Are You Wondering How To Care For Your Poinsettias?

Invariably, each year during the holiday season, one or more of my children or grandkids will give me a beautiful poinsettia plant. And with time, the plant dies and I feel awful about it. But this year I have a plan to keep my plant alive, and if possible, to even get it to bloom again next Christmas. The truth is that I love the plants. I used them as centerpieces for my tables this past Christmas.

The important thing to know about your plant is that the care you give it now will have a direct impact on whether it survives, and whether it blooms for next Christmas. The plant should be placed near a sunny window – preferably one facing any direction but north.

If your goal is to keep your plant in bloom for as long as possible you will need to regulate the temperature of the room it’s in. Generally, the temperature should be 65 – 75 degrees, but it is okay to drop the temperature down to even 60 degrees at night.

Water, of course, is essential to keeping your poinsettia looking its best. Give the plant water when the surface of the soil feels dry and water until you see it begin to drain out the bottom. A word of caution, don’t allow the plant to sit in water. Because most home environments are somewhat dry during the winter time you will probably find that you need to water your plant very often – maybe even every day.

The same care will continue until the end of March. Beginning in April you will need to gradually decrease the watering. Keep a close watch on your plant though, being sure that the stem does not begin to shrivel. After a couple of weeks your plant will become accustomed to less water. At that time you can move it to a cool spot – many people put them in a basement or a garage. Ideally you will find a spot that maintains a somewhat steady temperature of around 60 degrees.

By the middle of May you should cut the stems down to about 4 inches and then repot the plant in a slightly larger sized pot, using new soil. Be sure to water the plant well and then place your plant in a sunny window. Now the temperature should be maintained again at about 65 – 75 degrees. And you will again water the plant when the soil surface feels dry.

When you begin seeing signs of new growth it is time to begin fertilizing your plant every two weeks. In June you can move the plant outdoors to a partially shaded location. Don’t neglect the watering and fertilizing though.

Early in July you should pinch about an inch off of each stem. This helps to encourage a strong plant that branches out. By the middle of August you should have a plant that has leafed out and beautifully branched. Once again you will need to cut back the stems – leave only three or four leaves per shoot. And now you are ready to bring your plant back indoors to your sunniest window. Watering and fertilizing schedule should continue.

In October you will need to keep the plant in total darkness from about 5pm to 8am. This is required if the plant is going to re-bloom. If necessary you can place a cardboard box or other protection around or over the plant for those hours. This treatment should continue until about the end of November. In fact, Thanksgiving Day weekend is a good way to remember this. At that time you can again place the plant in a sunny location and not worry about darkness. By this time you should see flower buds on your plant!

It’s safe to stop fertilizing the plant by the middle of December. You will now water as usual and treat the plant just as you did when you first brought it home (or received it as a gift). If each step has been followed your poinsettia should be back in bloom and looking lovely!