Talk of The Villages Florida - Transplanting poinsettias

Quote:

Originally Posted by casita37 (Post 779769)

I planted last year's potted poinsettias in the front yard. Now, we are getting ready to do some landscape work/re-graveling.

They are almost completely red and thriving. Do I dare dig them up and put them back in large pots, then maybe find a new place in the ground for them after Christmas?? I don't like their current location. If I dig them up, what sort of special care should I give them?

Thanks.

If it was me, I would leave them alone until after the holidays and then cut them back and put them in pots until spring and then replant them. Poinsettias normally will not make it through the winters here planted in the ground. The last 2 - winters here have allowed them to live, but almost every year they will be killed by a hard frost or freeze here in The Villages. If you do put them in pots after the holidays cut them back and keep them protected from the cold, and if you do plant them again in spring remember what type of light they were planted in this year, the plants like it where you have them now. Poinsettias in the landscape have to have the right amount of sunlight in order to color up. If not they will just grow and not color up right. I was a grower here in Florida for years, and grew them by the thousands in our greenhouses for floral shops throughout the state. I had to fake the plants out by growing them under shade cloth so the plants would color up in time for market in early November. One thing you could do if you really want a bushy plant with lots of color is to pinch back the tops of the plant around the middle of May. By doing this you will force the plant to re-chute with many more branches giving you spectacular color in November. ( Hope this helps you )