Table of Contents
How to Care for Poinsettias Year-Round Step 1: Start with a Healthy Poinsettia Plant. Step 2: Move the Poinsettia to a Larger Container. Step 3: Keep Poinsettias in the Sun. Step 4: Water Poinsettias Correctly. Step 5: Prune Poinsettias. Step 6: Keep Poinsettias in the Dark. Step 7: Fertilize Poinsettias.
How do you get a poinsettia to rebloom?
How to Get Poinsettias to Rebloom Prune your poinsettia plant. Fertilize the poinsettia every two weeks. Repot the plant in warmer months. Transport your plant outdoors. Pinch to encourage side branching. Place the poinsettia in a warm, dark environment. Display your poinsettia plant.
When should a poinsettia be pruned?
In late spring, when overnight temps outdoors are above 50 degrees, prune new shoots back to four inches and sink your poinsettia—pot and all—into a protected spot in your flower bed and let it stay there until early fall when overnight temps dip back into the 40s.
How do you take care of a poinsettia after Christmas?
How to Make Your Poinsettias Bloom Again After Christmas Cut it back to 4 to 6 inches tall and move it to a slightly larger pot with good drainage. Keep the soil moist, but never soggy. Provide bright light. Feed weekly with liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength.
How do I save my poinsettia for next year?
After all the leaves have fallen, store the plant, in its pot, in a cool (50 to 60°F), dry, dark area. Keep the plant somewhat on the dry side; water only enough to keep the stems from withering.
What do you do with old poinsettias?
For holiday flowering, do not prune your poinsettias after September 1. When nighttime temps fall to 55 to 60 degrees, bring the plants back inside and place them in a sunny location.
What is the life expectancy of a poinsettia plant?
“Home gardeners generally keep their poinsettias one or two years. If they’re really dedicated, maybe a little longer. But the life span for interior plants when you live in the North is measured in months, not years.”.
Why are all the leaves falling off my poinsettia?
Poinsettias will classically drop their leaves if they are exposed to sudden changes in temperature, drafts or overly cool or dry rooms. They also will lose leaves and wilt in response to an extreme need for water. When choosing a plant, pick a healthy, full one with no discoloration on the foliage.
Can I put my poinsettia outside?
You can keep growing them like a houseplant if you like, but in the spring once the temperatures at night are regularly above 50°F, you can place your poinsettias outside if you want. Choose a spot that gets bright, indirect light (somewhere that gets shade in the afternoon would be perfect).
Can you use ice cubes to water poinsettias?
Poinsettias should never dry out to the point of wilt. If you can water the poinsettia well once per week, placing 6-8 ice cubes in the container every day will do a good job of keeping the soil adequately moist.
Do I water a poinsettia from the top or bottom?
When should I water my poinsettia? Water your poinsettia plant only when the top layer of soil feels dry to the touch. Thoroughly moisten the soil to the point that water is draining from the bottom of the growing pot. Discard any excess water that builds up in the saucer or decorative foil pot cover.
Can you put poinsettias outside in winter?
Answer: Both the Christmas cactus and the poinsettia are not hardy outdoors and will freeze if planted outside. They should remain in their pots and not be planted outdoors in the garden if you live where it freezes in the winter. Poinsettias can become rather large and need a large pot.
Will my poinsettia turn red again?
Restoring a healthy green Poinsettia plant from last year back to its original red color is no problem if you follow a few simple rules. The bracts will start to turn color in about four weeks, and continue if you carefully keep up the process.
Can you root poinsettia cuttings in water?
An easier way is to take cuttings of woody stem about 18 in (45.7 cm) long, stick in ground and keep moist (not wet) for several weeks.” It would, then, appear that neither the native nor the non-native plant with the common name “poinsettia” can be propagated by placing cuttings in water.
Can a poinsettia survive without leaves?
It is perfectly normal for a poinsettia to lose a leaf or two from time to time.
How often should you water a poinsettia?
In your home, put the poinsettia in a well lighted area away from drafts and heat vents. Water the poinsettia when the pot becomes lightweight or when the soil becomes dry to the touch, about once a week. Water the plant thoroughly in a sink, letting it drain, before putting it back where it was.
How do you fix a sagging poinsettia?
How to Revive a Wilted Poinsettia Move the poinsettia to an area out of direct air currents or draughts. Whilst the poinsettia is wilted ensure that it is not in any direct light. Use a spray to mist the plant. Place the poinsettia in a basin of water for 10 minutes. Water your poinsettia more often.
What does an overwatered poinsettia look like?
If your Poinsettia is wilting, or if it has yellowing leaves, this is a sign that it’s likely being overwatered. One way to confirm this is by feeling its soil. If the soil is wet and your plant is wilting then it’s probably being overwatered.
What do I do with my poinsettia after the leaves fall off?
Poinsettia Plant Leaves Are Falling Off Keep the plant in a cool, draft-free area and provide plenty of water. If all else fails, the plant may need to be discarded.
Do poinsettias like sun or shade?
Place your poinsettia in indirect light after bringing it home. Poinsettias need six hours of light daily (fluorescent light will work). Keep your plant away from cold windows, warm or cold drafts from furnaces or air conditioners, and open doors and windows.
What is the best fertilizer for poinsettias?
Some common fertilizers used for poinsettias are 15-0-15, 15-16-17, 20-10-20, and EXCEL Cal-Mag 15-5-15. But other fertilizer types can also be used to grow good plants. For example, I’ve been using 20-0-20 with superphosphate added to the growth medium for a couple of years with great results.