Poinsettia Care Common Questions and Answers

1. How do you care for poinsettias?
2. How do you take care of a potted poinsettia?
3. How do you keep a poinsettia alive?
4. Do poinsettias like the sun?
5. What do I do with my poinsettia after Christmas?
6. Do I water a poinsettia from the top or bottom?
7. Why are all the leaves falling off my poinsettia?
8. When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?
9. Will a poinsettia turn red again?
10. How long can a poinsettia live?
11. How do you get a poinsettia to bloom again?
12. How do you get a poinsettia to turn red again?

How do you care for poinsettias?

Six hours of light daily is ideal. Keep the plant from touching cold windows. Keep poinsettias away from warm or cold drafts from radiators, air registers or open doors and windows. Ideally poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and night time temperatures around 55°F.

How do you take care of a potted poinsettia?

Caring for poinsettias

It will need watering at least once a week over summer (more often in pots, or when it's very hot and dry). Make sure to thoroughly soak it each time. Reduce frequency as the weather cools, but don't let it dry out completely.

How do you keep a poinsettia alive?

Keep the poinsettia plant actively growing all summer by watering and fertilizing regularly. When the top of the soil feels dry, liberally apply water to moisten the soil completely, and allow the excess to drain away. Add no more water until the top of the soil is dry again.

Do poinsettias like the sun?

Poinsettias need a minimum of six hours of indirect sunlight each day. Protect the plants from freezing temperatures, especially when transporting them. Place them in a light-filled room away from drafts. They do best in rooms between 55 and 65 F at night and 65 to 70 F during the day.

What do I do with my poinsettia after Christmas?

Toss the poinsettia when you grow tired of it or it becomes unattractive. For those home gardeners who enjoy a challenge, it is possible to get the poinsettia to bloom again next season. Cut the stems back to within 4 to 6 inches of the soil in March. The poinsettia may also be repotted at this time.

Do I water a poinsettia from the top or bottom?

When you water your poinsettia, try not to get much water on the leaves, try to get the water straight to the roots and soil. I like to water mine in the sink, so I can pour plenty of water to it and it can drain out the bottom.

Why are all the leaves falling off my poinsettia?

Poinsettias will classically drop their leaves if they are exposed to sudden changes in temperature, drafts or overly cool or dry rooms. They also will lose leaves and wilt in response to an extreme need for water. When choosing a plant, pick a healthy, full one with no discoloration on the foliage.

When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?

To re-flower your poinsettia, you must keep the plant in complete darkness between 5pm and 8am daily from the end of September until color shows in the bracts (early to mid-December). The temperature should remain between 60 and 70 degrees F.

Will a poinsettia turn red again?

Restoring a healthy green Poinsettia plant from last year back to its original red color is no problem if you follow a few simple rules. The bracts will start to turn color in about four weeks, and continue if you carefully keep up the process. ...

How long can a poinsettia live?

"Home gardeners generally keep their poinsettias one or two years. If they're really dedicated, maybe a little longer. But the life span for interior plants when you live in the North is measured in months, not years."

How do you get a poinsettia to bloom again?

To coax a poinsettia plant to bloom again, it's necessary to repeat the poinsettia life cycle. After the holidays and once blooming has ceased, limit the amount of watering so the plant can go dormant until spring. Then, usually around March or April, regular watering can be resumed and fertilizing can begin.

How do you get a poinsettia to turn red again?

How To Get a Poinsettia To Turn Red

1. Help your poinsettia to turn red by placing it in total darkness for 14 hours each day, starting eight weeks before you want to display it.
2. During the day, the plant needs bright light, but it should be placed in complete darkness every evening.