When to bring poinsettia out of hiding?

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kqcrna Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6a) Dec 07, 2009

The poinsettia that I kept from last Christmas has been in nighttime darkness since Oct 1. Finally, just a few of the tiniest little bracts on top of the plant are turning red. The plant is healthy looking. I'm not too hopeful that it will show much color by Christmas since you now have to search for a hint of red. I don't know what cultivar it might be, possibly just a late blooming one.

My question: When should I bring the plant out of night darkness to get color? Is it at first sign of color or after it shows a lot of red? Will normal house light in the evening promote more coloring, or would leaving it in darkness work better? The plant is probably too big to fit on my plant shelving with fluorescent lights, but if I put in on the floor next to the shelf it would get a fair amount of light for about 14 or 15 hours a day.

I have successfully done this a few times in past years but can't for the life of me remember when I brought it out of hiding in that unused room.

Thanks for any help.

Karen

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tishrh Mount Vernon, OH Dec 07, 2009

normally you leave the schedule of nighttime darkness til full color. Make sure you donot get any artifical light to it as it will slow the color change. It needs 10-12 hours of darkness, it needs quite a bit of sun also. Indirect but bright.

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kqcrna Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6a) Dec 07, 2009

Thanks, tishrh. That's what I was afraid of. Guess I might have a poinsettia starting to bloom for Easter.

Karen

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Metrosideros Keaau, HI Dec 07, 2009

Poisettia plants should be pruned & fertilized at the end of August or beginning of September, and should be in night-time darkness from that time.
Do not display them till they have their full color.

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