Poinsettia Care Update

Last year’s gift poinsettias re-blooming for this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Poinsettia Care Update

It’s been about 10 days since my last update on the poinsettias from last year. They have been sitting in indirect light during the day with no evening light since September. I forgot to give them fertilizer during their dormant period but did keep them on the dry side.

They are now getting more leaf color, which is what turns either red, white, pink and pink and white. And I saw a really furly red leaf at one of our local home and garden centers, not to mention the crocheted poinsettia lap quilt throw we have in storage.

No I didn’t buy any of the plants, I’m enjoying watching mine from last year turn.

This is how the one in the top photo started about a month ago. This is when I knew to pull it out of the back room and give it more indirect sunlight.

Same poinsettia a good 5 weeks ago, first showing leaf color. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

As with most plants, we don’t always have the space to give them the growing conditions they need so most of these tropical plants from Mexico get tossed after Christmas.

In their native habitat, they grow the size of small trees, similar to our native Missouri dogwoods.

My plan is now to keep them growing through winter, then repot and set them outside in shade over summer so they have more time to grow. It will be interesting to see how big they will get by next year.

The other poinsettias? Well, if I happen to find one on sale I just might bring another one home.

Charlotte