HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR HOLIDAY POINSETTIA

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By Bonnie McNamee      

      Traditional red poinsettias are the most popular of all Christmas plants. But did you know that today there are over 100 different varieties of poinsettias available? When purchasing a poinsettia, look for a healthy plant, one that has lots of dark green foliage from top to bottom. Choose a plant that is brightly colored and in good condition. With proper care, a poinsettia can retain its color until March, or even later, if it is not exposed to freezing temperatures. Indoor temperatures should range between 55 and 75 degrees. They dislike the cold and should be kept at temperatures above 50 degrees at all times. 

     Water your poinsettia whenever the surface of the soil feels dry and the plant feels light when you pick it up. Water thoroughly until the water runs out the bottom of the pot. Allow the plant to sit in the sink and drain completely. Too much water can kill a poinsettia.

     If you want to keep your plant going after the holidays, place it in a warm, brightly lit area of the house. Keep as a houseplant until all threat of frost has passed in the spring. For those with a green thumb, keeping your poinsettia going from year to year is not too difficult. Cut off the flowers once they begin to fade and fertilize twice a month with a water soluble fertilizer.

    Move outside in a partially shaded area until fall.  Pinch the tips a few times over the summer to encourage bushy growth. If you want to try to get your poinsettia to bloom again in time for Christmas, bring it back inside the house by the end of September and provide it with bright light during the day and at least 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness every night. What has worked for me is to put a black plastic trash bag over the poinsettia every afternoon at 4:30 pm and then take it off in the morning. These long periods of darkness are needed to initiate the flowering process. It takes 9 to 11 weeks of this routine for a poinsettia to bloom.

     If you have questions or need more information, please call the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County Helpline at 609-265-5050.


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