Although production practices may vary statewide, there are some “basic” guidelines in producing a Christmas crop of poinsettias. The following is a brief outline for 6″ pinched plants in the 8-9 week response group:
| Day to Finish | Date | Optimum Night Temp. F | Comments |
| 98 | 9/1 | 67 | Pan rooted cuttings, drench with fungicide, apply granular insecticide. |
| 84 | 9/14 | 67 | Pinch to 4-6 nodes. |
| 77 | 9/21 | 62-64 | Apply growth regulator. |
| 68 | 9/30 | 67 | Drench with fungicide. |
| 50 | 10/18 | 67 | Shoots should be one half of final length. If too tall apply growth regulator. |
| 40 | 10/28 | 67 | Plants should begin to show color. |
| 37 | 10/31 | 65 | Drench with fungicide, watch for Botrytis. |
| 21 | 11/15 | 65 | Adjust night temperature to accelerate or slow growth. |
| 7 | 12/1 | 62 | Stop fertilizing to avoid bract burn. |
| 0 | 12/7 | 62 | Sale date |
Note: Guidelines may vary according to location, environmental conditions and/or stage of growth.
