Many people get poinsettias for the holiday season, and just hope and pray that they last until Christmas. But with a few easy tips and tricks you can be sure your poinsettias last through the holidays and well beyond!
Finding the right spot:
The safest place for most poinsettia varieties is indoors, simply because you can control the climate. Your poinsettia will be happiest in a good bright spot, but out of direct sunlight. Keep it away from any extra hot or cold drafts like heater vents or cold window sills. If you do want to put your poinsettias outside just keep an eye on the weather, and be sure to bring them in if any very hot or cold weather is expected (generally between 50 and 80 degrees is ok).
Watering/Fertilizing:
The trick with poinsettias is to keep them evenly moist. Don’t let them get very dry between waterings, since they’ll wilt and shed most of their leaves. Check the soil and when it feels slightly dry on the surface, water again. Very small pots will often need water every day. Alternatively if your plant is in a decorative pot or foil cover with no drainage, make sure it doesn’t stay sitting in water. Poinsettias and most other plants will get root rot if under water for too long. You don’t need to fertilize your poinsettias during the holidays. Since they are already blooming they won’t be doing any growing this time of year.
If you want to try and keep your poinsettia for next year, see our full growing instructions for more details.