I used to work in a plant nursery, which is why I was able to convince my editor that I am somehow qualified to write this column.
Back then I could mark the passing of time by the kinds of stock I had to fill.
If it was autumn, it’d be bulbs. In winter, bare-rooted fruit trees. And of course, December was heralded by a great tide of red-leaved poinsettias: more than we had space on the shelves for.
They make an excellent last-minute festive gift, and stay fresh far longer than cut flowers.
I must’ve gift-wrapped a million of those things in my brief horticultural career.
Because of this, I have a sneaking suspicion that now, in the aftermath of the Christmas period, there’s an awful lot of you out there with a slightly worse-for-wear poinsettia sitting on your kitchen table, or cast to the side in a back courtyard somewhere, or maybe creeping its way towards the bin.
This does not have to be the fate of these bright Mexican natives.
Poinsettias can bring ruby-red intrigue year-round, if you’re willing to cast aside their association with Christmas cheer.
The red ‘petals’ are in fact brightly pigmented ‘bracts’ – a secondary kind of leaf.
The true flowers are the little yellow centres of the plant.
When you’re done using your poinsettia as a Christmas ornament, you can re-pot it into well-draining soil, or plant it directly into the ground.
They do well as indoor plants, but can also be grown outdoors, anywhere without frost (which in the Peel region will not be a problem), and do especially well on sloping ground where drainage is sufficient.
However, be careful not to put them directly in the sun, or they will get burnt: rather, keep them in the shade outside before gradually moving them into a position where they get morning sun.
Poinsettias are prone to fungal problems, so allow them to dry out between watering.
They’re also not hugely fond of the wind, so it’s best to keep them in a position where they’ll be sheltered by a wall or otherwise.
Depending on the variety they can get up to 1-4 metres in height, which can easily be controlled with hard pruning after flowering ends.
Fertilize them in summer with a mix high in phosphorus and low in nitrogen to promote coloured bracts.
In autumn they require about two months of very dark nights to develop brightly-colored bracts, which is mimicked in nurseries by shading them with cloth.
This is easy enough if it’s in a pot – just keep them in a dark room overnight – but if it’s outdoors you may want to try experimenting by ‘tucking them into bed’ with a sheet or shade cloth over the top.
Do you have a gardening question for Jess? Send your queries to jess.cockerill@fairfaxmedia.com.au
