824-lancasttr Farming, Saturday, December 22,1954 Sean Lefever and his sister Sandra both help out at their father's greenhouses. Their sister Debbie, who is not pictured, is also active in the business. Poinsettias add a festive touch BY SUZANNE KEENE LANCASTER Poinsettias grace living rooms, restaurants, shopping centers and church sanctuaries, contributing to the festive atmosphere that is unique to Christmas. The appearance of this traditional Christmas plant reminds us that the holiday season with all its anticipation and gaiety is in full swing. Poinsettias usually start blooming right after Thanksgiving, and with the proper care, will last until Easter, local florist Melvin Lefever says. Lefever, who owns and operates Lefever's Flowers on Jarvis Road in Lancaster, raises thousands of poinsettias to meet the healthy seasonal demand for this popular plant. And, he knows how to make sure that the sensitive plants bloom at just the right time. % This year, Lefever planted 5,500 stock plants that in early August yielded 195,000 cuttings. Each three-inch cutting is planted in an oasis strip or cube, and placed under a misting system for about three weeks while the roots are forming. The plants are misted two times every 15 minutes during the daylight hours, but during the night, the misting system is turned off, Lefever said. Once the roots have formed, the poinsettias are potted. It takes nine plants to fill a 10-inch hanging pot. and six to fill an eight-inch one, Lefever said. However, single plants with several blooms are the biggest sellers. Many varieties of poinsettias are available, but the inexperienced eye has trouble detecting the differences between them. “When they’re blooming, they all look pretty,” Lefever said. The festive plants come in red, white, marbled (pink and white) and pink. In the Lancaster area red is the most popular color and pink is the least favorite, Lefever observed. For the first month of growth, poinsettias should be kept at 70°F., but when the leaves start to change color, the room temperature is reduced to 60°F. If it gets too hot, said, the yellow centers will fall off. The proper amount of light is also essential to raising poin settias. If they get too much light at night, they won’t bloom. “They just want regular daylight hours,’’ Lefever explained. The leaves on poinsettias are about ‘'4 inch apart, but are topped until there are about five or six joints on each stem. Each stem holiday decorations to v iclds about four to seven flowers, Lefever said the ideal height for a poinsettia is a foot to 18 inches To keep the plants from getting too tall, they are sprayed with Cycocel, a plant regulator that retards stem growth. Because of an exceptionally long, warm fall, poinsettias are a bit taller than usual this year, despite the use of Cycocel. If you have purchased a poin settia or received one as a gift, you should avoid watering it too much The soil should be kept moist, but not soggy. If the pot is wrapped in foil, the foil should be removed to assure proper drainage. The ideal temperature for your poinsettia is 70°F. during the day and 62 to 65°F. at night. With the proper care and a lot of luck, the poinsettia may bloom a second year. However, Lefever doesn’t recommend getting your hopes up too high. It’s really difficult to get them to bloom again, he says. Churches are some of Lefever's best poinsettia customers, he said. He sells poinsettias to about 40 or 50 local churchs for just $1 over the The sight of a festive poinsettia signals that the holiday season is in full swing. wholesale price He also supplies many of the local retailers with Christmas poinsettias This year s abundant crop is almost sold out, Lefever says, even as he is in terrupted by a phone call from New York for a large order. The Lefever family has been in the greenhouse business for over 50 years. Melvin’s father, Jacob, started the business raising mostly cut flowers. However, because of a changing market, Melvin has changed the emphasis to potted plants and spring garden plants. Most of the family is involved in the business. Melvin’s son, Sean, who recently graduated from high school, is now quite active in the business, and his two daughters, Debbie Johnson and Sandra Scott, tend the flower shop. Right now the Lefevers are coping with the Christmas rush and they will continue to be busy even after Christmas Day, when most people get a chance to relax. Come December 30, they will be filling the greenhouses now empty of poinsettias with pot mums for Easter. See your nearest HOLLAfSD Dealer for Dependable Equipment and Dependable Service: Alexandria, PA Clapper Farm Equipment Star Route 814-669-4465 Annville, PA B H M Farm Equipment, Inc RD 1 717-867-2211 Beavertown, PA B&R Farm Equipment, Inc RD 1, 80x217A 717-658-7024' Belleville, Pa. Ivan J Zook Farm Equipment Belleville, Pa 717-935-2948 Carlisle, PA Paul Shovers, Inc 35 East Willow Street 717 243-2686 Chambersburg, PA Clugston Implement, Inc RD. X 717-263-4103 Davidsburg, PA George N Gross, Inc R D 2, Dover, PA 717-292-1673 Elizabethtown, PA Messick Farm, Equipment, Inc Rt 283 - Rheem’s Exit 717-367-1319 Everett, PA C. Paul Ford & Son RD 1 814-652-2051 Gettysburg, PA Ymghng Implements RD 9 717-359-4848 Greencastle, PA Meyers Implement's Inc. 400 N. Antrim Way P.O Box 97 717-597-2176 Grove City, PA McDowell Farm Implement Co. Rt. 173 North 814-786-7955 Halifax, PA Sweigard Bros R D 3, Box 13 717-896-3414 Hamburg, PA Shartlesville Farm Service RD 1, Box 1392 215-488-1025 Honey Brook, PA Dependable Motor Co East Mam Street 215-273-3131 215-273-3737 Honey Grove, PA Norman D Clark & Son, Inc Honey Grove, PA 717 734-3682 Hiighesville, PA Farnsworth Farm Supplies, Inc 103 Cemetery Street 717-584-2106 Lancaster, PA L H Brubaker, Inc 350 Strasburg Pike 717-397-5179 Lebanon, PA Keller Bros T ractor Co RD 7, Box 405 717-949-6501 UtiU. PA Roy A Brubaker 700 Woodcrest Av 717-626-7766 Loysville, PA Paul Shovers, Inc Loysville, PA 717-789-3117 Lynnport, PA Kermit K Kistler, Inc Lynnport, PA 215-298-2011 Martinsburg, PA Forshey’s, Inc 110 Forshey St -814-793-3791 Mill Hall. PA Paul A. Dotterer RD 1 717-726-3471 New Holland, PA ABC Groff, Inc 110 South Railroad 717-354-4191 New Park, PA M&R Equipment Inc P 0 Box 16 717-993-2511 Oley, PA C J Wonsidler Bros R D 2 215-987-6257 Pitman, PA Marlin W Schreffler Pitman, PA 717-648-1120 Quakertown, PA C J. Wonsidler Bros R.D 1 215-536-1935 Quarryville, PA C E Wiley & Son, Inc 101 Sbuth Lime Street 717-786-2895 Ringtown, PA Rmgtown Farm Equipment Ringtown, PA 717-889-3184 Silverdale, PA I.G. Sales Box 149 215-257-5135 Tamaqua, rA Charles S. Snyder, Inc. RD 3 717-386-5945 Troy, PA Warner Tractor & Equipment, Inc Troy, PA 717-297 2141 West Chester, PA M S. Yearsley & Son 114-116 East Market Street 215-696 2990 West Grove. PA S G Lewis & Son, Inc R D 2. Box 66 215-869-2214 Churchville, MO Walter G Coale, Inc 2849-53 Churchville Rd. 301-734-7722 Rising Sun, MO Ag Ind Equipment Co, Inc 1207 Telegraph Rd 301-398-6132 301-658-5568 215-869-3542 Washington, NJ Frank Rymon & Sons 201-689-1464 Woodstown, NJ Owen Supply Co. Broad Street & East Avenue 609-769-0308
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