Discover how to care for Poinsettias during and after the Christmas holidays to keep them healthy after the festive season!
A beautiful, famous holiday plant, the Poinsettia is known and admired for its bright red leaves (bracts) and small, compact yellow flowers that bring the vibe of the holiday season to homes. The plant demands low maintenance but is short-lived when not given an ideal environment and care for growth. Especially after the end of the Christmas holidays, the plant also typically loses its red foliage and flowers. It is this time when a certain amount of care and maintenance is required to keep the plant thriving throughout the year for the next holiday season. Learn How to Care for Poinsettias During and After Christmas with this guide.
Botanical Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
How to Care for Poinsettias During and After Christmas
1. The Right Pot
Choosing the perfect pot size is very important. Your Poinsettia will grow according to the size of your pot or container. So, basically, medium to large pots are good enough for this plant. You can also go for terracotta or ceramic pots to enhance the overall appearance and promote sustainability as well!
2. Good Quality Soil
The second thing is a good quality soil mix for your holiday plants. Poinsettias prefer the kind of soil mix that retains moisture but is also well-drained at the same time to avoid root rot and other diseases. These holiday plants also grow well in slightly acidic soil. Add sandy soil, vermicompost, husks, or perlite, and a sufficient amount of organic fertilizer to balance the mixture.
3. Light Exposure
The red bracts of the Poinsettias mostly depend on the role of light exposure! In their native habitat, as fall approaches, they begin to experience lower light levels, and as the nights get longer, the plant’s photosensitivity responds by forming red flowery bracts.
Besides, during the blooming period, they need bright light to look their best. They prefer at least 6 hours of light exposure every day. After the holidays, they require the same level of light until around mid-September. After that, as autumn approaches, they need at least 12 hours of darkness. In spring they can be re-potted and moved outdoors for the summer.
Try to place your Poinsettias near a southeast or west-facing window where they will receive at least six to eight hours of bright light daily.
4. Right Temperature
Poinsettias are known to thrive best in temperatures between 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C) during the day and slightly cooler at night. Try avoiding placing your Poinsettias where temperatures fluctuate or drop below 50°F. Again, they also do not thrive well in temperatures over 85°F (30°C).
5. Proper Watering
As mentioned earlier, Poinsettias prefer to grow well in slightly moist soil. So, keep an eye on the soil, and whenever the soil is dry to the touch, 2 inches (5 cm) below the surface indicates that your plant is thirsty.
Room temperature water is good enough, and the frequency of watering will depend on where the plant is located and how frequently the soil gets dry. A simple theory is that container plants living outdoors for the summer need more water than those kept indoors. So, you can keep up with your normal watering routine until spring (April), then allow it to dry gradually.
6. Don’t Skip Fertilizers
Poinsettia plants respond well to fertilizers in spring through summer and also during the blooming period. You can add a balanced fertilizer with a 20-20-20 ratio of NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) once every 4 to 5 weeks. It will help the plant to achieve a beautiful red color in peak season!
7. Pruning
Poinsettias need pruning after the end of the blooming period, and that is after the end of the holiday season. Prune it back to about 5 inches (12 cm) above the soil line to encourage more compact growth. Again, you can prune in late May if needed to promote branching by pruning off 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) from the tip of the branches.
Perhaps, if you’re growing poinsettias outside, prune the plant back to 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) or more above the soil surface in early spring. You may continue pruning once a month till August if needed.
Pro Tip: Leave at least 4 leaves on each shoot, or just pinch out the growing tip of smaller and younger plants.
How Long Do Poinsettias Bloom
Poinsettias bloom when the days get shorter. The colorful “flowers” are actually modified leaves called “bracts”. Given the right light and appropriate temperatures, indoor Poinsettias may last till February in their pretty, red blooms.
If you choose to keep it alive year-round as a houseplant, a poinsettia can last for 10 or even 20 years. When grown outdoors, they are only hardy in USDA growing zones 9 to 11 and do not tolerate temperatures less than 50°F.
Pro Tip: Please keep the plant safe from cold drafts and harsh sunlight. Also, do not let the soil dry out completely; keep it moist.
