Hello everyone! I have just finished transplanting my poinsettias. Can I use fertilizer right away or should I wait a few days until they root in the soil a little? Also, we are currently installing a modern boiler system - no heat. This could take a month. Day temps seem ok, but the last couple of nights have been down to 62F. Is this temp too low or will this work for us? Whats an ideal night average for all Ecke varieties? Thanks for your expert opinion.

I start feeding from day one and constant feed throughout the whole crop. The total amount of feed (EC Levels) used is usually monitored by use of a conductivity meter but will not give you specifics on what individual elements may be high or low in the media. I test my soil here in house every 10 days for EC levels using the "Pour Thru" method but many others send in soil samples to commercial labs for more accurate results. I also test every 10 days for the pH levels in the crop. This is my 34th. Poinsettia crop this year so I am aware of what I feed and what to expect from my soil mix and weather conditions at the Nursery. Those just starting out would be advised to use a commercial lab for testing results until they get a handle on Poinsettia requirements and a bit more experience under their belts. If you really want to fine tune your crop buy a good ph meter and a good EC meter and learn the "Pour Thru" method. NC State Pour Thru Web Page EC ranges for different Poinsettia cultivars can be found here on the Ecke's web site...Michael Pawelek
Pecan Hill Nursery

First let's talk about temperatures. During the establishing phase (right after the cuttings are transplanted) it is important to keep the temperatures, especially nights, warm. We like to see night temperatures at 68F or higher. Your goal during establishing should be to maintain an average daily temperature of 70-78F. If temperatures are below 68F root establishment can be slow and vegetative growth poor. Also as you get closer to flower initiation if the night temperatures are too cool it can trick the plants into initiating early. Unfortunately in some areas of the country this may mean running the heat a little at night but it is worth it to get the crop established well and off to a good start.

Now on to fertilizing......

Most cuttings come out of propagation a little on the hungry side. Take any opportunity you get to do a thorough irrigation and fertilize the plants at that time using 200-250 ppm N. During the first 10-14 days you may be syringing the cutting and oasis to keep the plant cool so don't fertilize when you are only applying these small amounts of water. Save the fertilizing for when you have the opportunity to achieve run through. Overfertilizing at this stage can slow root establishment. Also stay away from fertilizers containing phosphorus if you are using overhead irrigation. Too much phosphorus can result in tip damage due to a complex micronutrient deficiency created by the excess phosphorus. If you have to water overhead stick with a 15-5-15 or a 14-0-14 formulation to avoid any issues.

Good Luck!