So what are you going to do with your Poinsettia now?

Christmas is over and that beautiful plant on the dining room table is starting to get a little ragged.  There still are a lot of red leaves on it but some of the branches have broken off and the lower leaves are curled or gone.  It really is not what you want on the table any more.  So what are your options?  

The choice most people make is to throw it out and buy another one next year.  That would be easiest but if you wanted to do that you would not be reading this posting. So let's continue to the next option.

The next option is to save the plant.  I have found that to do this it is best to put it the plant to sleep.  This means to stop the watering and trim the plant to about 4 or 5 inches tall.   This will encourage the plant to remain compact.  The larger the plant the taller the stalks should be after trimming.  There should be no leaves left on it. Now you can set it somewhere safe. Check on it from time to time and when you start to see green leaf buds you will need to start watering it again and giving it sunshine.  Now just let it grow.  Remember to fertilize.  Keep it compact during the growing season.   By October stop trimming so that the Poinsettia can start setting it's bloom.

The third option is to just let it grow.  I have planted Poinsettias in the garden once the danger of frost is over and they have grown quite large.  It makes a beautiful green annual that will be as big as a small bush in no time.  Now what if you want to keep it as a houseplant?  The only reason that you would want to do that is because you want to try and get it to bloom again. 

How to make a Poinsettia to Bloom

The Poinsettia blooms through photoperiodism which means it is the amount of light and dark that triggers the bloom.  It not only wants full sun for 10 hours and it also needs full darkness for 10 hours.  That is why the Poinsettia blooms in the winter.  If you want your poinsettia to bloom then you will have to recreate nature.  A greenhouse is the easiest route.  Next location is a unused room that faces south and has no streetlight out side the window.  If these options are not open to you, here is the last hope.  Every night when you come home from work, place your plant in the hall closet.  In the morning when you open the closet to take out your coat and head for work, put your plant in the window.  Keep this up for about 7 weeks.  You plant may not actually bloom, but you should get you red leaves and that is an accomplishment few can brag about.

This is my last Christmas posting.  I have not seen any pictures from you so I am again encouraging you to send me your pictures.  I will post them along with any advice you would like concerning the care of plants.  Please contact me through this blog or email me at joneskathee@gmail.com .