Poinsettia Care

The poinsettia should be treated like a houseplant. It prefers bright light, and somewhat cool temperatures (between 60 and 70 degrees). Poinsettias dislike cold or hot drafts, such as those near a door or fireplace. Water as needed, probably once a week. It's best to thoroughly soak the plant and then allow the plant to dry until the top layer of soil feels dry to the touch. 

During the winter months (Feb- March) it's a good idea to trim the old blooms off.  Cut the stems back to about 8 inches. Be sure to leave 3 or 4 green leaves per stem This will make for a nice looking summer plant and a compact, bushy Christmas plant. Now place in a sunny, coolish location and water as described. If you can just keep your poinsettia alive until April, it will thrive outdoors where it will make a great tropical, patio plant. 

Your poinsettia can go outside once night temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. This is a good time to repot using a pot with a diameter 2-4 inches larger then the pot it's been in. Use professional potting soil and begin fertilizing lightly every other week or so.

The fun part is getting your plant to turn red again for the holidays. When night temps start to fall into the 50's, bring your poinsettia indoors. In late Sept. your plant needs 12 hours of dark and 12 hours of light, just like in a greenhouse. So during the daylight hours, a sunny window is good. And during the evening hours a totally dark spot is best. Some people just cover their plant every evening with a box. Or perhaps you have a spare room that gets 12 and 12. But the important thing is consistency and keeping your plant healthy with regular water and daytime bright light. In the evening, the darkness must be really dark, no night lights. 

If you  follow these recommendations, you will have a beautiful big poinsettia blooming somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas!