Poinsettia Process

I managed to keep this Poinsettia plant alive since last Christmas and for the past month I have been following the strict process of getting the top leaves to turn red in time for Christmas. I started a bit later than suggested because I was on our jaunt with the Duke in UK and Europe. But this is the result so far!

In case anyone wants to try this, here is the process:
* Starting on or near Sept. 21, give the plant 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness (put the plant in a closet, basement or under a box) and 8 hours of bright light every day. Note that during the dark period, the plant cannot receive even the slightest bit of light at any time.
* Maintain night temperatures in the low 60 degrees F range.
* Continue to water and fertilize at the reduced rate.
* Rotate the plant daily to give all sides even light.
I think next year I will cut back the plant a bit more so there won’t be so many green leaves at the base.

Another quiet day, shopping, chiropractor, and reading for pleasure. We are reading “The Weight of Ink” by Rachel Kadish with the friends we have a Zoom call with every week where we discuss our lives, the world and the book.