Fall rains hurt quality of Georgia poinsettia crop

ATLANTA - An unusually wet and warm fall has hurt the quality of poinsettias grown in Georgia this year. <br> <br> Some of the earliest poinsettias, which demand precise levels of light and heat to bloom on time, are taller than growers would like. Others are shorter and squatter. And many of the petal-like brachts are late to turn red, white and pink. <br> <br> Buyers at big home-improvement centers and discount stores may not notice the difference because those poinsettias are grown out of state. But the poinsettias at florists and small garden shops often come from Georgia growers. <br> <br> The wet fall was the latest among ongoing struggles for growers who rely on poinsettias, pansies and other winter annuals to keep workers employed off-season. A five-year drought and a lackluster economy have also been problems.