CELEBRATING 29 YEARS! Welcome to my weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 29 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: Hi Linda, I seem to remember an article you wrote about Poinsettias, I know I cut it out of the paper, but I can't seem to find it. Can you re-run it? Thank you, - Rene, Clinton, CT A: Hello Rene, certainly. Poinsettias, come in over 100 various shades of red, burgundy, white, pink and marbled. Even though the Poinsettia has been called the 'Lobster Flower' because of its color, the colored part is not a flower at all, but a modified leaf (aka bract). If you want your Poinsettia to develop colored bracts next year, it isn't hard, but you must be diligent. The bracts should stay bright for a few weeks beyond Christmas. Eventually they will brown and fall off. At that point, cut the stems back to about 6" and keep the plant warm indoors and the soil fairly dry. In the Spring, when the temperatures are consistently 60 degrees and above, you can move the Poinsettia outside to an area with indirect sun, re-pot in a slightly larger container and fertilize/water normally. When the weather cools off again, bring it inside. ***Very important: From October 1, until early December, the plant must have completely dark nights of 12-15 hours long and bright sunny days (this process is called photoperiodism).*** Around November 1, you will notice the bracts starting to turn red, and by early December, they should be completely red, right in time for the Holidays. Then repeat the entire process. Good luck and Happy New Year! THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 29 YEARS ! Welcome to my weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 29 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : Hi Linda , I seem to remember an article you wrote about Poinsettias , I know I cut it out of the paper , but I can't seem to find it . Can you re - run it ? Thank you , - Rene , Clinton , CT A : Hello Rene , certainly . Poinsettias , come in over 100 various shades of red , burgundy , white , pink and marbled . Even though the Poinsettia has been called the ' Lobster Flower ' because of its color , the colored part is not a flower at all , but a modified leaf ( aka bract ) . If you want your Poinsettia to develop colored bracts next year , it isn't hard , but you must be diligent . The bracts should stay bright for a few weeks beyond Christmas . Eventually they will brown and fall off . At that point , cut the stems back to about 6 " and keep the plant warm indoors and the soil fairly dry . In the Spring , when the temperatures are consistently 60 degrees and above , you can move the Poinsettia outside to an area with indirect sun , re - pot in a slightly larger container and fertilize / water normally . When the weather cools off again , bring it inside . *** Very important : From October 1 , until early December , the plant must have completely dark nights of 12-15 hours long and bright sunny days ( this process is called photoperiodism ) . *** Around November 1 , you will notice the bracts starting to turn red , and by early December , they should be completely red , right in time for the Holidays . Then repeat the entire process . Good luck and Happy New Year ! THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET