Recommended Care for Poinsettias

Environment

• Poinsettias require a temperate climate that provides average temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your poinsettia in a sunny location that receives bright light for at least eight hours per day. Turning the plant every few days will help encourage even growth and color throughout the foliage. Complete darkness during the remaining hours will help promote flowering.

Moisture

• Poinsettia plants do best when you allow the surface soil to dry out between watering. When the soil feels dry to the touch, water the poinsettia slowly and deeply until water, droplets emerge from the drainage holes. Remove any standing water from the drip tray to minimize the risk of fungal diseases.

Transplanting

• Poinsettias require roomy pots for root expansion. Transplant this holiday plant around the middle of May, using a container that is between 1 and 2 inches larger than the original pot. Prior to uprooting the plant, prune back the mature stems to a height of about 4 inches. Remove the rootball and shake off any loose soil. Transplant it into the larger pot using a commercial planting medium that has a medium texture. Water the poinsettia thoroughly after transplanting, and then place it in a sunny window.

Continued Care

• Move your poinsettia to a temporary outdoor location during the summer months. Choose a protected location that provides slight shade. Fertilize this holiday plant twice each month using a complete-analysis fertilizer for flowering plants. Pinch back about 1 inch of new growth from each stem during the early part of June. In late summer, pinch off all but three or four leaves from each stem. Bring the plant back indoors at this time. About 10 weeks prior to the desired bloom time, begin providing complete darkness during the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. Stop fertilizing your poinsettia around mid-December.