poinsettia

When the holidays roll around it’s hard to resist picking up one or two colorful poinsettia plants to help spread Christmas cheer.  But how many of us see poinsettias as “disposable”?  The season passes and we tend to toss out the whole plant instead of recycling it for next year.  Following are some easy, useful tips to get enjoyment out of your poinsettia throughout the year!

Poinsettias are rather sensitive to temperature, water and lighting, but if you follow a few guidelines, it shouldn’t be a problem.

1. Place your potted plant in the spot with the most light.  You don’t want to set your poinsettia in a dimly-lit corner, but rather in an area of your home that gets the most natural light throughout the day.
2. Keep your poinsettia warm, but not in the hottest spot of the house, such as next to a fireplace or space heater.  Since poinsettias are tropical plants, they like the warmth, but too much heat will only harm them.
3. When watering your poinsettia, it’s important to NOT over-water it, as keeping it too wet can be as bad for it as not watering it enough.  The best gauge for moisture is to touch the soil with your finger; if it comes away wet, you don’t need to water it.  If your fingertip is still dry, add enough water to the plant to have a little overflow into the tray or dish underneath the plant.

When your poinsettia isn’t looking its best, there are some things you can do to perk it back up and help it survive the season and beyond.

1. If your plant has yellow leaves, it’s a good bet that it is getting too much water or warmth with too little light.  Make sure your placement is right, keeping the plant in bright light and moderate warmth.
2. Did you know that plants can get sunburn, too?  If you keep your poinsettia in direct sunlight and the leaves start showing white on the leaves, that’s exactly the problem.  Try to move the pot into a bright area without direct sunshine.
3. When the leaves curl, there are a few possibilities.  First, check the underneath of the leaves and the stem for signs of pests.  If there are no pests, check the root system for browning and a bad smell, in which case you may have to just throw the plant away due to root disease.  If nothing else, make sure the plant is warm enough.  Move it away from a drafty window or an outside door that get opened and closed frequently.

With a little forethought, your poinsettia can be kept alive and loved into blooming again for next Christmas!

1. In the spring, be sure to cut the stems back to about 4 inches in length.
2. Move your poinsettia outside during the summer, gradually introducing it to full sunlight to avoid sunburn.
3. Continue to water and fertilize it, keeping it trimmed to about 4 leaves on each stem.
4. At the beginning of October and for about 10 weeks, use an opaque bucket to cover your plant and keep it in complete darkness overnight, from about 5 pm until about 8 am.  Bring it inside when it starts getting too cold, and you should have the beginnings of blooms, in time for Christmas!

If you follow the easy tips listed above, you can enjoy your poinsettia for many Christmas seasons to come!

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