Care for your Poinsetteia

My brother Walter Avant worked in a plant over seeing the building of the machines to make aliumfoil in Jamaica .  They had a Poinsettia in their back yard, the time they bloom is not at Christmas time.  These we buy are forced to bloom at that time.  You have to give them a lot of dark days and nights to accomplish this.  I was really disappointed when we went to Wal-Mart yesterday, I could not believe they did not have any Poinsettias this year and had not had any.  I wanted to tell you how to take care and how to make your Poinsettias bloom next year, and do mine at the same time.  May not be at Christmas, because I have seceded and then sometimes they bloom at Easter, not enough darkness.  Poinsettias like the moister of the dirt just right not too moist and not dry.  I put three ice curbs in the top of the pot every morning.  If your pot is covered with foil cut the hole out and drain off any excessive water, place a saucer under the pot to protect your furniture.  Never let them go to bed with wet feet.  Water only in the morning and just a little. That is why the ice cubes, they will melt and the dirt will be moist but not wet.  When your Poinsettia starts to look ragged place it in a dark place (closet) do not water much maybe once a week ( still three ice cubes) take out in April or May depending on the weather.  If you can put it out side where it will get no light at night put it out, cut it back to about three or four inches. Still water daily with ice cubes.  when the weather is begaing to get cold bring in like all your other house plants. Place in a window with plenty of light during the day at night back in the closet, remember it needs lots of darkness to force it to bloom at Christmas.  However all was not lost Carrel bought my Christmas present, a President  Roosevelt Rhododendron, we will have to plant it in the back yard because it does not like sun.  In this country if a plants says morning sun only, it is best to plant it in the shade.  Azelias do not like our sun down here they do better in the shade.