GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Want to keep your poinsettia plants alive and well to bloom again next Christmas?
With proper watering and room temperature, most poinsettia plants will hold their blooms well into late January. Poinsettias do best with the thermostat between 65 and 75 degrees. Lower in the evening and you will get leaf drop.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Check the soil once a week, and water when dry to the touch, never let the plant sit in water.
Place the plant in a well-lit room near a southern or western window
The bracts are what give the poinsettia plant its beautiful color. When the bracts begin to fade, it is then we can start the re-growing process.
Begin by cutting the foliage back. Trim the stems back four inches above the soil. New growth will begin to appear within a month.
Prune them again in April and August to 5 to 6 inches to keep the plant compact. Remember to keep your poinsettia in good sunlight and water regularly.
Put it in a dark room in September, one where you don't turn lights on and off, and that will reset the plant to turn red during the holidays.
Good Luck with re-growing your poinsettia!
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