For Picture Perfect Poinsettias, remember these tips:

• Poinsettias LOVE to be pampered!

• Feed plants with a high nitrogen fertilizer every two weeks.

• Mist every other day.

• Offer tiny sips of tepid water every other day.

• Place in a draft-free environment with constant 60 to 70 degree temperatures and six hours of indirect, filtered sunlight.

1. Plants, like melons, can be over ripe. Examine the cyathia, the tiny yellow or green berries in the center of the bracts. If they are tight, the plant is still fresh.

2. Ask when the protective paper, mesh or plastic sleeve was put on. If it has been more than a couple of days, the foliage may be damaged.

3. Rush poinsettias indoors if it's freezing outside. They wilt if exposed, even for a few minutes, to temperatures below 50 degrees.

1. Stop watering when poinsettias drop their leaves.
2. Move to a semi-shaded window and water once a month.
3. Perform cosmetic surgery in late March or early April. Cut stems back to 4 inches, then place in a warm, shady spot.
4. In summer, repot in new soil: combine 2 parts aII-purpose loam, 2 parts sand and 1 part peat moss. Place in a sunny window and water sparingly.
5. After the last frost, set poinsettias outdoors in full sun. Prune to prevent legginess, keep soil evenly moist.
6. Bring indoors in September.
7. Place in a dark spot, like a closet, for at least 14 hours a day through October.

8. When new growth sprouts, water and feed once a week.

Symptom:
Foliage is rotted, wilted, bleached out. Plant turns yellow and drops its leaves.
Diagnosis:
Too much water.
Rx:
Let dry out between waterings.

Symptom:
Leaves are discolored, tips turn brown and die.
Diagnosis:
Not enough bright light.
Rx:
Relocate to a spot with sixhours of bright light a day.

Symptom:
New growth dies back. Stems are soft and dark.
Diagnosis:
Oh, oh. Root rot, which prevents the root system from absorbing water, has set in.
Rx:
Consult a plant doctor. You may need a prescription.