STARTING THE TRANSFORMATION 
Transforming Lauritzen Gardens' floral display hall into the holiday poinsettia show does not happen over night - it doesn't even happen within one week. The whole process starts at least six months in advance of the opening date! In July, horticulture staff and volunteers plant 7,000 three-inch-tall root cuttings into six-inch pots. Because there are more than 40 different varieties, the pots are carefully marked to prevent them from getting mixed up and are placed in several of the garden's greenhouses. 

Root cuttings are purchased through a plant broker, and the broker contacts a number of nurseries, which specialize in poinsettias, throughout the country.    

GROWING THE PLANTS 
Growing healthy, beautiful poinsettias is all about timing. This timing refers to when and how often stems are pinched back, fertilization, watering, insecticide or fungicide application, as well as the amount of exposure to daylight. The specific timing requirements may be different from one variety to the next. 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POINSETTIA 
Close and careful attention is critical to the success of a healthy, beautiful plant. Every day the poinsettia plant is checked for soil moisture, disease and insects. Similar to all plants, watering is a critical element. The poinsettia plant is kept moist but not overly wet. Too much water could cause root rot, which can destroy the plant. The staff makes sure that the pots have good drainage and that they are not sitting in water. It is also important that water is applied at the soil level, not sprayed over the plant, as water droplets on the foliage could cause fungus spots. 

Preventative measures are taken to ward off disease and insects. A fungicide soil drench is applied to prevent Botrytis, a type of fungus. In addition, every seven to ten days, an insecticide is sprayed to treat for white fly. Hanging a strip of specialty greenhouse tape provides ongoing insect monitoring. The tape is yellow, to attract the insects, and is sticky to the touch. This tape is inspected daily to determine what insects are present as well as the potential numbers. If additional threats are identified, the appropriate measures are taken. 

The poinsettia does not live by water alone, it also requires food and an occasional trim to develop into the nice full-body plant that is displayed. Throughout the growing season, June through October, a regular 20-20-20 fertilizer is applied. The plant also needs to be pinched back at the main stem once or twice in order to develop the side branches. Care must be taken regarding the timing of this pinching process. If the poinsettia is pinched back too late in the growing season, the color will be late in developing. 

Depending upon the specific type of cultivar, the plant can grow 12 to 15 inches from its original three-inch cutting. This growing means the poinsettia needs more space. This spacing is critical for the final product to be a nicely shaped plant. So the plants are checked for proper spacing and moved when necessary. 

In October, the "poinsettia finisher" is applied. This is a type of fertilizer that helps the plant develop its color. The colorful part of the poinsettia plant that most of us have regarded as the flowering portion is actually not the flower at all, but a part of the plant called "bracts." Poinsettia flowers are the small yellow blossoms nestled at the base of the bracts, to which most people do not pay much attention. The bracts display the cultivar's particular color in a variety of hues of white, pink, red and marbled. 

PACKING DAY 
Before the holiday poinsettia show can set up, the fall chrysanthemum display has to be taken down. A complete overhaul is exactly what happens. The horticulture staff come in on the Sunday evening before set-up begins, clear everything out of the floral display hall - plants, fountains, block, mulch - everything! The entire space is hosed down and scrubbed by hand by the 17 members of the horticulture staff in only three or four hours' time. 

SET UP 
The actual set up of the new show begins bright and early on Monday morning. The staff arrives at 8 a.m. and start by positioning the large tree boxes to allow room for the poinsettia tree structure. The poinsettia tree consists of four parts that requires special equipment to lift and arrange properly. The first section, the base, is in two halves and is the first section to be assembled. The middle and top sections follow requiring the use of a knuckle lift, which is like a cherry picker. Once the frame is secure, a drip tube system is attached with individual drip tubes clipped to each poinsettia holder. The hoses feeding water to the drip tubes are in the center of the tree frame, placing them completely out of sight once the plants are arranged. 

Approximately 700 poinsettia plants are positioned in their individual rings on the poinsettia tree. Great care is taken to make sure the drip tube has been fastened properly to the individual pots. 

With the poinsettia tree well on its way, other components of the exhibit can be put into place. Block is laid for edging, the model train is set up, the antique sleighs are positioned, and several Fraser fir trees are decorated and lit. Before lighting and decorating these trees, the staff is required to spray them with a fireproofing solution as required by state law. 

THE FINAL TRANSFORMATION 
With poinsettia tree and other elements in place, remaining cultivars are strategically placed throughout the display. After proper placement has been achieved, the pots and plant beds are mulched to simulate a natural environment. 

But it is not over yet. In mid-December, the entire batch of poinsettias in the tree is removed and replaced with fresh plants. 

A special thank-you to garden guild member, Carol Lynch, for compiling this information.