HOLIDAY POINSETTIAS

Delivery:  If you order five or more cases (30 plants) and live in Gilroy or Castroville or surrounding communities within a 20-mile radius of either facility, we can deliver your plants for free.

• Orders to Gilroy, Morgan Hill or San Martin can be delivered on Wednesdays or Fridays.
• Deliveries to Hollister or San Juan Bautista are scheduled for Tuesdays or Thursdays only.
• Deliveries to the Castroville area can be scheduled Tuesdays through Fridays.
• Deliveries outside these areas may also be arranged but are subject to a delivery charge. Delivery charge will be based on the shipping address, not the billing address.
• Delivery times must be scheduled in advance and are subject to change. Please be sure multiple people are available to help unload your order.

Pick-Up: Orders may be picked up Tuesday through Friday, between 1:00 and 4:00 pm, at Headstart Nursery’s Gilroy or Castroville offices. You must schedule your pick-up at least 24 hours in advance.

• Gilroy office: Go to the Headstart Nursery shipping office at 4860 Monterey Road in Gilroy, California. Our office is located south of Gilroy, on the northbound side of Highway 101, just past the Garlic World fruit stand. Get Directions
• Castroville office: Headstart Nursery’s Castroville facility is located at 11301 Washington Street in Castroville. Get Directions

To help support local schools and non-profit groups, Headstart Nursery offers a special poinsettia fundraiser discount. Our gorgeous, locally-grown poinsettias are available for only $42 per case.

Here are our tips for running a fun and successful fundraising event:

1. Identify a main contact
   Establish one person on your fundraising committee to serve as the main contact with Headstart Nursery. This person will need to place the order, arrange for pickup or delivery of the plants, and pay for the plants ordered.
2. Choose a date
   Decide what date you would like your customers to pick up their poinsettias. Choose a time and location where customers can easily pick up their plants.
3. Print flyers and order forms
   Sometime in September or early October, prepare a flyer to advertise for your fundraiser. If you’d like, you can download our Microsoft Word templates to create your own flyer, sales form, or school order. Customize these forms for your organization, and make copies to distribute. Be sure to give your members plenty of time to sell poinsettias to friends, family, and local businesses.
4. Place your order
   We have begun accepting orders NOW on a first-come, first-served basis. It is best to estimate how many plants you might need and prebook as soon as possible. Download and print a fundraiser order form and submit your order by email to poinsettias@HeadstartNursery.com. It’s often a good idea to order a few extra cases. There are always people who decide to buy once they see how beautiful the poinsettias are! Fundraiser order quantities must be finalized by November 3. This is your last day to decrease your order (or increase if plants are still available). Please note: Pre-booked orders that are cancelled or decreased after November 1 will be subject to a 15% charge.
5. Schedule delivery or pickup
   Headstart Nursery can deliver orders of 5 or more cases for free to Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Juan Bautista, Hollister, or Castroville. Please call 408-842-3030 to arrange for a delivery time and location. A group from your organization must be present to help unload the plants; we will not deliver if there is not a group present to help unload. Plants are available Tuesday through Friday.The poinsettias are packed in cases and do take up a lot of room, so be sure you have enough space to store them out of the weather until your customers are ready to pick them up. Poinsettias should only be stored in cases for 1-2 days. If they cannot be unpacked right away, open the boxes to give the plants some air.
6. Distribute plants to your customers
   Before your scheduled pickup time, have volunteers sort cases so that it is easy and efficient for your customers to pick up their plants.

We think you’ll find that Headstart Nursery poinsettias make for a fun, easy fundraiser for your organization. If you have any questions or need more information, please call (408) 842-3030 or send email to poinsettias@HeadstartNursery.com.

Here are some simple tips to keep your Headstart Nursery poinsettias looking great for the entire holiday season (and beyond):

1. Use the paper sleeves for protection when transporting your plants. Carefully remove each plant by gently tearing or cutting away the paper sleeve.
2. Water plants whenever soil feels dry to the touch (usually every 2-3 days). Remove the decorative red pot cover, water thoroughly to the point of saturation, and allow pot to drain completely. It’s better to err on the side of watering too often. Under-watering your poinsettias may cause the lower leaves to drop.
3. Keep your plants out of direct sunlight. Poinsettias do best with about 6 hours of indirect or filtered sunlight every day.
4. Poinsettias prefer an average room temperature of 68-70°F. Avoid placing plants where they are subject to cold drafts or excessive heat. Do not leave plants outside, as they are tropical plants that are sensitive to cold temperatures.
5. Plants do not require any fertilizer while in bloom.

Are poinsettias poisonous?
No. Despite the rumors, poinsettias are not poisonous to humans or to animals. While they are not meant to be eaten and may cause stomach upset if ingested, they do not contain any dangerous toxins. Numerous scientific studies have concluded that poinsettias are safe around children and pets. Some people who are allergic to latex may experience a mild rash or irritation if exposed to the milky fluid found in cut poinsettias and other plants.

Will my poinsettia bloom again next year?
Getting your poinsettia to re-color next winter is a tricky, demanding process best left to professional greenhouse growers. However, it can be done by home gardeners with a lot of patience and dedication. You can find how-to videos on YouTube.

Does Headstart Nursery sell different colors of poinsettias?
No. Although in the past we have grown different colors (including pink, white, and polka-dot), we have found that the classic dark red poinsettia is always most popular, so that is all we currently grow.

What are “bracts”?
The red-colored leaves of the poinsettia are not really flowers; the correct term is “bracts” (modified leaves). The actual flowers are the small yellow buds in the center of each colored bract.

Can poinsettias be used as cut flowers?
Poinsettias can be cut and used in floral arrangements, but the stems must be sealed. Cut the red bracts,  leaving at least 4 inches of stem. Immediately seal the cut by placing it in boiling water or holding it over a flame for 15 seconds. Sealing the stem prevents the milky sap from oozing out, which keeps the colored bracts from wilting. Cut poinsettias should last about a week or so.