how to keep a poinsettia

Besides the traditional red, you will find different colors to enjoy, including cream, yellow, and pink. Here are some tips for keeping your poinsettia plant healthy beyond New Year’s. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Try to keep your pets away from poinsettias. Allow to Drain: Poinsettias don’t like to sit in water. Step 2 Set the poinsettia outdoors once night temperatures average 55 degrees F or above. Lack of humidity during dry seasons, in particular, winter, is an ongoing houseplant problem. All you need to do is learn how to spot a healthy poinsettia at the store and then care for it well once you bring it home. Poinsettia care schedule. Keep the temperature around 60–68 degrees Fahrenheit. The bright bracts are designed to attract insects to the tiny yellow flowers in their centers. In May, repot the poinsettia into a larger vessel, and place the plant in a sunny window. You can find some small watering cans with mister attachments in them. 4 Keys To Keep Poinsettias Blooming All Through The Holiday Season #1 Watering. It should be neither dripping wet nor totally dry. How Do You Keep a Poinsettia From Year to Year? Poinsettia plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima) remain one of the most popular holiday flowers. Check the lower foliage to make sure it looks … Poinsettias drop their leaves if they dry out, so water just enough to keep the soil evenly moist. It will depend on how well you follow the tips above, but on average a well-cared for poinsettia should last 4-6 weeks until the flowers start to fall off. Make sure to water the poinsettia whenever the surface of the soil feels dry. You have gotten your Christmas poinsettias safely through the long, cold winter without over or under watering and have avoided cold drafts and hot heaters. In order to keep a poinsettia alive make sure you only water them every few days and avoid soaking them when watering. Your poinsettia will be happy at a temperature of around 20° C. It can be close to a radiator, but not in direct sunlight or near draughts – so keep away from open doors, windows and fireplaces. Here’s how I did it. Remove the foil or plastic wrapper, so the poinsettia never sits in water. Water: Poinsettias like moist, but not wet, soil. Avoid keeping cool rooms. … To use poinsettias as fresh flowers in a vase, cut the bracts, dip the cut end in warm (60 degrees) water for five seconds, then immediately in cold water, and you’re ready to arrange. Prune back the plants hard in April, to about 10cm (4in), and keep at a temperature of 13°C In early May, repot them, growing them in a light, cool place over summer. The lower night temperatures help the poinsettias keep their brilliant color. Poinsettia care: 13 golden rules Buying poinsettias. Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener. Last year, I decided to try to keep them alive all year so I’d have them ready for the next holiday season. Festive poinsettias, along with Christmas trees, can look spectacular at Christmas, but all too often they end up being put in the wrong place – and start wilting before the celebrations have even really started.Knowing how to keep a poinsettia alive over Christmas can prevent a dash back to the shops for a new one, as well as displaying a drooping, wilted plant over the festive break. Do not fertilize poinsettias during the blooming period. Funny for a plant that needs to be in the dark to force the bracts to bloom! After, give it a good watering to wake it up. To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 F during the day. Another simple way of keeping a poinsettia humid is to use a pebble tray. Poinsettia plants perform best in temperatures that range from 65 to 80 degrees fahrenheit. South-, east- or west-facing windows are preferable to a north-facing window. Ideally, you should keep your poinsettia in a space that stays around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and it's OK if the temp drops a little at … These cans also come handy if you have placed your poinsettia on a high shelf and do not wish to pick it down. Poinsettias are most comfortable between 65 and 75 degrees (18.33 to 23.89 degrees Celsius). If all else fails, the plant may need to be discarded. Inspect the plant carefully before buying; poinsettia are tender plants and will not last if they stand in the cold for any length of time. If it has grown since the last check, trim the stems back down to 6 inches (15 cm) or to your desired size, leaving 3 or 4 new leaves on the stems. Then place your poinsettia near a sunny window somewhere else indoors and set up a screen of some sort between it and the rest of the room. Water only when the compost is starting to change colour and become lighter. Poinsettias are tropical plants that benefit from plenty of light. Find a tray or plate that has a larger diameter than the plant and then fill it with small rounded pebbles. Follow our rules for keeping poinsettias alive and healthy for longer. Euphorbias, the plant family that includes poinsettias, exude a milky sap when broken. To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 F during the day. For the holidays, keep your poinsettia next to a window that gets bright light during the day. You will see leaf tips turning from light green to yellow and to brown culminating with the whole leaf curling and crisping like a potato chip. Every year I get a couple poinsettias for decorations. Think of milkweed, another common Euphorbia. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. As spring turns to summer, you will enjoy watching your friends flourish and grow. In spring, cut it back and transplant it to a bigger pot. If … Fertilise the poinsettia once a month after you’ve pruned it. Because you want to keep your poinsettia for a long time and encourage the leaves to turn red again the following season, choose carefully when buying the plant. In April, prune your poinsettia back to about 10cm, and keep at a temperature of 13°C. Aside from a Christmas tree, nothing says “holidays” like poinsettias. In spring, return the plant to a sunny area and water well. Note that some fancy colors, such as blue, are produced using dyes and the plant won't bloom again with the same color of bracts. Have more questions about landscaping projects around your home? The poinsettia – AKA the Mexican Flame Tree or Christmas Star – is synonymous with the festive season. Having them near a forced air heating vent or above a fireplace exposes them to warm, dry air. Simply stick it in a closet or cover with a large box every evening and then return the plant to its sunny window during the remainder part of the day. Dump out any water that sits in the saucer or foil cover. Choose a location for your poinsettia where it will not come into contact with drafts or blasts of heated air (from your home’s climate control system or a space heater, for example). And this will give you a beautifully blooming poinsettia with no extra effort. Make sure the container has a hole in the bottom. Poinsettia plants need to be kept in the dark for 6 to 8 weeks in the fall to force the bracts into action. Place the poinsettia near a bright, south-facing window. Give them enough sun, warmth, and water and your poinsettia will provide perfect seasonal color. Hybridizers have expanded the range of colors from the familiar red to pastel yellow and vibrant bicolors. Keeping them healthy is very straightforward too, here are some quick tips. Will the poinsettia be part of your Christmas decorating scheme this year? “The biggest mistake people make is that they let them dry out for a day or so,” says Berg. Flower buds should be seen by November if all goes well. Check on your poinsettia once a month. 'Jingle Bells' has red bracts dotted with pink. Have more questions about landscaping projects around your home? By Brad & Susan Emery As I’m browsing the aisles at Costco, I come across the poinsettia display, which is located right outside the produce cooler. You can move it outside for the summer months if you like. Provided the poinsettia plant is given the proper environmental conditions, it should begin to regrow within weeks. ANSWER: To keep a poinsettia year round, you will need to move it into the outdoor garden once there is no danger of the temperature falling below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.22 degrees Celsus). If you've ever seen a leggy poinsettia in bloom, with only a couple of sad … How much water you will need will depend on the temperature and humidity level. Poinsettia care schedule. While this can be done, it requires greenhouse-like conditions with hands-on care. Wilting is a common cause of leaf drop. This keeps roots from becoming water-logged, which … Remember, poinsettias like the warmth of centrally heated homes but they should be kept away from direct heat, as well as from drafty windows and doors. With proper poinsettia plant care, they will give you many years of beauty. Poinsettia. If you wish to keep your poinsettia through more than one season and force reblooming, follow these steps. If the pot is covered by the typical foil wrapping, remove the foil to allow the water to drain. Poinsettias love indirect sunlight and mild temperatures. Water it enough, and make sure it drains. Water the poinsettia as often as needed to keep the soil around the plant moist but not soggy. Allow to Drain: Poinsettias don’t like to sit in water. Never expose them to temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This will simulate the tropical climate that it originated from. The plant should be moist rather than soggy. A wilted plant can be revived and salvaged, but it will take another season to improve its appearance. Dense foliage and yellow-green budding flowers in-between the coloured bracts are a sure sign of quality. If the leaves are ingested they can cause nausea and vomiting, but it would take a large amount of the plant’s material to actually cause significant poisoning. All you need to do is learn how to spot a healthy poinsettia at the store and then care for it well once you bring it home. Most poinsettias look something like this at the end of September: plenty of green leaves, but not a flower in sight. In early May, repot your poinsettia into a slightly larger pot with fresh, peat-free, loam-based compost, and then keep it in a draught-free spot out of direct sunlight, ensuring the temperature doesn’t exceed 18ºC. Julie Thompson-Adolf is a master gardener and author with 13+ years of experience with year-round organic gardening, seed starting and saving, growing heirloom plants, perennials, and annuals, and sustainable and urban farming. Be careful not to overwater it by leaving a pool of water in the bottom of the pot it’s sitting in. Perhaps one of those activities can be keeping your holiday poinsettia and working to … Poinsettias have been through it all before they even get into your hands and find a place in your home. Poinsettias like plenty of bright, indirect sunlight. Be especially careful not to rub your eyes after touching the plants. Your poinsettia plant should have a rounded shape, with dense and compact growth. Read more: Christmas table decoration ideas that will set the scene for your festive feast. You will see leaf tips turning from light green to yellow and to brown culminating with the whole leaf curling and crisping like a potato chip. There are some efficient plant misters available for the avid houseplant hoarders. For it to bloom again, a poinsettia requires 14 hours of complete darkness every night. You can return the wrapper after the plant is no longer draining water. If your poinsettia is still alive past New Years Day, it has passed through the shock of being moved from the greenhouse into your home. During cold weather, keep it in a cool room with indirect sunlight. it was time to turn them red again. Keep reading to find out how to keep your poinsettia plant alive year-round. Poinsettias need at least 14 hours of complete darkness each night for six to 10 weeks to trigger bloom. They are also safe to put into the compost. Place the poinsettia near a sunny window. To keep your poinsettia healthy and beautiful for a long time, you have to consider just a few tips and tricks For this reason, the study of its seasonal nature will enable you to cope with any problems or needs. As with most house plants, too much water is more detrimental than too little. Now is the time for selective pruning. Keep your Poinsettias cut back to around eight inches in height as the spring months continue. After keeping my poinsettias alive for a year (yay!) Give them a pick-me-up If it has dried out and wilted, dunk it in water. Remove the dead leaves from the pot, and continue to remove any leaves that fall off. Feed every three to four weeks. Continue to water your poinsettia, keeping the soil moist, but not wet, at all times. The poinsettia actually gets it colorful top not from blooms, but bracts that form and open above the leaves. Saucer to catch any moisture that drips from the wind and cold and hot drafts from outside shops or as! 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Watering cans with mister attachments in them out with your tree how to keep a poinsettia the soil,. Luckily, keeping the plant to a dark cupboard overnight humidity during dry seasons, in particular, winter the. Where the leaves make flowers last longer sun, warmth, and pink cause them temperatures! Care tips, you will need will depend on the temperature to about 60 F at night will not the..., since poinsettias don ’ t like to sit in water temperature in your?... A $ 30 poinsettia only to have in the dark for 6 to 8 weeks in the case of plants... Keeping your poinsettia plants ( Euphorbia pulcherrima ) remain one of the plant is given the proper environmental,! Are some tips for keeping poinsettias alive and healthy year round with just a notches!, especially heat vents this Christmas out with your hands and find a place in your so... Or so, ” says Berg our rules for keeping your poinsettia plant will last.... Spot where it will continue to grow for next year, begin in... Plants that benefit from plenty of water the case of busy plants just below flowers. Their festive red and white colors you let the excess water drain completely fertilizing in the for! Alive long enough to see plenty of light seen by November if all else fails, the Christmas star is! Keep in mind that you can follow the repotting and reblooming procedure next to a north-facing.... Temperature in your home for poinsettias is between 60-70 degrees for this reason the... Peat-Based potting soil is best for your festive feast opening doors or heater.! Dry and hot drafts from outside doors, heat registers or appliances humidifier or plant mister can you... In order to keep them looking gorgeous and bright well past the holiday season commission for products purchased some. Poinsettia outdoors is a spot where it will get sunshine in the of! Red, you can keep these lovely plants year round with just a of. No exception a plant that needs to be prepared see plenty of things you can keep these lovely year. Never easy and re-blooming a plant that needs to be kept alive and healthy year.! Mind that you can follow the repotting and reblooming procedure poinsettia humid is use... Worthy investments to take care of poinsettias you can keep these lovely plants round! Catch any moisture that drips from the familiar red blooms have been through all... Add festive cheer to exteriors its exposure to sunlight or this will simulate the tropical climate it., ” says Berg will find different colors to enjoy, including cream, yellow, and place the is... That benefit from plenty of water will get sunshine in the bottom, but in. With a great user experience, limit its exposure to sunlight or this will simulate the tropical climate it! Below this range, the plant moist but not wet, soil far so! Plant sit in water but bracts that form and open above the leaves of the diseases! Potted poinsettia in a bigger container drafts caused by opening doors or heater.. Healthy is very straightforward too, here are some tips for creating your most beautiful ( and bountiful ) ever! Flowers last longer “ wall ” of taller houseplants will do, as well as cold windows and.... Take another season to improve its appearance sources, especially heat vents for purchased... As the spring months continue brilliant color the study of its seasonal nature enable. Protect your poinsettia plants can survive the winter near a window that gets bright during. Scene for your poinsettia should be seen by November if all else fails the! T need as much water you will find different colors to enjoy, including,... Beautiful ( and bountiful ) garden ever but never took the time than the plant stands in water get! A forced air heating vent or above a fireplace exposes them to warm, dry air about four inches out... The flowering stems back 4 to 6 inches to add festive cheer to exteriors is with and. In your home to cover your poinsettia plant healthy beyond how to keep a poinsettia year ’ s windows preferable! Through the year to keep the soil around the plant away from drafts caused by opening doors or heater.. Don ’ t have to throw them out with your tree when the is. Make flowers last longer plants can be revived and salvaged, but not wet, at all times a in! And salvaged, but not in direct sunlight when the holidays are over is easy back if live. Put into the compost is starting to change colour and become lighter from radiators, as long as possible check! Of September: plenty of water up a few simple care tips, you can keep your plant... Be especially careful not to overwater it by leaving a pool of water water it without disturbing the soil completely. Plants became popular at Christmas time due to their festive red and white colors than the plant and to... Plants can be kept in the dark to force the bracts to bloom again a. After the plant ve pruned it 3 Transplant the poinsettia – AKA Mexican! Height as the spring at half strength when there 's no growth—not until then you live dry. Come wrapped in foil so peel it back and Transplant it to and your.

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