Poinsettia Care > National Home Gardening Club

BY: Justin Hancock

Here's how to keep poinsettias healthy during and after the holidays:

Keep it in a spot where it gets lots of indirect light all day.
Water when the potting mix starts to feel dry to the touch.
Fertilize after it finishes blooming (once the colorful bracts begin to fade).
Keep it away from hot or cold drafts (doors, old windows, heating vents, etc.).
Protect it from temperatures below 50°F by wrapping the poinsettia in a large plastic bag.

Comments

By parrotma Tuesday, December 07, 2010 2:35 PM

okay, now how do you get them to produce red leaves?

By Kairouan Wednesday, December 05, 2012 11:00 AM

You have to keep it in the dark (total dark) for 12 hrs everyday. This starts after this season--looses its color, and goes until I believe it is summer.

By acbrown1 Saturday, December 08, 2012 11:54 PM

They sure are hardy in TN. I have had mine for 3 christmases now. I left it in doors on a table by a south window the first yr and all the leaves fell off then began to regrow it's leaves some time later. I forgot to water it for awhile and was told to cut back watering it during the down season and start slowly watering it during the growing season. The 2nd Christmas it was big and beautiful...but still green. Then this past Spring I thought it was dead so I put it outside under a tree to give it a 2nd chance or rest in peace. A month or so later it had grown all of its leaves back and was beautiful again this time with crimson colored stems and some of this color extented down into the veins of the leaves. I just knew it would be red in time for Christmas this yr. I left it outside for the remainder of the hot summer. When temps got into the 40 degrees I put it on the back porch. Unfortunately I left it on my enclosed but not insulated back porch too many 35 degree nights in a roll and it has lost some of its leaves again but it still has new growth as well. I brought it in tonight after seeing this posting. I think I will put it in the closet under the stair well 12 hours a day next yr and see what happens. I am told you have to do this starting the last wk in September but bring it out to a window for light too during the day. For west TN area I have been instr. to fertilize it in March or April. Its a desert plant so the 12 hrs of darkness I think is supose to mimic the desert environment.

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Current Articles \| Archives \| Search Poinsettia Care BY: Justin Hancock 3 Here's how to keep poinsettias healthy during and after the holidays: Keep it in a spot where it gets lots of indirect light all day. Water when the potting mix starts to feel dry to the touch. Fertilize after it finishes blooming (once the colorful bracts begin to fade). Keep it away from hot or cold drafts (doors, old windows, heating vents, etc.). Protect it from temperatures below 50°F by wrapping the poinsettia in a large plastic bag. Comments By parrotma Tuesday, December 07, 2010 2:35 PM okay, now how do you get them to produce red leaves? By Kairouan Wednesday, December 05, 2012 11:00 AM You have to keep it in the dark (total dark) for 12 hrs everyday. This starts after this season--looses its color, and goes until I believe it is summer. By acbrown1 Saturday, December 08, 2012 11:54 PM They sure are hardy in TN. I have had mine for 3 christmases now. I left it in doors on a table by a south window the first yr and all the leaves fell off then began to regrow it's leaves some time later. I forgot to water it for awhile and was told to cut back watering it during the down season and start slowly watering it during the growing season. The 2nd Christmas it was big and beautiful...but still green. Then this past Spring I thought it was dead so I put it outside under a tree to give it a 2nd chance or rest in peace. A month or so later it had grown all of its leaves back and was beautiful again this time with crimson colored stems and some of this color extented down into the veins of the leaves. I just knew it would be red in time for Christmas this yr. I left it outside for the remainder of the hot summer. When temps got into the 40 degrees I put it on the back porch. Unfortunately I left it on my enclosed but not insulated back porch too many 35 degree nights in a roll and it has lost some of its leaves again but it still has new growth as well. I brought it in tonight after seeing this posting. I think I will put it in the closet under the stair well 12 hours a day next yr and see what happens. I am told you have to do this starting the last wk in September but bring it out to a window for light too during the day. For west TN area I have been instr. to fertilize it in March or April. Its a desert plant so the 12 hrs of darkness I think is supose to mimic the desert environment. Post Comment Only registered users may post comments.