Huge Congratulations to Teresa & Ashley
The Flower Girls were just Perfect!!!
We Used Vanda Orchids, Tulips, Roses & Viburnum Opulus in the wedding bouquets
Really looking forward to sharing the rest of this glorious wedding with you!
A Sneak Preview of Teresa & Ashley's Winter Wedding Day
Keeping your Poinsettia - After the holidays
Keeping your Poinsettia - After the holidays
Many people try to carry their poinsettia plants over and rebloom them the next year. If you have a big ol' green thumb and the incentive you might give this beautiful plant a try.
Poinsettias are perhaps the most difficult flowering potted plants to rebloom in the home. I have never had a personal success story, but I think my mother has, she has a big ol' green thumb, and as her grandchildren are fond of saying Grandma can do anything. If you must try, follow the instructions carefully.
After blooming, gradually withhold water. The leaves will then yellow and fall off. Place the dried-off plant in a cool place with temperatures 50 to 60 degrees until spring. Water only enough to keep the roots from drying out. This means very, very, little water.
In the spring place the plant in a warm room and prune the stems back to about six inches. If there is more than one plant in the pot, divide and repot them at this time.
For repotting use a well-drained soil. Potting soils available at garden shops are satisfactory.
Or even better you may use one part vermiculite, one part peat moss or leaf mold, and one part sand or perlite. See this is where the big 'ol green thumb comes in. If you are scratching your head saying what are those items you are not a serious 'Big ol' green thumber'
After repotting, place the plants in a bright, sunny, south window until frost danger is past. In New England that often means, wait a really long time. Sink the pot outdoors where it gets some wind protection, but where it gets sun most of the day. Light shade in the hottest part of the summer afternoon is desirable. Lift the pot occasionally to keep roots from growing into surrounding soil. A small piece of brown paper bag at the bottom of the hole will also help keep the pot from rooting in the soil.
As new shoots develop, cut them back to allow two nodes or pairs of leaves to remain. This will develop a large, bushy plant by late summer. Stop pinching back after mid-August.
Plants may be started from cuttings, but rooting is fairly difficult (when I say fairly I am being generous) under home conditions. Keep the plant in good growing condition by watering and feeding regularly during the summer. Add a complete liquid fertilizer about once every two weeks. Watch carefully for insect or disease problems and control immediately. Discard diseased plants. Before the weather becomes cool in fall, bring the plant indoors and place it at a bright, sunny, south window. Cool night temperatures will improve flower quality. Day temperatures should be 70 to 75 degrees. Good luck with the listed daytime temps here in New England.
The poinsettia is a short day (long night) plant. Make sure it receives no additional light at night while flowers are forming. The critical period begins about October 1, and continues until colored bracts and flower buds are visible.
Even short periods of dim light can prevent flowering. If the plant is kept in a lighted room, cover it every night at dusk with a light-tight bag or cover. Remove the cover at about 8:00 a.m. each morning. This type of devotion to a single plant usually only comes from a master gardener or ...a 'Big ol' green thumber'
Extra illumination from a street or yard light will have the same effect on a poinsettia growing outdoors as it does on plants growing indoors. If you want them to flower, be careful in selecting the location in the landscape. Place the plant so it will receive no additional light after October 1, until the time the bracts show color if they are to bloom by Christmas. If these procedures are followed carefully, the plants should flower by Thanksgiving. You know Thanksgiving the holiday where some well loved family member will accidentally drop a drink on your poinsettia and ruin all your hard work. This is the time when you have to try really hard to remember how much you love your family. ;)
If placed in a protected area where early fall frosts will not harm them, they will make beautiful plants for the next holiday season. They should be cut back 8 to 10 inches each spring to encourage new growth from the base As new shoots develop, cut them back to allow two pairs of leaves per shoot to remain. Every time a new shoot produces about four or five pairs of leaves prune it again. Do not prune after mid-August or flower buds and colored bracts may not form in time for Christmas. Am I repeating myself? You can never say this stuff too many times.
For best results poinsettias must have a well-drained soil and must be fertilized regularly. While poinsettias will not tolerate a wet, poorly drained soil, they do require plenty of water for optimum growth. They tend to drop their leaves if allowed to become too dry.
Now for Best, best results buy your poinsettias each year at Carey's Flowers, come early when the selection is still vast and enjoy a beautiful, living, blooming addition to your home at Christmas time.
Many people try to carry their poinsettia plants over and rebloom them the next year. If you have a big ol' green thumb and the incentive you might give this beautiful plant a try.
Poinsettias are perhaps the most difficult flowering potted plants to rebloom in the home. I have never had a personal success story, but I think my mother has, she has a big ol' green thumb, and as her grandchildren are fond of saying Grandma can do anything. If you must try, follow the instructions carefully.
After blooming, gradually withhold water. The leaves will then yellow and fall off. Place the dried-off plant in a cool place with temperatures 50 to 60 degrees until spring. Water only enough to keep the roots from drying out. This means very, very, little water.
In the spring place the plant in a warm room and prune the stems back to about six inches. If there is more than one plant in the pot, divide and repot them at this time.
For repotting use a well-drained soil. Potting soils available at garden shops are satisfactory.
Or even better you may use one part vermiculite, one part peat moss or leaf mold, and one part sand or perlite. See this is where the big 'ol green thumb comes in. If you are scratching your head saying what are those items you are not a serious 'Big ol' green thumber'
After repotting, place the plants in a bright, sunny, south window until frost danger is past. In New England that often means, wait a really long time. Sink the pot outdoors where it gets some wind protection, but where it gets sun most of the day. Light shade in the hottest part of the summer afternoon is desirable. Lift the pot occasionally to keep roots from growing into surrounding soil. A small piece of brown paper bag at the bottom of the hole will also help keep the pot from rooting in the soil.
As new shoots develop, cut them back to allow two nodes or pairs of leaves to remain. This will develop a large, bushy plant by late summer. Stop pinching back after mid-August.
Plants may be started from cuttings, but rooting is fairly difficult (when I say fairly I am being generous) under home conditions. Keep the plant in good growing condition by watering and feeding regularly during the summer. Add a complete liquid fertilizer about once every two weeks. Watch carefully for insect or disease problems and control immediately. Discard diseased plants. Before the weather becomes cool in fall, bring the plant indoors and place it at a bright, sunny, south window. Cool night temperatures will improve flower quality. Day temperatures should be 70 to 75 degrees. Good luck with the listed daytime temps here in New England.
The poinsettia is a short day (long night) plant. Make sure it receives no additional light at night while flowers are forming. The critical period begins about October 1, and continues until colored bracts and flower buds are visible.
Even short periods of dim light can prevent flowering. If the plant is kept in a lighted room, cover it every night at dusk with a light-tight bag or cover. Remove the cover at about 8:00 a.m. each morning. This type of devotion to a single plant usually only comes from a master gardener or ...a 'Big ol' green thumber'
Extra illumination from a street or yard light will have the same effect on a poinsettia growing outdoors as it does on plants growing indoors. If you want them to flower, be careful in selecting the location in the landscape. Place the plant so it will receive no additional light after October 1, until the time the bracts show color if they are to bloom by Christmas. If these procedures are followed carefully, the plants should flower by Thanksgiving. You know Thanksgiving the holiday where some well loved family member will accidentally drop a drink on your poinsettia and ruin all your hard work. This is the time when you have to try really hard to remember how much you love your family. ;)
If placed in a protected area where early fall frosts will not harm them, they will make beautiful plants for the next holiday season. They should be cut back 8 to 10 inches each spring to encourage new growth from the base As new shoots develop, cut them back to allow two pairs of leaves per shoot to remain. Every time a new shoot produces about four or five pairs of leaves prune it again. Do not prune after mid-August or flower buds and colored bracts may not form in time for Christmas. Am I repeating myself? You can never say this stuff too many times.
For best results poinsettias must have a well-drained soil and must be fertilized regularly. While poinsettias will not tolerate a wet, poorly drained soil, they do require plenty of water for optimum growth. They tend to drop their leaves if allowed to become too dry.
Now for Best, best results buy your poinsettias each year at Carey's Flowers, come early when the selection is still vast and enjoy a beautiful, living, blooming addition to your home at Christmas time.
How to choose a Pointsetta
How to choose a Pointsetta* First go to your local family owned, brick and mortar florist NOT a big box store. Geesh! Buy local! Do you know that for every $100 spent in a locally owned independent store, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.
* Don't buy Poinsettia plants that have been left standing outside a corner store; they will already be dead or dying. Go figure why corner stores do this. I guess it works for spontaneous sales, but the reality is that Euphorbia pulcherrima (what a poinsettia is) cannot tolerate cold. These plants originate from Mexico h-e-l-l-o!
* Leaves should not be falling off. If the Poinsettia plant looks a little sparse and twiggy, it has probably been in its plastic sleeve too long. Now why would you want a sparse twiggy plant anyway ewww.
* Look for the cluster of yellowy-green flowers in the centre of each cluster of red leaves. These are the Poinsettia's plant's true flowers; the decorative leaves are actually brachts. The flower cluster should be firm and intact. If they are breaking off or if you can't see any, the plant is inferior. However refrain from pointing this out to the plant itself, it is doing it's best.
* Don't buy a Poinsettia plant if it stinks. Sniff the pot. If the roots are rotting from over-watering or poor air circulation, there will be a sweet, musty smell. This is a sign that the plant is already on the decline. Again why would you want a musty plant in your home?
How to get a Poinsettia plant home
* Take your plant home in a warm car immediately after buying it. Don't leave it in a cold car while you load all the wood you bought at a big box store as the car will be freezing even if you are running the heat full blast. Also don't go shopping for a couple of hours or even a couple of minutes after you purchase your plant at your local brick and mortar florist, take that baby home. Try to remember we live in New England folks and this plant is from MEXICO.
* Make sure your Poinsettia plant is well-wrapped, to avoid giving the plant a cold shock. It should come with a sleeve that can be stapled closed over the canopy of leaves.
How to care for it
* Keep your Poinsettia plant in a room where the temperature stays around 68 F to 70 F and where it will get indirect sunlight. Don't place it near a drafty windowsill. Or cook it by placing on a radiator. The latter happens more than you want to even think about.
* Keep it away from heat vents and avoid placing it too close to a fireplace where heat can scorch leaves and dry out the soil, killing the plant quite quickly.
* Don't over-water. This causes root rot. You can water from the bottom by standing the pot in a few inches of water in the sink for no more than 5 minutes, then let drain well before returning to it's spot in your home.
Carey's Flowers preferred watering method is to water under the plant just above the soil right at the pot line with approximately 1 measuring cup of water. Check the plant the next day if the soil is still moist that is plenty of water, if it seems dry add another 1/2 measuring cup of water. The water should not run out of the bottom of the plant and the soil should be just damp not wet or 'muddy' Each home a Poinsettia plant resides in will require a different amount of water due to things like: home temperature, type of home heating, amount of light plant is getting, etc. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering.
* Don't leave your plant in its paper protective sleeve for more than 48 hours maximum. The Poinsettia plant produces low levels of ethylene gas. If allowed to build up in the sleeve, this will cause leaves and bracts to droop or drop right off. This has nothing to do with your florist it has to do with the neglect of the plant, it needs to be out of it's protective sleeve once it's home.
Poinsettias are NOT poisonous!
Hi all! Well, I made it to my second day of posts! I'm on a full on roll now!!
Poinsettia is the traditional Christmas flower, loved for its festive red bracts and dark green foliage. For years poinsettias have been considered poisonous. It was thought that the leaves, stems and milky sap could cause great harm and even death to anyone who ate them. This seemed to apply in a special almost Voodoo like way to cats, as in "OH! that plant will KILL your cat instantaneously while you watch on in horror!" Many people avoid these beautiful plants for this very reason. 
Let me just add that for many, many years we were blessed with a greenhouse cat here at Carey's Flowers named Buster. Each and every year (as Paula Deen would say) she ate herself some poinsettia plants and she went to heaven at the ripe old age of 23.
This means the poinsettia can be removed from the list of poisonous plants.However the Veterinarians are slow to recognize this fact. I spent the better part of 20 minutes explaining to my Vet, that the facts are the facts and it's time to let the old world thinking and warnings go. I'm pretty sure I convinced her and her staff, but just in case I missed the mark with them, I sent over a bunch of poinsettia plants for the office. Each plant had a note attached that said - ' I am not poisonous to people or animals, I am pet friendly and house beautiful.'
This does not mean I recommend eating the plant, and I would recommend keeping the plant out of the reach of small children, but now you no longer need to worry. Remember some people are allergic (allergic not 'will keel over dead') to the sap. Also eating houseplants is downright yucky if you ask me, and if you have a habit of eating them (houseplants) perhaps you should seek help. :)
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