DATE:   9/19/96
WRITER: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604

Fall is the time for planting

      CLEMSON -- What do enjoying football games, sipping cider,
and great gardening all have in common? Fall is the best time for
all three.
      Now is the best time of year to plant shrubs and trees.
Why? Because at this time of year, plants have a chance to
establish a strong root system. The shoots go dormant and cease
growth for the winter, but the roots continue to grow throughout
the winter months as long as the soil temperature remains above
40 degrees Fahrenheit. So, when spring arrives, the plants will
have produced an extensive root system that will sustain them
throughout the difficult summer months. 
     If you need flowering plants to stir you to plant, consider
trees, shrubs and vines with late-season beauty such as the
strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Chinese goldenraintree
(Koelreuteria bipinnata), glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Fortune's osmanthus (Osmanthus x fortunei), butterfly-bush
(Buddleia davidii), tea-oil camellia (Camellia oleifera),
Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), common witchhazel (Hamamelis
virginiana), and swamp jessamine (Gelsemium rankinii).
     Fall is more than a season of raking leaves, winterizing
garden equipment, and tidying-up the flower beds in preparation
for winter. It's time for planting!

Time to Prepare Poinsettias

     CLEMSON -- Did you save that poinsettia from last Christmas
because you just can't bear to throw any living plant away? If
so, then it's time to encourage your poinsettia (Euphorbia
pulcherrima) to set flower buds so by the time Christmas arrives,
it'll be decked with bright red bracts.
     Although the procedure is straightforward, it takes more
than a little vigilance, perseverance, and patience. For an
eight- to 10-week period starting October 1, keep the plant in
complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night at a room
temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the
poinsettia in darkness by moving it to a closet or by covering it
with a large box. During the day, expose the plant to six to
eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Water the plant when the
surface of the potting medium feels dry. A typical regimen would
be putting the plant in darkness at 6 o-clock in the evening and
then exposing it to light at 8 in the morning.
     Be aware that if the night temperature climbs too high or
drops too low, flower bud setting may be delayed or halted. 
Also, any stray light, such as that of a streetlight or
flashlight, shining near the plant during this critical dark 
period of 14 hours may delay or disrupt the blooming process.
     Continue this regimen for about 8 to 10 weeks. Depending on
the response time of the particular cultivar you have, your
poinsettia will flaunt colorful bracts in late November or
December.  
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     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to 
Agricultural News & Publications, A-101 Poole Agricultural
Center, Box 340311, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0311.
                               END