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Follow these steps and you can have colorful poinsettias from year to year... | ||
I kept an Irish poinsettia (green leaves) in my classroom for over 30 years. Although most people simply throw it out after the holidays, I keep mine all year. | ||
When I retired, I decided to get it to re-bloom (red leaves). All it took was a cool, dark spot, a closet and some perseverance. | ||
Here's how: | ||
1 | Holiday Season: Enjoy, providing water and sunlight for poinsettias through the holidays until they stop blooming. | |
2 | Post Holiday Season: Once the flowers (technically, they're bracts, but we'll call them flowers) are gone, allow the plants to dry out. | |
3 | Dormant Time: When they've entered dormancy, lay potted poinsettias on their sides in a cool, dark unheated basement until April. They will only have to be checked periodically; if the woody stems start to shrivel, they'll need a little spritz of water. This may not be necessary. | |
4 | Spring: In April bring plants back into the main part of the house, trim about 2 inches from the end of each stem, place by a sunny window and water regularly, keeping soil moist but never soggy. | |
5 | Late Spring: Move poinsettias outdoors around Memorial Day or continue to keep them as houseplants over the summer. | |
6 | Fertilize: Fertilize once a month with one teaspoon per gallon of a complete fertilizer (20-20-20). | |
7 | Late Summer: Around Labor Day, check for insects, and if any are found, pick them off by hand or rinse the plants with a gentle stream of water to remove, then bring plants indoors. (If they're already indoors, then just keep doing what you've been doing.) Place by a sunny window and continue to water and fertilize monthly. Poinsettias do best if temperatures are kept between 70-75 degrees during the day and 60-65 degrees at night. | |
8 | Fall (Bright Days/Dark Nights): To form flower buds, poinsettias require about 15 hours of complete darkness daily. So for 40 days beginning Oct. keep them in a very bright, sunny spot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, then move them into a dark closet from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Do not skip this, even for one night, or buds may not form. | |
9 | Late Fall (Seeing Some Red): By Nov. 10 you should notice the bracts' taking on a reddish hue. From this point on, keep plants in the main part of the house around the clock and continue to water and fertilize. | |
10 | Next Holiday Season: You should be seeing red (or white) in time for the holidays. | |
Enjoy your renewed colorful poinsettias. |
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