How do you grow poinsettias during the summer?

By controlling heat, light intensity and moisturepoinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) can be grown during the summer.

Specifically, poinsettias need the following conditions to be met:

1. Complete, uninterrupted darkness of fourteen (14) hours each and every evening/night for the ten (10) weeks preceding the time at which gardener/grower wants the plant to bloom.

2. Containers that allow space for the plant's fibrous roots to spread out.

3. Containers that have an exit point on the bottom for drainage but whose saucers never have standing water.

4. Daytime temperatures no higher than 80 degrees F/26.67 degrees C.

5. Night-time temperatures no lower than 60 degrees F/15.56 degrees C.

6. Exposure each day to no more than ten (10) hours of high intensity light - such as that on a bright, sunny day - from a protected position of light shade.

7. Protection from contact with objects such as Windows, other plants and air currents.

8. Protection from such environmental stressors as weed killers.

9. Soil that never is allowed to dry out, is high in nutrition, holds moisture and yet at the same time has good drainage.