Texas Agriculture Daily News
Expert offers tips on keeping poinsettias alive
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
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‘Tis the season to be jolly, but plant pathologists at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are warning Texans that ‘tis also the season for ailing poinsettias.
Dr. Kevin Ong, director of the AgriLife Extension Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station, says there are several things that can kill or damage the plants this time of year.
One of the most common diseases that affect poinsettias is pythium root rot. When the plant is attacked by the disease, the root will turn from white to brown and will feel mushy. When the roots rot, the plant’s leaves will turn yellow and then will fall from the plant.
Poinsettia owners who see blotches or splotches on the plant’s lower leaves may have a poinsettia that has been improperly watered. Ong says in that case, the best thing to do is remove the affected leaves and water the plant properly.
Poinsettias are a tropical plant, and Ong says it is best if you bring them indoors when temperatures outside fall below 60 degrees. If a poinsettia gets too cold, it will turn yellow and drop its leaves.
Poinsettias should only be watered when the soil feels dry, and the plant should be fed after the holidays. A poinsettia that is fed too much too early will begin to look peaked.
For more information, visit today.agrilife.org.
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