WINTER at Spring Ledge Farm
Our Own Wreaths	Our Own Poinsettias History of Poinsettias Poinsettias are not poisonous

Novelty Colors - Cortez Burgundy	Novelty Colors - Premium Apricot	Novelty Colors - Jingle Bells

Our Own Poinsettias  -  (pictures are from mid-November, the bracts have a few weeks until full "bloom").  

We've been growing these beauties since July, when they arrived at our doorstep as 2-3" rooted cuttings.  They were very carefully transplanted into larger containers and given a treatment of biological controls to control root diseases and foliar rots.  Over the months of being kept at a strict 70F, they were treated to IPM methods including Good Bugs (predatory bugs) for aphid control,  thrips control and whitefly control. 

Beginning in September, the daylength shortens and the new buds become floral rather than vegetative.  This starts the process of bract coloring, which is the whole reason Poinsettias are the holiday plant that they are.   Wholesale growers sometimes are forced to have their plants in full "bloom" by the middle of November to satisfy malls, stores and other retail florists who need a finished poinsettia for their shelves and decor.  Our poinsettias are timed to be in peak color in early December, to add to your enjoyment of them at home. 

Our varieties this year consist of several reds ('Prestige Red' & 'Cortez Dark Red', 'Enduring Red), 'Avant Garde', 'Cinammon Star', 'Cortez Burgundy', 'Christmas White', 'Enduring Pink', 'Monet Twilight', 'Jingle Bells', 'Winter Rose Red', and many more.  It really is fun to watch them from mid-October to December as they turn from dark green leaves to very rich, colorful reds, pinks, salmons, and 

variations thereof.  We will try to garner a few pictures to place here in the coming days. 

             This year we are growing Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' which is in the same genus as the traditional poinsettias but with tiny white flowers.  It compliments the poinsettia quite nicely and we are looking forward to using the plant in our displays and homes.  

We planted the poinsettias into a range of pot sizes, everything from a 4 1/2" pot to a 12" bowl.  Some plants are pinched for a shrubbier habit, some are "straight up", for a taller habit with larger bracts of color.