Christmas Cheer
Christmas Cheer is a dark red-bracted poinsettia with medium vigor that is easy to grow and extremely uniform in production. Consider it your earlier version of Christmas Day Red.
Plant Vigor: Medium
V-Shaped Habit: Normal
Characteristics
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Season:Mid Season
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Foliage:dark green
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Natural Flower (first pollen):Nov. 15-22
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Response Time in weeks (first pollen):8
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Vigor:medium
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Habit:normal
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Average Bract Size:large, pointed
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Post Harvest:very good
Finishing Recommendations
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Energy Efficient:
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Varieties are rated from most (
) to least (
) efficient. Contact us for guides.
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Cool Finish (24 hrs avg.):63°F / 17° C
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Indicates minimum temperature starting two weeks after the beginning of short days. Please note that a crop grown cooler requires more time to finish (4 to 7 days), and will have smaller bracts and darker color (for example, white may turn cream-yellow). Toward the end of the crop (two weeks prior to shipping), slowly lower the temperature for green-leafed varieties to 65°F (18°C) day/night and dark green-leafed varieties to 63°F (17°C) day/night.
Space Efficient:
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Varieties are rated from most () to least () efficient. Contact us for guides.
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Recommended spacing for 6":13"x13"
Download Culture Details
GARY’S
NOTES
CULTURE THAT WORKS
propagation
- Roots well; plant from a liner at 24 days.
- Apply rooting hormone at the base of cutting.
- Start feed program at day 7.
- Feed aggressively; failure to feed early enough will result in yellowing and hardening.
early finished growth
- Pinch early: at day 14-18 from a liner; at day 28 for direct stick.
- Breaks begin to grow 5-7 days after pinch.
- In low-humidity climates, Florel applications before and/or after pinch may help hasten branching.
growing on
- Grows steadily once the branches develop, and exhibits consistent slow growth throughout the crop until color begins.
- Apply light PGR when branches are 1-1.5 in. (2.5-4 cm) using Cycocel spray at 500-750 ppm.
- Apply more aggressive PGR when branches are 2 in. (5 cm).
- Southern Climate: Use 1-2 applications of B-Nine (1,000 ppm)/Cycocel (500 ppm) before September 20. Apply later Cycocel sprays at 500-750 ppm, with last applications by October 10.
- Micro Bonzi drenches can begin in early October.
late growing stages
- Requires continuous feed until finish.
- Reduce feed levels if media EC increases too rapidly.
- Requires that the finished pH be maintained below 6.6 to prevent magnesium deficiency. This shows up in the form of interveinal chlorosis near the outer part of the leaves about 3/4 of the way up the plant, usually in late October. If this occurs, foliar applications of chelated magnesium can be applied.