How to care for a potted poinsettia?

Question

I received a poinsettia last year for christmas and kept it alive and growing all year. Now it is getting some red leaves on it but I'm afraid that it will not be near as nice as it was last year by christmas.

Answer 1

DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun
can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

• DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are
comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

• DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

• DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.

• DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced,
all-purpose fertilizer.

And here are the DON'Ts of poinsettia care

• DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near
appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts or the top of a television.

• DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to
cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.

• DON'T over water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove
a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to
drain completely.

• DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.

• DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

How to re-bloom your poinsettia
When the poinsettia's bracts age and lose their aesthetic appeal, there's no reason to throw it out. With proper care, dedication and a certain amount of luck, you too can re-bloom your poinsettia!

By late March or early April, cut your poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced all-purpose fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth.

Place your plants outdoors, where they can bask in the warmth of spring and summer, after all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55° F or above. Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.

Pruning may be required during the summer to keep plants bushy and compact. Late June or early July is a good time for this step, but be sure not to prune your plant later than September 1. Keep the plants in indirect sun and water regularly.

Around June 1, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 4 inches larger than the original pot. An indoor soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mold, is highly recommended. In milder climates, you may transplant the plant into a well-prepared garden bed. Be sure the planting bed is rich in organic material and has good drainage.

The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant. It sets bud and produces flowers as the Autumn nights lengthen. It will naturally bloom in November or December, depending on the flowering response time of the individual cultivar. Timing to produce blooms for the Christmas holiday can be difficult outside of the controlled environment of a greenhouse. Stray light of any kind, could delay or entirely halt the re-flowering process.


Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range could also delay flowering. Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colorful display of blooms for the holiday season!

Answer 2

You've done a very good job if this is happening now. The leave (or bracts) turn from green to red under the right conditions which few people manage at home. They are usually late to turn in the house and yours may not reach peak in time for Christmas and may not ever be the same as it was from grower where conditions are carefully controled, but you should feel good about this. There are a lot of tricks to this and I have to go to work.

Sparkle has given you good advice. Her answer was posted while I was typing mine. To add to it, mites and white fly just love these guys. You have to watch out for pests, especially if planted in the ground. And I would up the feeding a bit.

Answer 3

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Poinsettias make excellent screen or background plantings in frost free areas. They will freeze if temperatures go below 32, but will come back if frost is not too severe. See source for more information.

Answer 4

Your poinsettia may need repotting. If it's in the same pot you got it in, it may be rootbound.

Answer 5

you could set a poinsettia on FIRE and it would keep growing