Poinsettias are among the most popular holiday plants , but they ’re often treated as a “ confuse - away ” plant . alas , as soon as the New Year arrives , most of them make their direction to the refuse dump or compost pile . Rather than disposing of these adorable plants , they should be grow as a house - and - garden plantall twelvemonth long . Even when not in flower , poinsettia ’s dark green , tropical foliation is quite striking .
After the holiday pass , proceed to keep yourpoinsettiain a promising windowpane , but out of direct sunlight . With right concern , it will remain in blossom for many weeks . Place your poinsettia in a elbow room with a daytime temperature between 65 and 75 degree F. Nights can be a number cool , but the temperature should n’t dip beneath 55 . Be sure to keep you poinsettia away from cold draft . These tropic plants resent moth-eaten temperatures . Also avoid hot drafts , such as those from contrivance and hale - breeze heating duct .
Water the poinsettia whenever the soil is dry to the jot . Do not allow it to all dry out . To water supply , put the Mary Jane in the sink and flush tepid tap water through the mass until thepotting soilis saturated . Allow the container to fully drain before putting the plant back on display .
Some of the farewell and bract ( the non-white “ leaves ” ) may drop off over the coming workweek . This is normal . While the flora is still in blooming , fertilize every three weeks with an constituent , water - soluble liquid plant food . Allow the industrial plant to stay on to grow until all the bracts naturally drop in later wintertime . As soon as all the bract shed , discontinue fertilisation and cut lacrimation to once every 10 to 14 days .
From now until spring , the plant will be breathe ; perhaps entering a entirely dormant state if all of the foliage send packing off . As long as the stems remain flexible the plant is still alive . In early March , cut the plant back by a third . By take out the terminal share of all the stems , furcate is encouraged and the plant will stay compact and well - shaped .
In late April , set out to put the plant outdoors in a shady site only for a few hours during the day , and only if temperature remain in the 50 or sixty . make for it back indoors at night . The plant will slowly become acclimated to out-of-door growing status and will begin to produce new leaves . Once the peril of frost has give , repot the plant into a slightly great container using novel potting grunge or plant it right away into the ground . Position it in full to partial shade . Keep it out of unmediated sun during the mid day .
Continue to water your poinsettia throughout the summer months and fertilise every two weeks with an constitutional , water - soluble fertilizer . In early July , lop the works again , removing about a third of the flora ’s height . This boost further branching .
Once early September arrives , move the plant back indoors . You must do this before the nighttime temperature send packing below 50 degrees F. Starting Oct. 1 , get the plant life to re - blossom by keep it in staring dark for 14 hours each 24-hour interval . This period of dark can not be interrupted by any amount of promiscuous , natural or unreal . Many mass put the plant into a dark closet until the 14 hours have passed . Doing so intend that every 24-hour interval at 5 p.m. the plant pass into the closet , and every morning at 7 am it comes out , religiously and without fail . Poinsettias are so tender that if you neglect a night or the elbow room is not altogether blue , the works might not turn color at all . you could also put the plant into a great , black plastic trash bag seal off with a twist tie-in for 14 hour each day .
Once the poinsettia begins to show color , about eight weeks later , you may break the cognitive operation and enjoy your beautiful prime for another vacation season .
