Poinsettia Plants

Over twelve thousand six inch pots are growing young poinsettias with tiny blossoms which are called bracts. Buddy Pickett says "we should be seeing some color the first part of October. The first or second week of October, hopefully." The plants may be a little late to bloom this year because of the warm late September weather. Buddy Pickett says "Its been so hot we have to have the shade cloth on. We take it off next week and it will be full light." Poinsettias remaining from last year can re-bloom. My plant surviving from last Christmas is rather spindly, but I am hopeful it will regain its Holiday glory. Mike Moritz says "To get Poindexter to bloom again this year I am going to put him in the closet for twelve hours a night. The darkness will trick the plant into thinking it is winter, and I should get those big red blooms in about a month." The bright color of the bracts attracts a natural enemy from the Midwest. Buddy Pickett says "the white fly comes from Chicago to get on these poinsettia because of the color and we treat it with Marathon." An unusual event a few years ago added excitement to Buddys day. Buddy Pickett says "ten or fifteen years ago we had a load of plants. A rattlesnake was rolled up in the middle of the plants." Most of the young poinsettia plants at Magic Farm are pre-sold. Buddy Pickett says "we started booking two or three months ago. We have a lot of fund raisers, Cornerstone school will buy nearly a thousand." Christmas is just around the corner.