Horticulture
Horticulture
Our horticulture program provides educational training and technical assistance to our community. Our technical services include soil testing, disease diagnosis, and plant, weed, and insect identification.
What is Horticulture Extension?
The Pulaski County Extension Office Horticulture program provides educational training and technical assistance to our community. Our technical services include soil testing, disease diagnosis, and plant, weed, and insect identification. Cooperative Extension is the major provider of research-based information for consumers and horticulture businesses.
Additional Information
Follow this calendar to rebloom a poinsettia next year!
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Christmas: Select plants with tightly clustered, yellow buds. Protect from hot or cold drafts, water when dry, and place in a room with bright natural light.
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New Years Day: Use an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer. Keep the plant in a sunny window, water regularly, fertilize monthly. Plant will remain colorful for many weeks.
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St. Patrick's Day (March 17): Remove faded flowers and bracts and dried leaves from the plant. Add more soil, preferably a commercially available sterile mix. For a smaller plant - prune stems about three to six inches to remove colored bracts. Fertilize with complete houseplant fertilizer.
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Mothers' Day: Plant should be approaching three feet in height. Trim off two to six inches of the branches to promote side branching. Repot to a larger container (two to three sizes larger). Move plant outside; first to indirect, then direct sunlight (a location that receives full sun each day for at least six hours).
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June-July: Fertilize the plant every two weeks; water regularly.
Fourth of July: Trim plant again. Make sure it is in full sunlight. Slightly increase amount of fertilizer.
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August-October: Fertilize every week. Water frequently, once or twice a day.
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Labor Day (early September): Plant may have grown to three to five feet. It can be pruned to a height of 18-24 inches. Move indoors but make sure it has six hours of direct sunlight from a curtain-free window. Continue regular water and fertilizer.
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First Day of Autumn (September 21): Selectively remove the smallest new branches so only 10 to 25 stems remain to produce flowers.
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September 21 to October 1, give the plant 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness and 10 hours of bright sunlight each day. For example, each day place the plant in a light-free closet or under a box at 6 p.m. each evening and return it to the sunny window at 8 a.m. the next morning. Or simply place the plant in a little used south facing room and be sure not to turn the lights on in the room from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day. Continue to water and fertilize. Rotate the plant each day to give all sides even light.
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Halloween (October 31): Stop day/night light/dark treatment. Keep plant in a sunny area. Reduce fertilizer applications. The plant can remain in its usual full sun location as the upper leaves (bracts) turn red, pink or white.
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November-December: Fertilize every three weeks. Water regularly.
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Christmas: Enjoy your beautiful "new" poinsettia
Broadleaf Evergreens are Looking Bare

More Info
To learn more about your local Master Gardener Program, click here
Pine straw is available for purchase at the Pulaski Co Extension office M-F 9am to 4pm. Proceeds benefit the Lake Cumberland Master Gardener Association.
2022-23 Prices:
1-49 bales -- $8 per bale
50 or more bales -- $7 per bale
Beth Wilson
Extension Agent, Horticulture
(606) 679-6361 beth.wilson@uky.edu Pulaski County Extension Office 28 Parkway Dr. Somerset, Kentucky 42502-0720