Poinsettia Care         

Poinsettias are a favorite holiday flower that comes in a variety of bright and beautiful colors!  Treat them right & they can last longer than a few weeks.  
​
On the way home- make sure your poinsettias are protected with a sleeve cover, paper or plastic bag. This helps protect from the shock of a cold transition to your home. Keep plants warm while on the way, don’t leave plants in a cold car or outside for more than a few minutes.   
 
At Home Care- Carefully Remove the sleeve (ripping ok) without breaking any flower bracts.
Placement- In a bright light location, possibly near a window (not too close to catch cold or burn from the sun) with good air circulation and too not crowded. Poinsettias survive best in room temperatures between 55-75 degrees F
Avoid: Drafty areas, especially near doors and near heaters or fireplaces.  Also keep children and pets away from your plants (sap may cause contact dermatitis or vomiting if ingested) 

Watering- if your plant is inside a foil pot cover, take it out before watering. When you water, saturate the soil (not foliage or bracts) until it starts to drain out of the holes, then stop.  Best to water plants in a sink or tray allowing the water to drain completely before placing it back to its location. Allow plants to dry in between watering, just before they start to wilt. 
 Avoid: Over watering- Don’t water plants with pot covers on- they will rot!
 Heavy watering and  fertilizer (see below). Don’t water plants with pot covers on- they will rot!

Year Round Care- Poinsettias can be a long lived houseplants! After blooming in late winter, cut back foliage if needed. Repot in spring with a well-draining potting mix and a larger pot or container. Can be mixed with other plants like ferns, sedums or succulents. Use a liquid or granular all-purpose fertilizer until fall, following directions. Late fall, switch to a bloom fertilizer and in 10-12 weeks it will bloom again- sometime in December thru February.