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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]
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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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Pointers
on keeping poinsettias