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If possible, keep the plant in a room without lights, in a dark closet, or under a fully light-proof cover from about 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. every day for four weeks. Remember to put the plant in a sunny window in the daytime, and drench the soil when the surface is dry. It will probably need watering less often now.
How do you keep a poinsettia for next year?
Move to a colder place where the temperature never goes over 60 degrees and out of sunlight. Keep it indoors if you live in dry and hot areas of the country. Sometime in May, repot the poinsettia in a bigger container.
What do you do with poinsettias after Christmas?
Place your poinsettias where they will receive at least 6 hours of indirect, but bright, sunlight each day. In mid-April pinch back the stems to 6-8 inches and place the plants in a sunny location. When new growth begins, you may use a liquid fertilizer to ensure the plants get enough minerals, especially calcium.
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.
How long can a poinsettia live indoors?
If cared for properly, a potted poinsettia can last for 2 to 3 months in your home. However, some home gardeners with a particularly green thumb may enjoy the challenge of caring for a poinsettia long after Christmas in hopes of a second bloom next holiday.
When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?
To re-flower your poinsettia, you must keep the plant in complete darkness between 5pm and 8am daily from the end of September until color shows in the bracts (early to mid-December). The temperature should remain between 60 and 70 degrees F.
Can I keep 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).
What can you do with leftover poinsettias?
Toss the poinsettia when you grow tired of it or it becomes unattractive. For those home gardeners who enjoy a challenge, it is possible to get the poinsettia to bloom again next season. Cut the stems back to within 4 to 6 inches of the soil in March. The poinsettia may also be repotted at this time.
Why are the leaves on my poinsettia falling off?
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.
What kind of fertilizer do you use 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.
How often do I 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.
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.
Do poinsettias like sun or shade?
Light: Place your poinsettias in an area where they’ll receive a minimum of six hours of bright (but not direct) sunlight each day. Temperature: These plants prefer temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and from 60 to 65 degrees at night.
Do I need to cut back my poinsettia?
Poinsettias (both potted and in the ground) should be pruned twice a year, first in the spring and again in late summer. Remembering the “A” months is a helpful tip, April and August. For the first pruning in spring (April), remove all foliage and cut all branches back to 4-6″ of height.
Will a poinsettia Reflower?
Take it to the car quickly, and bringing it into the house as soon as you can. It’s even a good idea to buy poinsettia on mild, rather than frosty days, to make it easier. If your poinsettia starts wilting and dropping leaves/bracts once you get it home, it will usually continue to deteriorate, no matter what you do.
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 poinsettias survive a freeze?
You can move the plant outdoors but poinsettia frost damage is a real threat if your area’s temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C.). At this range, the cold hardiness of poinsettias is below its tolerant point and leaves will drop. If the plant experiences sustained temperatures of 50 F.
Can poinsettias live outside in the summer?
June: Move the plant outside for the summer. Place it in partial shade and continue to water as needed and fertilize regularly. July: Early this month, pinch back the growth on each stem by about an inch. August: About midmonth, pinch back again, allowing three to four leaves on each sprout.
