Ever wanted to grow a poinsettia? They’re easy, and you’ll have your own colorful flower in no time! Here’s how:
1. Know your plant.
The poinsettia needs warm conditions as they originate from the subtropical mountain slopes near Mexico’s Pacific Ocean.
2. Keep it warm and cozy.
As mentioned above, these plants need warm and cozy environment to thrive.
The indoor temperature of your home should be adequate for most plants. If you must transport a plant during chilly weather, do so in an enclosed portion of the vehicle to protect it!
3. Don’t over water.
Over-watering is bad for every plant, and poinsettia isn’t any different. Allow the soil to become dry before you water again and make sure that it has enough light!
4. Provide enough hours of light per day.
Ten hours of daily sunlight are ideal for the longest possible blooming period.
5. Once all chance of frost is past, move the plant outside.
The tropical plants enjoy warm weather and sunshine but you shouldn’t stress them out by directly placing them in sunshine.
Place the plant in full shade for two weeks to make sure that it’s accustomed of its natural environment, then move into a partially shaded area, before finally deciding on where would you place it outside!
6. Prune away.
Poinsettias are one of the few plants that even in hard times can grow to be 10-15 feet tall. To let this happen, pinch off new buds when they exceed your desired size and prune any dead leaves too!
7. Check regularly for bugs.
It’s important to be mindful of the dangers that insects can pose when bringing your plant inside after summer growth. If ants or other pests have infested its soil, gently remove it from its container and replace with fresh potting mix.
8. Fertilize regularly.
Fertilization is important for keeping your soil healthy. You should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and fertilize every few weeks or months.
9. Control light cycles to induce blooming.
Poinsettia plants are native to a region with long days and short nights. They bloom in response to this natural rhythm, so if you want them to continuously bloom even if you don’t have these conditions, you should artificially create them.
It’s important that we stop fertilization two months before harvesting and only give it 8 hours of light per day. For the remaining 16 total hours of the day place your plant in darkness – and repeat this process for 2 months before placing the plant indoors in a sunny location.
10. Exercise caution around children and pets.
Poinsettia sap is know to cause skin reactions in people with latex allergies, so be careful if your kids or pets are around it. In addition make sure you place this plant out of reach for any animal that may chew on its leaves!