most beautiful milkweeds grow up to 3 meters in height - in hot countries they decorate botanical gardens, but squat varieties are used in room culture - no higher than 50 cm.

    Purchasing a poinsettia

    Usually flowering poinsentias start selling before the New Year and Christmas holidays. Elegant flowers can be bought at any major garden center or flower shop. Bracts should be glossy, evenly colored, without spots.

    Also pay attention to inflorescences- They must be unopened.

    Varieties

    The most popular poinsettia varieties the color of the bracts is red - this is 'Barbara Ecke Supreme', 'Angelika', 'Mrs. Paul Ecke.

    In addition to red, there are also pink poinsettias ('Dorothea'), apricot-colored ('Gropom'), white ('Regina', 'Ecke's White'). The variety 'Marble' looks unusual - it has cream bracts, and the inflorescence with pink hearts.

    Brief information - flower dossier

    Poinsettia - Poinsettia pulcherrima (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

    Mexico
    Complicated
    12 hours in the sun, 12 hours in the dark.
    16-18°C
    Regular, plentiful in summer
    May once every 2 years
    Remove wilted leaves, withstand the light regime at the time of flowering
    Autumn-winter
    Home varieties - 30-45 cm (in nature - up to 3 meters)

    Poinsettia care

    cultivation

    Caring for a poinsettia is quite complicated.- due to the specific temperature and light conditions, the inadmissibility of overdrying an earthen clod in a pot.

    Therefore, in the West, after the holidays, faded poinsettias are usually thrown away. But after all, everything is different with us, usually a living flower is still a pity. Therefore, in order for the poinsettia to give you its flowering next Christmas, you need to properly care for it.

    When you buy a plant, make sure that it does not catch frost - it will die very quickly. Poinsettia, although it prefers fresh and relatively cool (16-20 ° C) air, does not tolerate drafts and low temperatures at all.

    Poinsettia blooms for 2-6 months. After the poinsettia has completed flowering, its small flowers will fall off and the bracts will fade. At this time, the shoots of the plant are cut off by 1/3, and fresh ones that have not yet bloomed are pinched to better branch. Then you need to put the poinsettia in a shaded place.

    In April-May, the poinsettia can be transplanted (this is necessary for plants that are in store pots). For better growth, a fertilizer containing potassium is added to the water for irrigation every 2 weeks.

    Poinsettia is very sensitive to the length of daylight hours. During the period when flowering should begin (starting from September), the flower is shaded at night - the daylight hours should not be more than 12 hours, otherwise the poinsettia will not lay flower buds and will not bloom. Close it not only from natural, but also from artificial lighting. After the start of flowering, you also need to withstand the duration of daylight hours, otherwise the bracts will fade and the flower will not look spectacular.

    Poinsettias need a well-lit place during the growing season, they can withstand direct sunlight, but they need to be accustomed to gradually. Basically, diffused light is sufficient.

    During the flowering period, you need to clearly monitor the duration of daylight hours for the plant, if necessary, completely isolate it from light at a certain time of the day.

    Optimum temperature for flowering poinsettia - 16-18 ° C. In other periods, the plant can withstand higher temperatures - with regular ventilation and watering.

    Poinsettia needs regular watering- at any time of the year, including winter. But in the summer, watering should be especially careful. The earth in the pot should not dry out, but do not let it stagnate in the pan. During the flowering period, spraying is also required several times a day.

    Feed the poinsettia every 10-12 days complex mineral fertilizers containing molybdenum.

    Poinsettia transplant

    The poinsettia needs to be transplanted no more than once every 2 years, in the spring.

    The soil should be loose, with good moisture permeability, soil acidity pH should be in the range of 6.0-6.5. The soil for poinsettia must be mixed from peat and sand in a ratio of 1/3.

    The poinsettia is inspected, removing wilted and damaged leaves - the plant tolerates pruning well. In order for a flowering plant to look festive, corresponding to its name Christmas star, it is important to withstand the light regime.

    Let the poinsettia be in a lighted place for 10-12 hours (the lighting should be good). The rest of the time, cover the plant with an opaque black film.

    Reproduction of poinsettia

    poinsettias propagated by cuttings.

    A young or semi-woody cutting is taken from the plant. A cut of the cutting must be held for some time in warm water - like all euphorbias, milky juice is released from the poinsettia. If it is not removed, it will clog the stem and the plant will not be able to take root. After the “water procedures”, the cut must be blotted with a napkin, and then dipped in crushed coal.

    The soil for planting needs light - in equal proportions peat and sand. The cuttings are planted in this soil mixture - in cups or special containers for seedlings, and the container is covered with a film.

    Always blooms towards the end of December. Many adorn her festive table, give for the New Year or Christmas to friends and family, because the scarlet poinsettia flower, truly reminiscent of a Christmas star, is so elegant, bright and beautiful that it is worth taking care of the plant all year to grow such beauty for the holiday! And if you organize the necessary care for her, then your Christmas star will bloom and delight you every year.


    Poinsettia - what is it?

    The poinsettia belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Her homeland is the tropics of Central America (Mexico). When people say "Christmas poinsettia", most of us think of a red flower. But Christmas poinsettia also comes in white, yellow, pink. There are even two-tone specimens.

    Indoor poinsettia reaches a height of 35-50 cm. Its leaves are dark green, rarely serrated along the edge, up to twelve centimeters long. Picturesquely complement their large colorful bracts with small flowers.


    To make the "Christmas star" bloom every year

    Unfortunately, many people throw away the poinsettia after flowering, and buy a new one the next year. But under a number of conditions, it is possible to make the plant bloom every year. It is worth listing these conditions so that your poinsettia blooms and pleases the eye every year.

    The poinsettia has a pronounced dormant period. When the poinsettia leaves fall, cut the stems 10 cm from the soil level, place the poinsettia pot in a cool, dark place and sharply limit watering. In early May, transplant the poinsettia (by transshipment) into a slightly larger pot and start watering until shoots appear. Of all the shoots, leave only 3-4 of the strongest, remove the rest.


    Temperature. Poinsettia is unpretentious: the air temperature prefers + 16-20 degrees Celsius, it will grow and bloom in any place protected from drafts. But in winter, it is desirable to provide a flower with additional illumination (diffused daylight), and in summer it is necessary to shade it from the hot sun.

    Watering. Water your poinsettia sparingly. With a lack or excess of moisture, poinsettia leaves may begin to fade. Increase watering in summer. During the period of growth and flowering of the poinsettia, make sure that the soil of the poinsettia does not dry out completely. Spray the leaves.


    Top dressing. Feed your poinsettia regularly—every two weeks from spring to fall—with a full strength mineral fertilizer, and during growth and flowering with a special houseplant fertilizer. Flowering poinsettias will benefit from potash fertilizers, while non-flowering poinsettias can be treated with cactus fertilizers.

    Reproduction. Poinsettia is propagated by apical stem cuttings in summer. Cut cuttings should be washed in warm water from milky juice, dried in the air, and slices on the mother plant should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Poinsettia shoots are rooted in sand or in a mixture of peat and sand at high humidity and a temperature of + 20-24 degrees Celsius.


    How to make poinsettia bloom just in time for the New Year?

    To do this, from the end of September, the lighting regime of the plant is maintained: the poinsettia must spend 12-14 hours a day in the dark. You can cover the poinsettia with a dark plastic bag and remove it only in the morning, or you can simply put the pot of poinsettia in a dark place. Do this for 8 weeks and then return the poinsettia to normal care.

    Prolonged lighting, including artificial lighting, inhibits the appearance of buds and enhances the growth of poinsettia leaves. 2-3 weeks after the start of the practice " short day"The plant forms flower buds, with the further stay of the poinsettia in this mode, bright bracts bloom. The air temperature during flowering should be slightly below normal, so the poinsettia flowers last longer (two to six months). Write the text



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