Currans Flowers

Currans Flowers

Posted by Currans Flowers on November 29, 2020 Uncategorized

You Don’t Have to Toss Your Poinsettia!

Along with the holidays each year also comes the poinsettias plant which is seen everywhere! You see them in shops, on the sidewalk, in businesses, churches, and homes. The sight of this winter-time plant is synonymous with the holiday season. Keep your poinsettia thriving during this time — it’s relatively easy! Then, once their colorful leaves begin to drop, keep it instead of tossing it. You may be surprised to learn that you can keep the poinsettia as a houseplant year-round. You could even get it to rebloom for next season. Just follow the below steps from the floral experts at Currans Flowers and see what happens! 

Poinsettias are delicate, sensitive plants that are originally from  Mexico. They prefer a warm environment that mimics their natural habitat. Exposure to the cold will damage their foliage so they require protection when transporting them to your home. 

Light: Keep your poinsettia in a sunny window that gets ample indirect, bright light.. Keep away from cold drafts and don’t allow the plant’s leaves to touch the chilly window. 

Temperature: The best temperatures for poinsettias are between 65-70 degrees F during the day, and above 60 F at night. 

Water: When the soil becomes dry to touch, water thoroughly and make sure there is adequate drainage. Do not allow your poinsettia to sit in standing water. 

If you’ve decided to keep your poinsettias for the whole year, follow the below schedule for plant maintenance and reblooming: 

January – March: Keep the plant in a sun-filled spot and water as usual.

April: Once the leaves have dropped off, reduce the amount of water so the soil can dry out, which will lull it into its rest phase. Only water enough to prevent the plant’s stems from withering. Move the plant to a cooler location (60 F). 

May: In mid-may, snip the stems to 6 inches and repot into a marginally bigger container. Water when the topsoil is dry and return it to a sunny window. When new growth starts to show, begin fertilizing every two weeks. 

June: With warmer weather, you can move your poinsettia outdoors. Put it in an area that gets partial shade in the afternoon. 

July: Cut off new growth on each stem by one inch to ensure a full, compact look.

August: In mid-August, pinch the stems again leaving 3-4 nodes on each branch. 

September: Continue to water and fertilize as you have been and keep your plant outdoors until the temperatures drop below 65 during the day and 55 during the night. 

October: Beginning Oct. 1st, your poinsettia needs 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness daily. As a “short-day” plant, it requires long stretches of darkness to rebloom. Cover your plant with a thick cardboard box or place it in a dark closet at night to achieve this. In the daytime, keep it in a sunny window for at least 6 hours.

November: The darkness sessions can stop around the end of November. Return the plant to a warm, sunny location, and soon you should start seeing buds. 

December: Continue to water but stop fertilizing. Maintain care for your poinsettia as you did this time last year. If everything has gone according to plan, you should have a beautiful, full rebloomed poinsettia to cherish for another holiday season. Now you can start the process all over again for next year!

If your poinsettia did not bloom, do not feel discouraged. Not all poinsettias bloom again. If it all seems like too much work, that’s OK! Go ahead and toss your poinsettia after the holidays. You can feel good about supporting your local Danvers florist by purchasing a new poinsettia, or two, every year.