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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Keep Your Poinsettia Looking Great!

 
Many homes will decorate with poinsettias during the holidays. It just does not seem like Christmas without this wonderful plant. But poinsettias are picky about their growing environment.  Here’s the quick guide of how to care for your poinsettia:

  • Protect them from chilly weather. Just letting them get chilled on the way from the store to your house can be enough to shock them!
  • Poinsettias prefer a daytime temperature between 65 & 75F and the night time temperature from 60 to 65F.  Keep them away from drafts, air vents, and space heaters.
  • Place the poinsettia in a bright location in the home where it can receive indirect light. Although it can withstand direct sunlight, watering requirements will increase and the flowers will not last as long.
  • Avoid letting the bracts touch cold windowpanes because the outdoor temperatures can cause damage.
  • Do not let the plant dry out. If the plant wilts, just once, it will start to shed leaves and the colorful bracts.
  • Overwatering is a major cause of early leaf and bract drop in poinsettias, so keep the plant moist but not soggy.  If the poinsettia came with a plastic decorator wrap, punch drainage holes so water will not accumulate.  Check the soil regularly. When it is dry to the touch, water them.  If damp, do nothing.

Follow these simple steps and your poinsettia will look good all through the holidays! 



 

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