How to get your poinsettia to bloom again so it lasts long after Christmas

Also known as Mexican flameleaf, poinsettias are grown mostly for the brightly colored leaf structures, or bracts, that bloom at the top of the plant in showy shades of red, pink, white and other colors.

Unfortunately, poinsettias are often thrown away when these blooms begin to fade at the end of the holiday season. However, with the right care and a little ingenuity, you can learn how to get poinsettias to bloom again and enjoy these vibrant plants in your home or garden for many years to come.

Basic Poinsettia Care Tips

Poinsettias can be kept as houseplants Or grown outside year round in zones 9 to 11. But while poinsettias can survive on your kitchen counter or bookcase for a few weeks around the holidays, these plants require a little more attention if you want to grow poinsettias perennially.

• Remove pots with poor drainage. Poinsettias are usually sold in decorative foil-wrapped pots and have no holes for drainage. To prevent root rotAs soon as you bring your plants home, remove the foil wrappers and, if necessary, repot your poinsettias into well-draining containers.
• Provide adequate lighting. Indoors or outdoors, poinsettias grow best in bright, indirect light. Due to low light these plants can lose their color quickly, while too much sunlight can cause damage to them.
• Protect plants from cold. Indoor poinsettias grow well at room temperature, while outdoor plants should be protected from cold weather. temperature below 50F causes poinsettias to die back, so be sure to bring outdoor plants inside before fall.
• Water is correct. For best results, Water Poinsettias Water when the top surface of the soil feels dry, and don’t let your plants sit in water.
• Sort as necessary. Keep indoor plants bushy and compact by clipping their leaves to leaf nodes as needed. Poinsettia sap is a skin irritant, so it is important to wear gloves.
• Apply fertilizer sparingly. Poinsettias do not require much fertilizer and indoor plants should only be fertilized with liquid during the growing season, organic fertilizer Dilute to half strength. On the other hand, annual application of compost should allow outdoor plants to grow properly.

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How to Get Poinsettias to Rebloom

Poinsettias are relatively easy to grow as foliage plants as long as you provide them with regular water and bright, indirect light. But if you want your poinsettias to turn red again, you will need to “trick” them into blooming by depriving them of light. This can be done only once a year in winter, during the holidays.

1. Remove old bracts: When your poinsettia bracts fade, cut the bare stems back to the leaf node. Care for your plants as usual until they go dormant and about half of their leaves have fallen.
2. Take care of dormant plants: Once your poinsettias go dormant, move them to a cool, dark location that won’t freeze and reduce watering.
3. Move plants outside in spring: As new growth emerges, increase watering and light levels and move your plants outside when temperatures are above 50.F. During the summer, water, fertilize and prune your poinsettia as needed.
4. Bring plants indoors and reduce lighting in the fall: before the temperature drops below 50F, bring your poinsettias back inside and cover them with a light-proof box every evening for about 10 weeks. Poinsettias should be placed in a window during the day, but they require 16 uninterrupted hours of pure darkness to bloom again.
5. Enjoy those poinsettia colors: Poinsettia bloom begins with the shorter days of winter and the plants may not bloom again if exposed to light even for a few seconds in the evening. Once your plants have developed color, stop depriving them of evening light and place them in a spot in your home where you can enjoy them.

Poinsettia Care Steps by Month

as you can see, poinsettia care Changes occur throughout the year—especially if you want your plants to bloom again. To help you keep track of those changing care needs, here’s a quick look at how poinsettias should be cared for during each season.

blossom (december)

Place poinsettias in bright, indirect light and water them regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. There is no need to prune or fertilize poinsettias at this time, but plants in poorly draining pots should be repotted into containers with drainage holes.

Inactive (January-March)

When your poinsettia bracts fade, trim them back to a leaf node. Continue to water your plants regularly until half of their leaves have fallen. Then, move your plants to a cool, dark place and water just enough to keep the stems from shrinking.

Redevelopment (April-September)

Once your poinsettia begins to produce new growth, increase lighting and watering, and move your plants outside when temperatures are consistently above 50.F. You can plant outdoor plants directly into your garden or keep your poinsettias in pots if you plan to bring them back in the fall.

Cut your plant’s stems back six inches above the soil line in June, cut back the growing tips one inch in August, and fertilize once a month with a diluted liquid, organic fertilizer.

Rebloom (October-December)

Check your plants for pests And bring them indoors before the temperature drops below 50F. During the day, provide the poinsettia with bright, indirect light, and in the evening, lower the room temperature to about 65F and deprive your plants of light completely. Continue this treatment for about 10 weeks until your poinsettia bracts develop their full winter color.