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How to Care for Christmas Poinsettia Plants
Copyright © 2007-2008 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved
When it comes to Poinsettias, chances are you have received one yourself or you know someone who has. The Poinsettia is a popular plant to give during the Christmas season with its brilliant show of bright red throughout the weeks of late November through January.
The Poinsettia was first introduced into the United States by our first ambassador to Mexico, Mr. Joel Roberts Poinsett. In 1925, Mr. Poinsett (also a botanist) sent some plants to his home in South Carolina. He shared his finds with other plant enthusiasts. This beautiful Christmas flower has borne his name ever since. On December 12, we recognize Poinsett's contribution to the holiday season by celebrating National Poinsettia Day.
While many of us enjoy its beauty, there are few who are familiar with its care. To ensure that your poinsettia retains its beauty for weeks and (in some varieties) for months, keep these tips in mind:
1. Place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
2. Poinsettias need moderately moist soil, water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch. A good way to judge is to stick your finger into the dirt and if clumps of soil cling to it, the soil is still moist.
3. Provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F.
4. A poinsettia does not require fertilization while it is in bloom. To maintain green foliage and promote new growth indoors after the holidays, fertilize it with a balanced all-purpose house plant fertilizer once a month. And always follow the directions on the fertilizer label.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER IN CARING FOR POINSETTIAS:
1. Don't place you plant near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing your plant near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.
2. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
3. Don't over water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
There are some who like keeping their Poinsettia through the year in hopes of blooming next year, but if you are willing to try, here are some tips:
1. After your Poinsettia has bloomed, cut it back.
2. When the weather is warm enough so there is no chance of
freezing, take your Poinsettia outside. Water and fertilize it
normally through the summer.
3. Approximately 8 weeks before you want your Poinsettia to bloom,
start giving the plant 14 hours of total darkness each day. Water
and fertilize like normal.
Don't be disappointed if your Poinsettia does not look as nice as
when you got it originally. Typcially, commercial growers have ideal
conditions that enable them to grow such compact, high quality,
colorful Poinsettias.
Enjoy your poinsettia that you receive this Holiday or give one as a
gift to someone you love. ~ Happy Gardening! ~
About the author:
Sandra Kuykendall-Lombard lives in Texas with her husband and son.
She is a writer, homeschooler, artist as well as a parent to a
special needs child. As a free-lance writer, her content focuses on
gardening, crafts, relationships and family life. She maintains a
position as a Community Leader and a moderator of "Gardening and the
Outdoors at Baby University, an online parenting community.
I have grown poinsettia in my garden for the last 5 years, them colour every year. The last two I planted have grown 5ft tall.
I hate it when people throw away after Christmas, I go arround collecting and after Christmas plant at the moment i have 4 plants, 2 look like trees.
I, too, planted some poinsettias in my yard in March and basically forgot about them. I was surprised in July when I noticed them growing beautifullly with full, lush, dark green leaves. Now that fall has come, and the temperature is beginning to dip below 50 degerees at night, I am wondering what to do. The leaves are beginning to look a faint yellowish. Do I repot them and bring them in now, or wait a little longer? We won't have freezing temperatures until December. I grew up in Florida with cactus and palmetto bushes, so this is new to me and any advice is welcomed.
I just planted my pointsettias outside today because its really warm and i am pretty sure its not suppose to get any cold enough where they cant survive. But I was wondering when I should bring them back in like what month ...fall and before frost?
Yes, I would definitely try that. If the soil is moist, resist the urge to over water, and see how the plant does with more light.
I received a poinsettia as a gift, and have it on my desk at work, there are no windows only lighting. The plant isn't looking very good, even though the soil is most. Shall I take it home and get it hear a window with light?
