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Posted by blackduck on 23-Feb-2012 09:12 Report
Poinsettia Information Help Please
I have been asked if I would do a short article on growing poinsettias for a plant club magazine.  I have done all the Google searches and got lots of information but have not been able to find much on growing in Australia.  What I am looking for is where you grow yours, garden or bush house, patio ect.  How far south, north or west they grow.  Do you grow your own cuttings. Do you prune your plants or allow them to get to tree size.  Maby you have minatures.  If in pots what sort of potting mix you use and what fertilizers. 
Do you have any photos that you would be willing to share that could possibly be used in the magazine.
Any help or information that you can give me would be gratefully appreciated as I have never had any success in growing these lovely plants. 

Thank you all in advance,  Peggy
 
Replied by marian-48 on 23-Feb-2012 09:25 (Ref 2333449) Report
Peggy, Ehow has lots of info to help you, my neighbour has a beauty, quite neglected, grown in semi-shade & has hundreds of red flowers at Christmas. There is also a green flowering variety. Just put  Ehow poinsettia into Google & you will find lots of info.
Marian
Replied by goldhills on 23-Feb-2012 11:22 (Ref 2333457) Report
I don't know a lot about the newer dwarf cultivars but with the older varieties consider them tropical to sub-tropical plants. They love heat, sun and are frost sensitive. They will grow down south in a frost free area. They can be left to grow big but for best display cut back hard after flowering to encourage branching then trim again late summer. They grow very easily from cuttings so plant the prunings for lots more plants.

To grow in pots, any quality potting mix will do as long as it is free draining. I just stick with basic all round plant foods (Osmocote for example) for my poinsettias in pots but then I have so many pots I don't have time to give each plant their own individual mix or mollycoddle them.

I just had a quick google and came across this Australian ABC gardening article which seems to cover most things
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s711133.htm
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