As any retailer or grower will tell you, marketing is as much — or more — an art as it is a science. Certainly growers can keep track of which poinsettia cultivars and colors are sold each year and use that information to help plan for the next year. This assumes, of course, that they know when a cultivar or color ran out. Even with all of that work, however, variations in sales of specific colors and cultivars from year to year can drive a crop scheduler insane. Marketing surveys can make the forecasting a little easier, and we have the results from three universities and one retailer to help you: Purdue University, University of Florida, North Carolina State University and Homewood Nursery and Garden Center.

Collecting The Information
Each site conducts its survey slightly differently, so before we can give you our results, we need to give you the particulars of how the information was collected.

This chart is presented as a general guide for the grower. Exact timing of applications and plant stage will vary with variety and geographic location.

*The optional rotational sprays may be needed under extreme whitefly pressure. Scout and follow IPM standards for best results.

Second Distance application may cause phytotoxicity in some varities. Read and follow manufacturer’s label directions for use.

1. Using suggested retail cost, Cleary’s TriStar Poinsettia Applications will cost approximately $350 per acre. Using 30,000 – 6 inch pots per acre, that calculates to a cost of just 1.2 cents per pot. Estimated cost of three applications of TriStar per season calculated using 100 gallons spray first treatment, 150 second spray, and 200 gallons for the third spray per acre. This is due to increasing plant canopy with time.
2. TriStar provides effective season long insect management.
3. TriStar is an economical alternative to costly drenches.

DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

DO provide room temperatures between 68 – 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.

DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

DON’T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

DON’T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.

DON’T over-water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.

With Christmas around the corner, the worries once again start to creep into our heads…. Not looking forward to my traditional weight gain over the festive season, aaah waking up feeling not so good after a Christmas party & then still venturing to work the next day, multiple festive dinners and then still wanting to look good in next week’s outfit… well here are some ideas to hopefully help you control the situation a little more.

Energy drinks should not be Consumed during exercise.
Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade, which are consumed to help people stay hydrated during exercise. Sports drinks provide an appropriate amount carbohydrates in the form of sugar and electrolytes to replenish that which may be lost through perspiration. Energy drinks should not be used while exercising as the combination of fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic quality of the caffeine can leave the user severely dehydrated.

What are energy drinks?
Energy drinks are beverages like Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, Full Throttle, Amp, and NOS. Most energy drinks are carbonated and contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients, such as B vitamins, amino acids (e.g. taurine), and herbal stimulants such s guarana, and ginseng. These drinks are marketed primarily to people between the ages of 18 and 30 as a stimulant.

Hangovers are a frequent, though unpleasant, experience among people who drink to intoxication. Despite the prevalence of hangovers, however, this condition is not well understood scientifically. Multiple possible contributors to the hangover state have been investigated, and researchers have produced evidence that alcohol can directly promote hangover symptoms through its effects on urine production, the gastrointestinal tract, blood sugar concentrations, sleep patterns, and biological rhythms. In addition, researchers postulate that effects related to alcohol’s absence after a drinking bout (i.e., withdrawal), alcohol metabolism, and other factors (e.g., biologically active, nonalcohol compounds in beverages; the use of other drugs; certain personality traits; and a family history of alcoholism) also may contribute to the hangover condition. Few of the treatments commonly described for hangover have undergone scientific evaluation. KEY WORDS: post AOD intoxication state; symptom; urinalysis; gastrointestinal disorder; hypoglycemia; sleep disorder; circadian rhythm; ethanol metabolite; disorder of fluid or electrolyte or acid-base balance; nutrient intake; headache; vomiting; neurotransmitter receptors; congenors; multiple drug use; personality trait; family AODU (alcohol and other drug use) history; drug therapy; literature review