Life After Christmas

There is life after Christmas for poinsettias and I have hope! My poinsettia used to be full of leaves and flowers, but is slowly growing it's leaves back. :)

Poinsettias Care - What to do When the Holidays End

Light

Poinsettias do best in a window with lots of indirect light. If you can’t provide enough light, the poinsettia will not last quite as long. If kept in a dim location, the poinsettia may only last a few weeks. So try to provide as much light as possible to extend the life of the flowers.

Water

Poinsettias do not like to dry out. Try to keep the soil moderately damp to the touch at all times. Plants getting lots of light and/or kept in a warm location will need more frequent watering than those in low light, cool locations. Check your poinsettia at least twice per week to make sure it does not dry out.

Temperature

Poinsettias are sensitive to temperatures below 65 degrees. So avoid cold, drafty window sills. On the other hand, close proximity to heat sources will cause poinsettias to dry our quickly, thereby hastening their demise. Comfortable “people temperatures” are good for poinsettias too.

How to Get Your Poinsettia to Re-Bloom

It’s not complicated, but it’s not easy either. Beginning in late September, you must provide your poinsettia with 12 hours of complete darkness each night and 12 hours of good light during the day. For about eight weeks, you will have to move your poinsettia to a dark closet every night and back to the windowsill each day. Even a small amount of light from a light bulb for a short time can disrupt the formation of the new flowers. This is a lot of work. Most people prefer to purchase a new poinsettia each holiday season.