Looking after your Poinsettia
The poinsettia brings a cheerful touch to homes in the winter. Native to Mexico, where it blooms in the wild and in gardens at Christmas time, the poinsettia is also known as the “Christmas Star” for its star-like shape. An important symbol of Navidad, the poinsettia plays a leading role in a Mexican Christmas legend similar to “The Little Drummer Boy.”
Americans often give poinsettias as gifts and use them to decorate their own homes. In fact, poinsettias sell more than any other plant at U.S. supermarkets. While the poinsettia is native to Mexico, most of the world’s poinsettias originated from California growers. In the United States, National Poinsettia Day, December 12, honors the namesake of this pretty plant, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico who introduced them here in 1828, Joel Poinsett.
You may even be planning to purchase a few of these plants on your next trip to the nursery. Or perhaps you live in a warm, Southern California region where you are enjoying the winter blooms in your garden. If you are bringing potted poinsettias into your home for the holidays, here are some tips for their care:
• Remove any foil or plastic that is surrounding the pot. Proper drainage is vital. Instead, place the potted poinsettia in a festive container (or simply on a saucer).
• Keep your poinsettia away from cold and drafty places as well as away from heat sources such a heater vent or fireplace.
• Do place your poinsettias where they can soak up lots of sunlight.
• Water only when your plant’s soil is dry. After watering, wait about 15 minutes and then empty the saucer under the poinsettia of any water
so that the water doesn’t rot the roots.
• Check frequently for insect infestation, and if any insects are detected, spray with an organic insecticidal soap. Common poinsettia pests are spider mites, mealy bugs, aphids and whiteflies.
Since potted poinsettias are difficult to maintain, most are thrown away. If you’re not going to keep yours, add it to the compost heap. However, if you have several and want to try getting them to bloom next season, here’s what you’ll need to do.
In late March, cut the plants back. Continue watering regularly. Begin applying a balanced fertilizer (once every two weeks). When night temperatures are no longer dropping much below 55° F, the poinsettias can go outside in their containers. Don’t plant these in the ground. Prune during the summer months. Come September, when night temperatures begin to drop, bring the poinsettias indoors again.
Around the first of October when the days grow darker, use artificial lighting if needed to provide daylong light. However, the poinsettia needs its beauty sleep at night, so as soon as the sun goes down, cover each plant with a box that blocks out all light, and the uncover at dawn (we told you this wouldn’t be easy!). Finally, around the beginning of December when the bracts begin to color, get ready to enjoy the fiery red Christmas stars again!
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My Ponsietta leaves crack and there are rolled up and shriveled leaves at the edge.
I have a very hot planter area, do the ponsietta need to be removed from strong sunlight? How much fertiliser needed? Is it better to remove the plant from the hot planter area and hide it in the toilet?