Poinsettia Care

Poinsettia Care

The do’s and don’ts of poinsettia care. Keep your plant healthy and blooming throughout the Christmas season.

Do’s and Don’ts of Poinsettia Care

DO – 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.

DO– Provide room temperatures between 68 – 70 degrees F.  Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

Beautiful red poinsettia plant.

DON’T – Place plants near drafts or excessive heat sources.  Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces, or ventilating ducts.

DO – Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

DON’T – Expose plants to temperatures below 50 degrees F.  Poinsettias are sensitive to cold weather.

DO – Use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.

DON’T – Overwater 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.

DO – Fertilize your plant AFTER the blooming season with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

DON’T – Fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

A list of do and don't for poinsettia care.

Keep Your Plant for Next Year

After the holiday season continues to water once a week, do not fertilize during the months of Jan, Feb, March.  The blooms will drop, this is normal.

In April

It is time to start feeding your plant. Bring the plant outdoors when the chance of frost has passed.

In July

In July pinch back the new growth. When pinching back the growth be sure to remove at least 25% of the new growth.

This will make the plant bushy and not look thin and laggy during the coming months.

In September

When temps drop to 55 degrees day/night, bring the plant indoors.

Oct. & Dec.

From October 1 to December 1, a poinsettia will need a strict light / dark regimen to produce color. Provide 16 hours of complete and uninterrupted darkness daily. Lock the plant in a dark closet for 16 hours. Then bring the plant out of the closet for 8 hours of indirect sunlight daily.

Merry Christmas! I sincerely hope that you enjoy the time spent with loved ones! If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy why is my Christmas cactus not blooming?

Still, looking for some gifts to round out your gift-giving? See if the free printable bathroom art or You’re a beautiful thing prints interest you.

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