Poinsettias for the Holidays and Beyond
Poinsettias are a favorite for dressing your home up for the Holidays! With so many new and fabulous colors you are sure to find one to suit your decor!
Light
Poinsettias prefer Bright Indirect Sunlight. This means the sun’s rays don’t travel directly from the sun to your plant but, instead, bounce off something first.
Water
This can vary because everyone’s light situation and house temperature is different. Poinsettias like to me continually slightly moist but never soggy.
In brighter light, they require more frequent watering. In lower light give them time to dry before watering again. It’s always a great idea to test the soil with your finger to test the moisture level.
Temperature and Humidity can also affect watering. The colder the house the slower the plant will dry out, and cold poinsettias hate to be over watered. As Poinsettias are tropical plants they love high humidity and don’t like to be in areas with drying heat ( fireplaces, near heat vents). If you wish to create more humidity for them you have two options. Grouping plants together naturally increases humidity as they themselves transpire. Creating a pebble tray is also a great option. To do this grab an extra plant saucer, fill it will small pebbles (1-2″) then keep it filled with water. Place the plant on top of the pebbles, as the water evaporates the humidity around the plant increases.
Temperature
Generally, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia. Cooler (but not cold!) temperatures will be better than hotter areas, but you must avoid sudden chills (close doors that get open to outside) . Temperatures between 68-70° Fahrenheit are great for them.
Another tip is that Poinsettias prefer room-temperature water, and smaller pots need watering more often than big ones because they dry out faster. Remove any excess water that is still in the saucer (or planters that don’t drain) after 10 minutes.
After the Holidays
Keep up with the watering of your Poinsettia. In April prune it back hard to about 4″. Then keep it in the house. In May you can repot it and keep it in a cool (65-74 degrees F) and light place over summer.
Middle of October to beginning of November its time to “force” or encourage the Poinsettia to Bloom. It will require 12 hours of bright daylight followed by 12 hours of complete darkness. This will tell the bracts to turn colors.
