Tips to Keep a Healthy, Blooming Poinsettia Plant by Jeff Rugg on Creators.com

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Tips to Keep a Healthy, Blooming Poinsettia Plant

Q: I bought a beautiful cream and pink poinsettia early last November. I figured if it didn't last, I could always get another one at Christmas. Now, it is May and it looks almost as good as when I purchased it. It has hardly lost any bracts or leaves. I have read poinsettia care online articles that say to cut it back when the flowers fall off in early spring, but since this hasn't happened, I didn't cut it back.

I live in Ohio, and it is not warm enough to set it outside yet. Should I cut off the bracts, even though they still look great?

A: Congratulations on doing such a good job growing the poinsettia. When the weather is warm enough to take the plant outside, you can do that. Or since it has grown so well where you have it, you could leave it there.

Eventually, it will start developing new branches at the buds that have existing leaves. Those leaves will fall off and the bracts may fall off at the same time. Sometimes, the plant will send only one new branch out from the top of the existing stem and not be very attractive. Pinching off the top couple of inches of the existing stem (including the flower) will cause the plant to send out more new branches from more buds, giving a fuller appearance.

If you want it to rebloom for Christmas this year, there are several basic requirements to match. But the main one is long nights and short days. Most poinsettia varieties will bloom if you give them 14 hours of darkness each day. Figure out when you go to sleep and when you leave for work in order to set up a schedule that you can follow. If you leave for work at 7 in the morning, you will have to put the plant in the dark by 5 in the evening each day.

Covering the plant with a box is easier than moving the plant to a dark closet or room each day. If there are some long stems sticking out, they can be pinched to make the plant bushier — it will have more flowers. Nighttime temperatures should be in the 60 degree to 70 degree range with the daytime about 10 degrees warmer. During the day, it should be in bright light but not full sun.

Water as needed and fertilize following the label directions for a fertilizer that promotes flowering.

It should bloom in eight to 10 weeks. Mid-September to the beginning of October should be just right for blooms to be ready for the Christmas season.

If you skip a few days or let in too much light for even a short time on too many nights, the plant may not bloom on time, if at all.

Q: The kids have outgrown the swimming pool and we removed it. There is a large circle of sand ranging from an inch or 2 inches to about 6 inches deep. Can we cover it with top soil and plant grass? Or can we till organic matter into the sand?

There is a lot of sand and it would be nice to keep it. We don't have any need for the sand; we just want to plant grass in place of the pool.

A: I am sorry to say, but the best thing to do is probably to remove as much sand as possible. It takes at least three times as much organic matter as sand to make it into an acceptable soil. In the area that has 6 inches of sand, you would need a lot of organic matter to mix in.

There are three mineral components to soil: sand, silt and clay. Organic matter is a small amount of normal soil. There is a wide range of soil types based on the varying amounts of the three minerals and the organic matter. Some soils have a lot of sand and some don't. Many plants grow in sandy soil, including a few lawn grasses.

The more sand in the soil, the faster water will drain out of the soil. Most lawn grasses will grow better in soil where sand is not the major component. Sandy soils need to be watered more often than other soils, so by replacing as much sand as possible, you will lower your lawns watering needs.

If you placed soil on top of the sand, the grass would dry out too fast and you would have to be watered often. If you mix good soil and organic matter with the sand, you won't have to buy as much to level the hole, but the mix may still be too sandy. If the surrounding landscaping has sandy soil, then the sandy mix may blend in. Since you are already watering the surrounding landscape, there won't be any difference. Try to match the surrounding soil, whether that means mixing the sand or replacing it with good topsoil.

E-mail questions to Jeff Rugg, University of Illinois Extension at jrugg@illinois.edu. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.