Pointers on keeping poinsettias

[DEC. 26, 2000]  The poinsettia is a plant that is native to Mexico and has become the traditional potted plant at Christmas time. While many believe that the red, pink or white color is the flower, it is actually called a bract. Bracts are colored leaves. The true flowers are there, but they aren’t very showy.

Many of the improved varieties offered today last an amazingly long time. To help them last and keep them looking good, keep the room temperatures between 60 and 68 degrees (if possible) and with very high humidity. Temperatures over 75 are really hard on poinsettias, especially with low humidity. Try to place your poinsettia by a bright window just out of direct sunlight. Remove it from the window at night if there is a danger of chilling. Keep soil moisture at moderate and uniform levels, and never let the pot stand in water.

 

Re-blooming poinsettias is a common goal, but bear in mind that this is one of the most difficult plants to succeed with. If you’re a gambler, or a die-hard horticulturalist, here are the basic steps to improve your success.

After you are done displaying your poinsettia, gradually withhold water. The leaves should soon turn yellow and drop. Store the dried-off plant in a cool (meaning 50 to 60 degrees), dry, dark basement room until April or May. During this period, water lightly with just enough to keep the roots and stems from drying out too much.

 

When you bring the plant back up, prune stems to about six inches. Remove from the pot, take some old soil from the roots, then repot using a well-drained mixture. If there are several plants in the pot, separate and pot them individually. Use a pot that provides plenty of room. Water the plant well and place in a warm, sunny spot for renewed plant growth. You can put the plants outside when frost danger has passed, but be wary of direct sun during the hottest part of the day. You may have to repot the plant if it becomes root bound.

If you’re into starting cuttings, you may have decent success by starting new plants from the shoots that appear on your old cut-back plant in the spring.

 

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Keep the plant actively growing during the summer months by watering regularly and applying a complete liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks. As new shoots form, pinch them back so that two nodes (leaf pairs) remain on each. Stop pinching off shoots in August. Also, you may want to remove some of the weaker stems completely, allowing only a few of the stronger ones to develop. Control insects as they appear, and if plants become diseased they should be pitched.

 

Before cool weather in the fall, place the plant inside in a south window with full sun through the day. Watch the temperatures and moistures. Temperatures should be 60 to 65 during the day and 70 to 75 at night. Moisture should be moderate. Starting the last week of September, your plant should only be exposed to natural sunlight (this means no house lights after dark). Probably the best method is to put the plant in a closet overnight. Once the leaf color forms, you can increase non-daylight light.

With these recommendations, and a little bit of luck, your poinsettia should be ready for the holiday season.

Office closed for holidays

The Extension office will be closed for the holidays, beginning Dec. 23, and will reopen on Jan. 2. Best wishes for the holiday season!

[John Fulton]

Meador Investigations

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Merger on the plains

Farm implement dealerships join forces, change names

[DEC. 21, 2000]  Schmidt-Marcotte Inc. of Atlanta and Pekin and George H. Dunn Inc. of Clinton and Farmer City are joining forces. As of Jan. 1 they will be known as Central Illinois Ag. Both dealerships are family-based businesses that are well established in their communities. This merger is the result of a changing agriculture base. The combined businesses will meet the needs of their customers by providing more equipment choices and better parts and service coverage while allowing for technology enhancements. Central Illinois Ag will have 70 employees, many of them with over 20 years experience.

The management team — Steve Schmidt, Dave Evans, Bill Marcotte, Tim Reeser, Mike McCartney — will remain the same. Service and parts managers will also remain the same at the four locations: Pekin, Atlanta, Clinton and Farmer City.

 

Central Illinois Ag will be a full-service dealership offering their customers assistance in sales, service and parts for both new and used equipment. Customers will continue to be served out of all four locations. The customer base is primarily agricultural with some light construction and lawn and garden equipment. Major lines are Case and New Holland. Other lines include Kinze, New Idea, Bushhog, Woods, Land Pride, Landoll, DMI, M & W, Glencoe, Great Plains, Brent, J & M, Hardi, Yetter, Cub Cadet, Dixon, Dixie Chopper, Steiner, Grasshopper, Toro and Echo.

Background: George H. Dunn, Inc.

George H. Dunn is a family-owned Case IH dealership. It originated on May 15, 1947, when George Dunn purchased the small International Harvester dealership from Robert T. Cord. This dealership is located on the northwest corner of the square in downtown Farmer City. The dealership has expanded over the years to include several adjacent land parcels.

 

In 1973, the company incorporated. Tim Reeser and Mike McCartney, sons-in-law of the founder, became part owners with Dunn. In 1977, they acquired another dealership from John McFetters in Clinton, in DeWitt County. Tim Reeser became the manager of the Clinton location, leaving Mike McCartney in charge of the Farmer City branch. In 1983, a newer and larger building with an additional 10 acres on Clinton’s east side was purchased by the corporation. This greatly enhanced their ability to serve their customer base.

 

 

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Background: Schmidt-Marcotte, Inc.

Schmidt-Marcotte marks five generations of the Schmidt family in the farm business and 102 years of continuous service to the farming community. It is the oldest dealership in Logan County. The business has changed from a one-man blacksmith shop in 1898 to a multi-line dealership with $18 million in wholegoods sales and 35 employees.

Steady growth of the business can be attributed to mergers and consolidations beginning in 1984, when Case purchased International Harvester to become Case IH. Joining forces with Bill Marcotte of Marcotte International in Lincoln in 1987 and Dave Evans of Evans Implement in Lawndale in 1992 significantly broadened the service and lines offered to their customers. "If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em" could describe the Schmidt-Marcotte strategy. Acquiring the former Watson dealership in Pekin in 1999 added lawn and garden equipment to the lineup. Schmidt-Marcotte’s secret to success has been the ability to change with the times yet maintain century-old values of customer service, quality employees and hard work.

 

Central Illinois Ag brings a rich heritage of service and experience to the agriculture community. Central Illinois Ag is a one-stop shop for agricultural and lawn and garden needs. Locations include Atlanta, 200 Sharon St., 1-800-762-2325; Pekin, 14646 Watson Road, 309-925-5550; Clinton, Route 10 east, 1-800-362-3866; and Farmer City, 103-105 Main, 1-800-334-8942. Their website is at www.CENTRALILAG.com.

[Central Illinois Ag news release]

 

 

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