Technical Information Bulletin

SUBJECT: Easy Steps to Freedom^TM

Turning out a bumper crop of Freedom poinsettias by fine tuning production practices.

Eckespoint^® Freedom has a number of attributes that make it a hit with growers in North America. Dark green foliage, deep red bracts, a compact and free branching growth habit and earliness to flower all have impressed growers. Producing these plants, however, requires slightly different cultural methods from those required for other poinsettias.

To ensure your crop's success, follow these helpful hints:

1 Freedom has a naturally compact growth habit. For quality 6 1/2" branched plants, provide 3-4 weeks growth time between pinch and flower initiation. Under ideal conditions Freedom requires little, if any, chemical growth regulator. However, growers in hot, humid regions have found that several applications of growth regulator may be needed.

2 Under natural day length, Freedom initiates flowers 7-10 days earlier than other commercial cultivars. Lights might be used to delay flower initiation if early flowering is not desired.

3 Freedom has a short flower-response time. Under natural conditions, it is ready for sale in time for Thanksgiving - 8 weeks after flower initiation. If using lights to delay flowering past October 1st, allow additional days for the crop to mature due to the lower light intensity, shorter days and cooler temperatures. Under most conditions, it is not advisable to light Freedom past October 1st.

4 Freedom may be successfully grown in a range of sizes and product forms. Growers report its primary use as a 6" branched plant but many are using it for novelty forms as well.

5 Freedom develops considerable bract color before cyathia are fully developed, so it appears ready for sale prematurely. Immature bracts will not obtain good bract color under low light conditions so avoid shipping plants until they are ripe. This is especially important with Freedom Bright Red.

6 Exotherm Termil^® may bleach the color on Freedom's fully expanded bracts. Don't use it during final stages of bract expansion and color.

With the addition of Bright Red, White, Pink, Marble, Jingle Bells, Rose and Salmon to the Freedom series, growers can produce a complete color line. Freedom Bright Red matures about 4 days later than Freedom Red with a more upright growth habit and slightly smaller leaf and bract size. The other Freedom colors have a flowering response time and growth habit similar to that of Freedom Red.

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We hope the information provided will be helpful. It is based upon data and knowledge ( including information provided by the recipient) considered to be true and accurate, but without independent investigation and is offered for the recipient's consideration, investigation and verification, but we do not warrant the results to be obtained. Please read all statement, recommendations, or suggestions in conjunction with any conditions of sale or use which apply to any products, or systems recommended by us. No statement, recommendation, or suggestion is intended for any use which would infringe any patent/copyright.