Proper watering of poinsettias

In your home, put the poinsettia in a well lighted area away from drafts and heat vents. Water the poinsettia when the pot becomes lightweight or when the soil becomes dry to the touch, about once a week. Water the plant thoroughly in a sink, letting it drain, before putting it back where it was.

Can you overwater a poinsettia?
How do you care for a poinsettia indoors?
What happens if you overwater a poinsettia?
Why are the leaves on my poinsettia falling off?
Do I water a poinsettia from the top or bottom?
Can you use ice cubes to water poinsettias?
When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?
What do I do with my poinsettia after Christmas?
How long will a poinsettia last?
How do you know when a poinsettia is dying?
Can poinsettias come back to life?
How do you get a poinsettia to turn red again?

Can you overwater a poinsettia?

Poinsettias prefer bright, indirect light and should be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. ... A final caution: Do not overwater your poinsettia or let it sit in standing water.

How do you care for a poinsettia indoors?

Keep it indoors if you live in dry and hot areas of the country. Sometime in May, repot the poinsettia in a bigger container. Cut all the stems down to about four inches. After, give it a good watering to wake it up.

What happens if you overwater a poinsettia?

Both over- and under-watering cause problems for poinsettias. Over-watering will cause the lower leaves to turn yellow and drop. Over-watered plants may also develop root rots and die. Dry plants wilt and also drop leaves prematurely.

Why are the leaves on my poinsettia falling off?

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.

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.

Can you use ice cubes to water poinsettias?

If you can water the poinsettia well once per week, placing 6-8 ice cubes in the container every day will do a good job of keeping the soil adequately moist.

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.

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.

How long will a poinsettia last?

Today's poinsettias can last longer than ever, often for months. To help yours stay pretty, follow this advice from Ron Wolford, creator of the Poinsettia Pages: Place your poinsettia in indirect light after bringing it home. Poinsettias need six hours of light daily (fluorescent light will work).

How do you know when a poinsettia is dying?

A • A Poinsettia that is wilting is either too hot, too wet, or too dry. Poinsettias need to be constantly moist and will visibly wilt if allowed to become too dry. Feel the soil. If dry, water thoroughly, and it will quickly revive, but some leaves will be shed as a result.

Can poinsettias come back to life?

Cold damage, under watering, and changes in other site conditions will shock the plant, and poinsettia leaves shrivel and die. In most cases, correcting the conditions and waiting for a while will return the plant back to health. Fungal disease issues, however, may require the complete removal of the plant.

How do you get a poinsettia to turn red again?

How To Get a Poinsettia To Turn Red

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.
During the day, the plant needs bright light, but it should be placed in complete darkness every evening.