Christmas in July? Not quite, but poinsettias are making their way into greenhouses across Ontario, and they always arrive at the hottest time of the year.
Nutritional issues, environmental stress, PGR mistakes and early diseases can all be costly in this high-value crop. Read on for common pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as links to pest management information in early production.
Staying On Top of New Recommendations
Probably the biggest threat to your poinsettia crop is starting to get lax with your growing. But it can be hard to keep up with the latest production tips and tricks for all the different ornamental crops we grow. I've included a few relevant articles pertaining to poinsettia production below that provide additional info and some different opinions to consider.
Proper Nutrition
Typically, water soluble feeds are used in poinsettia, but a few growers have been trialing controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) for poinsettia production with good results. The CRF evens out nutrient availability between liquid feeds and can allow you to fine tune your fertilizer program throughout production by adding in liquid feed where and when necessary. Talk to you supplier about your options and ask them for recommendations and trial results if you are considering trying a CRF/liquid feed nutrition program.