EASY POINSETTIACARE

Follow Marc rosenberg’s advice to keep your poinsettia alive over the festive period – and beyond!

Nothing says Christmas quite like a poinsettia, topped with beautiful red bracts (leaves). These Mexican marvels have become a festive essential and if red isn’t to your liking, you can also choose from shocking pink, ice-white or even a variegated variety.

With so much to offer, at a time when we crave colour in our homes, it’s a shame that many of us treat poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) as a disposable item – throwing out sorry-looking plants faster than an empty tin of Quality Street. But with care, poinsettias can be made to last and if you’re up for a challenge, you can coax them into colour in time for next Christmas!

1 Shop local

Growers spend a fortune in a bid to persuade shoppers to buy Britishgrown poinsettias – and we’d be wise to listen. Poinsettias dislike being shipped long-distance, crammed into cold trucks, so for the best chances of finding a healthy plant, buy from a local nursery. Wherever you shop, look for plants displaying dark green foliage and avoid those with yellowing leaves. Press your thumb against the surface of the compost. If it’s soaking wet, walk away and buy from somewhere else.

2 Don’t take pity on sickly plants

Have you ever entered a store from a freezing car park, only to be blasted by hot air from fans above the doors? Retailers love to put plants at store entrances to attract ‘impulse buys’, but for poinsettias which hate draughts, it’s the equivalent of death row. Avoid buying poinsettias from windswept shop entrances and, if plants are already shedding leaves, don’t be tempted to rescue them; chances are

the damage has already been done.

3 Get it home – fast!

Poinsettias are real wimps: they hate being exposed to winter chills. Before leaving the store, wrap plants up with a bag and take them straight home. Don’t leave poinsettias shivering in your car while you do other shopping. Once home, choose a bright, warm position (but avoid direct sunlight) where temperatures fall no lower than 59°F (15°C). Don’t grow poinsettias on windowsills or in porches or conservatories where temperatures will plunge at night.

4 Avoid fireplaces

Christmas cards often feature festive scenes with poinsettias sitting by a roaring fire. In fact, a spot by a fire or woodburner is one of the worst places you can house them! Draughts from chimneys lead plants to shed their leaves fast, while extreme heat from fires will make them give up the ghost before New Year’s Eve.

5 Get watering right

Poinsettias thrive when watered sparingly. To check, press your thumb or finger against the surface of the compost, and only water when the compost has almost dried out. Never leave plants sat in water, or drench the compost. Central heating reduces the humidity in our homes, but the bracts of poinsettias will last longer in moist environments, so misting plants with a hand sprayer will help. Liquid feed once a month with a houseplant fertiliser.

6 Give plants some Spring TLC

In April, prune them back to about 5in (13cm) and grow on in a cooler spot, at around 55°F (13°C). Wear gloves when cutting back, as the milky sap can irritate your skin. If your plant is looking pot-bound, repot it in May. Professional growers mix three-parts John Innes No 3 compost with one-part grit to make a perfect growing medium. Over the summer, grow poinsettias in a light but cool place where temperatures don’t exceed 65°F (18°C).

7 Guarantee colour next Christmas!

There’s a trick to getting poinsettias to colour-up in time for Christmas, but it takes dedication. Plants produce colourful bracts in response to short winter days. From early October, every evening at dusk, cover them with a black bag or cardboard box, or place in a dark cupboard for 14 hours, protected from artificial light. Next morning, subject them to natural daylight. Keep this routine going for at least eight weeks then grow-on as normal and it should put on a show in time for Christmas. Your plant may be taller than shop-bought poinsettias by its second Christmas but that’s normal as some commercial nurseries use growth retardants to keep plants compact.

■ Marc writes for Garden News magazine which is packed full of tips, inspiration, plant and product news and great moneysaving offers in every issue! On sale every Tuesday, or subscribe for just £4.50 a month. Call 01858 438884 or visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/ gn and quote AFAA. T&Cs apply.