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First let's look at some basic care tips once you have chosen the perfect poinsettia. Pro- tect the plant from the elements on its trip from the store to your home. Place the plant in a room with plenty of bright, natural light. Keep out of drafts and away from appliances and refrigerators, and never place it on the television set. Water only when dry at first, being careful not to over water. Discard any excess water that runs through the pot's drainage holes. If wrapped in foil, make sure the pot doesn't sit in water inside the decorative wrap. When I talk with someone that had trouble with their plant surviving no more than a month or two, after a few questions, it always ends up being that it was over-watered. A good way to care for and remember when to provide a little extra attention to your poinsettia is by coordinating your care schedule with specific holidays. Here's how: ■ New Year's Day — Fertilize with an all- purpose houseplant fertilizer at recommend- ed rates. I use fish and seaweed fertilizer. Continue to provide adequate light and water for prolonged bloom for several weeks. ■ Valentine's Day — Check your plant for signs of insects such as white fly. If your plant has become long and leggy, cut back to about 5 inches tall. ■ St. Patrick's Day — Remove faded and dried parts of the plant. Add more soil, preferably a commercially available sterile soil mix. Keep the plant in a very bright inte- rior location. ■ Memorial Day — Trim off 2 to 3 inches of branches to promote side branching. Re- pot to a larger container using a sterile grow- ing mix. Usually they will outgrow that pot from last year or become root bound. ■ Father's Day — Move the plant outside for the summer; place in indirect light. A bright spot out of the sun is perfect. ■ Fourth of July — Trim the plant again. Move it into full sun. Continue to water and fertilize but increase the amount to acceler- ate growth. You can water more now because it is actively growing, and along with that, will need more food as well. Check daily for water and fertilize about twice a week. Again, I use a fish and seaweed fertilizer. ■ Labor Day — Move indoors to a spot that gets at least six hours of direct light daily, preferably more. Check for bugs before bringing inside and treat if needed. As new growth begins, reduce the amount of fertilizer. ■ Autumnal equinox — Starting on or near Sept. 21, give the plant 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness (put the plant in a closet, basement, or under a box) and 11 hours of bright light each day. Maintain night temperatures in the low 60 degree F range. Continue to water and fertilize. Rotate the plant daily to give all sides even light. ■ Thanksgiving — Discontinue the short day/long night treatment. Put the plant in a sunny area that gets at least six hours of direct light. Reduce water and fer- tilizer. ■ Christmas — Enjoy your "new" poin- settia and start the whole cycle all over again. It really isn't that complicated when you break it down this way. Every year your poinsettia will get bigger and offer even more blooms. There's nothing like growing a plant through its whole growth cycle and being successful. You don't have to be a plant geek to try this, although it helps. (Michael Timm is a horticulturalist with Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia.) HOMES PLUS DECEMBER 2016 2 Miele suction hoses are twisted, fl exed and stretched with a 11 lb weight 120,000 times in the laboratory. You can pull your Miele vacuum cleaner along behind you without giving it a second thought. The hose test: So resilient! Those who know... Choose Quality™ 262-349-4809 3GVACUUM.COM 262-783-4464 BROOKFIELDVACUUM.COM 3G VACUUM 2005 Silvernail, Waukesha Between WI Vision & Smart Choice MRI BROOKFIELD VACUUM 17000 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfi eld The North East corner of Capitol & Calhoun 252847001 Distributed by: ©2016 by Conley Media Waukesha County Homes Plus is published monthly by Conley Media - Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. A publication of Conley Media Sales Director: Jim Baumgart 262/513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Editor: Dan Muckelbauer 262/513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com Homes Plus Volume 5 ■ Number 12 ■ December 2016 MICHAEL TIMM Poinsettias, not just for Christmas Photo courtesy of Ebert's Greenhouse Village Poinsettias can be enjoyed and cared for throughout the year. Transition care at memorable dates throughout the year

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