Consistent Poinsettia Care Can Bring Back Their Blooms Next Holiday Season
During the winter holidays, poinsettias become the decorative plant of choice for many people. With proper care, poinsettias can be kept through the holiday season and brought back into full bloom later the next year.
If the poinsettia keeps its leaves, treat it like any houseplant. Place it in a sunny location and apply a complete fertilizer containing trace elements once every two weeks.
If the plant loses its leaves, let the soil dry out and keep the poinsettia in a cool location where it still can get some light, such as on a basement window ledge. Avoid setting the plant in places where the temperature rises above 60 degrees; an average temperature of 50 or 55 degrees is best.
In late April or early May, prepare resting poinsettias for regrowth by cutting their stems back to about 3-5 inches above the soil. When more than one plant is in the same pot, replant the poinsettias into individual containers. Place poinsettias in a light, warm place and water them whenever the soil begins to dry.
As soon as night temperatures reach a minimum of 60 degrees, the plant can be set outside. Place it in a shady location for two to three weeks to allow for acclimatization and to prevent leaf sun scald, then sink the pot in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Turn the pot every few weeks to break off any roots that might be growing through the drainage holes.
For poinsettias that were resting, when new shoots are about 1 inch long, apply a complete fertilizer containing trace elements. Fertilize plants at intervals of seven to ten days.
Pruning shapes poinsettias to form an attractive compact growth. To prevent the plants from getting too tall, pinch off or prune growing tips when they are 4-6 inches long. If new shoots grow another 5 inches before August, repeat the process.
When night temperatures dip below 55 or 60 degrees, move poinsettias indoors to a sunny location. Beginning September 25, the plants need darkness from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. daily and night temperatures of 60-65 degrees. Light from any lamps will prevent normal flowering of an uncovered poinsettia. To arrange dark conditions, put a cardboard box or other device over the plant. Continue this treatment until the plant shows color in late November.
Source: Jay Fritzgerald University of Nebraska Lincoln
