Tips on How to Keep Your Poinsettias Alive all Year Long

How many times have we gotten Poinsettias at Christmas time only to throw them away shortly there after? It seems a shame to throw out that beautiful poinsettia you bought for the holidays. If you are up for a challenge, you can mimic the light and temperature patterns of the plant's native Mexico, and bring it back to full bloom for the holidays next year. Hint: you will have more luck if you put your plan on your DayTimer, PDA or calendar.

Usually by February or March the flowers are gone. It is now time to help the plant regenerate. This will be a year-long process, so be patient.

Around the May through July time period you should give your poinsettia more leg room by re-potting it in a container that is about 3 inches more in diameter then the current pot. Keep the plant well watered and located in the sun. When the night temperatures are above 60 degrees, move your poinsettia outside in a shady spot for a few weeks. This will help it get used to the outdoors. Then you can move it to a sunny location. Be sure to turn the pot a quarter turn every week or so for even growth.

If you like a short, bushy plant with plenty of flowers, start pinching. Removing the shoots encourages branching. Pinch off the top quarter inch about every 3 or 4 weeks, but be sure to leave a few leaves below the pinch point. If you don't pinch, you'll have a tall, spindly plant with few flowers. Keep this up through late summer.

You do not want your plant to dry out. So be sure to water it when the soil is dry to the touch. Also, be sure to feed it every 7-14 days with a good quality general purpose fertilizer such as Miracle Grow or Osmocote.

If your Poinsettias are still alive Remember that your Poinsettia cannot take the cold. So when night temperatures start getting close to 60 degrees again, bring your plant indoors again.

What triggers Poinsettias to flower is a period of long nights and short days with sun. By long nights, we're talking 14 hours of total darkness. Any light leaks at night will keep the plant from flowering. You need to cover it up completely or move it into a dark closet at night.

For the 14 hours required, put it away at 5 pm, and take it out again at 7 am or whatever 14 hour combination fits your schedule. You should do this from early October till Thanksgiving. Continue to water and feed your plant. Then after Thanksgiving, keep your plant out and you should have flowers by mid-December.

Good luck!