Pointsettias are a bit fussy but can be saved

D

o you still have your Christmas poinsettia? Don’t throw it away yet because after reading this you may want to hang on to it.

If your poinsettia is still looking beautiful and healthy continue to treat as you have been.

Water the plant thoroughly when the top of the soil is dry to the touch, discarding excess water from the saucer, which prevents the plant from sitting in water for any length of time.

Give it six hours of light each day and keep it away from cold temperatures, heat sources and air vents. Giving it some all-purpose water soluble fertilizer such as 20- 20-20 in January will be beneficial in keeping the plant healthy.

By now the actual flowers which are the tiny yellow buds found in the centre of the colourful bracts will be finished. The bracts, which is what makes the plant attractive, will continue to look good and add colour to your home for the next few weeks.

By late March, early April you will notice that the bracts have faded and the plant is no longer looking as attractive as it once did. It has probably gotten leggy and early spring is the right time to cut back to 20 centimetres making sure that each stem has at least four to six buds. Continue to give it lots of light, and water and fertilize it regularly with 20-20-20.

By the end of May, the poinsettia will have produced lots of new growth, and will need to be transplanted.

Choose a container that is one size larger than the one that the plant is currently in. Use a good quality indoor potting soil. After it has been transplanted give it a thorough water and place it in a bright area where it will receive lots of indirect light.

Keep it away from the hot spring sun, as you don’t want to burn the leaves, so don’t place it in large south or west facing window. Continue to water, and fertilize monthly with 20-20-20. To keep the plant looking full and compact, give it a trim in early July.

Towards the end of summer, when the new shoots 10-12 centimetres long pinch out the tips of the young shoots one more time as this will encourage more new shoots, creating a full bushy plant. Stop pinching the new shoots by early September.

To get a poinsettia back into bloom again will take some effort, so you might just want to enjoy it as a green tropical plant, but if you decide to bring it into bloom you will be rewarded.

Poinsettias are photoperiodic and will need a cycle of light and darkness in order for them to bloom.

Starting in October place the plant in a space where it will receive 14 hours of complete, unbreakable darkness and 6-8 hours of bright sunlight each day.

An unused spare bedroom works well, or place a box over the plant every night and remove it in the morning. This needs to be done for eight to 10 weeks until the bracts become colourful.

Once the bracts have their colour the poinsettia is ready to be enjoyed again for another Christmas.