I'm a new ag teacher in Virginia and need to order poinsettias for the school greenhouse. I was considering the Freedom Family. It is getting late to start, and I would appreciate advice on what form (callused, unrooted, etc.) to order them in, best propagation technique (direct stick or transplant), and when to pinch for a target sale date of November 15.

Please let me know if this target date is even attainable (or a later date), or if another variety would be a better choice for this year. Thank you.

We are reaching a point in the season where rooted cuttings would allow you the most flexibility with product form. Freedom initiates earlier than other varieties so we have an even shorter window to work with now on this variety. If you have a flexible sale date you may think about choosing a variety such as Prestige that initiates later and allows you more flexibility in your schedule and product form.

Should you choose Freedom and stick with your projected sale date of November 15th you will probably be limited to 4" pinched plants or 4" non-pinched plants. Pinched plants should be transplanted next week and pinched by approximately the 8th of September. Non-pinched forms should be transplanted by the first week in September.

You could also think about growing 6 or 6 1/2" straights ups or non-pinched forms. You would plant 3 cuttings per plant and not pinch. The finished product form is three large blooms as apposed to several smaller bracts. In many areas of the county straight ups bring a higher price. Rooted cuttings for this form should be planted by September 3rd.

Should you decide to choose a variety that initiates later such as Prestige and grow as a 6 or 6 1/2" pinched plants, the cuttings would have to be planted ASAP and pinched 10-14 days later to get enough size on the plant. Prestige also makes a phenomenal straight up and would need to be planted in this form by September 13th.

Limited availability may also be an issue this late. Contact our customer service at 760-753-1134 for availability. Once you have a list of possible cultivars and ship dates we can discuss possible product forms and pinch dates, etc. as there may be other possibilities for you. Thank you!

Ecke-for Prestige in a 6 or6.5" pot, with no pinch would you put one plant per pot or go with 3 per pot? My target date is November 30.

For straight up non-pinch forms you would use the following guidelines for planting:

4" - 1 plant
6" or 6 1/5" - 3- 4 plants
7" or 7 1/2" - 5 plants
8" or 8 1/2" - 7 plants
10" - 10 plants

Here is a useful link for more information: Single Stem Poinsettia Production

I too am new with Poinsettias for a school fund raiser, and inherited 700 cuttings of Freedom last week (8/23). I have "The Poinsettia Manual", 3rd edition, but need any quick tips available. Based on what I have read, former students, and supplies on hand, I started potting into 8" pots at a rate of 3 per pot. My greatest challenge so far has been to control greenhouse temperatures. For now I can keep it between 75 and 100 degrees. I am located in Jasper, AL. If there is a production schedule for Freedom in the Southeast, that would be very helpful. It looks like a good target date would be the week of November 27- December1.
Thanks in advance for any helpful hints.

See this web site for examples of Freedom in North Florida. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/heightcontrol.htm. Freedom will be finished closer to Nov. 20. Your temperatures are common for the south and not too extreme. Good luck with the crop. Jim