How to Keep a Poinsettia Going After Christmas

If your poinsettia is still alive past New Years Day, it has passed through the shock of being moved from the greenhouse into your home. Odds are good that it will continue to grow for next year's holiday celebration. Here's what you need to do.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fertilizers
• Garden Shears
• Planting Containers
• Poinsettias
• Potting Soil
• Watering Cans
• Water
• Water

1. Continue to water your poinsettia, keeping the soil moist, but not wet, at all times. Keep the plant away from drafts caused by opening doors or heater vents.

2. Set the poinsettia outdoors once night temperatures average 55 degrees F or above.

3. Transplant the poinsettia into a larger pot. Use fast-draining potting soil rich in organic matter.

4. Cut the poinsettia back to about 8 inches in height in late March or early April. By the end of May you should see vigorous new growth.

5. Prune during the summer to keep the plant bushy and compact. Do not prune after September 1.

6. Keep the plant in indirect light or filtered sun.

7. Fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks with a complete fertilizer.

8. Move the plant into a closet each night, starting in October, for 14 hours, making sure it receives no light at all; move it into the light each morning for a maximum of 10 hours. Poinsettias bloom only when they experience long nights.

9. Continue this procedure every day for 10 weeks and you can have poinsettia blossoms for next Christmas.

Tips & Warnings

• The secret to growing poinsettias is to provide constant moisture to the roots. Don't, however, allow the plant to sit in water.

Resources

• Letter From Santa Claus
• Christmas Recipes

[Triune]

on 12/30/2008 A co-worker of mine once was given a poinsettia as a gift, and she hates them. She tried to kill it, giving it only the dregs of her sodas, coffees, or teas and to her dismay it continued to blossom into spring and even grew new blooms!

on 8/8/2006 We've had a poinsettia in my office for over three years, and it is still great. I've never cut it back, and two years ago I tried to put it in the back office to make it bloom, but broke off two big branches, so I quit. It blooms anyway, but usually not until after New Year's Day. I only water every two or three weeks.

on 1/24/2006 For those of us who don't really know a lot about plants, if the leaves start to look burnt, you're over-watering. If the leaves turn yellow, you're under-watering.

on 11/22/2005 I have been watering my poinsettia for 3 years by using only 5 - 6 ice cubes daily. Place the ice cubes in the pot (not touching plant) and it slowly dampens the soil. It really works!

on 11/22/2005 I kept forgetting to keep the closet door closed, which allowed light resulting in 'shorter nights' for the plant. The result was no redness anywhere on the plant at Christmas time. I've since found that putting the plant in a thick (or doubled) paper bag and closing it tightly produces the same results as putting it away in a closet. I also keep the bag in a darker corner or hallway when it's 'bagged,' just to be sure it remains in the dark.