Tips on caring for your poinsettias
During the Christmas season, the vibrant bracts of the poinsettia grace our homes, adding a delightful burst of color. It serves as an ideal decorative element, enhancing the festive ambiance. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, a wide variety of poinsettias can be found in markets and flower stalls. These plants, adorned with red, pink, or cream-colored bracts, have become an integral part of our Christmas traditions, alongside treats like Christmas cookies, mulled wine, and ornaments for the Christmas tree. The poinsettia has now gained immense popularity, making it one of the most widely sold plants worldwide.
Purchase
Care should be taken even when purchasing a poinsettia. In many supermarkets, poinsettias are placed in the entrance areas and are thus exposed to constant draughts. Because these plants are highly sensitive to cold, they can be damaged, and you won't have them very long. It is best to select a poinsettia which has been standing in a warm salesroom or directly in a florist’s shop.
Watering
The poinsettia should only be moderately watered. It is highly sensitive to water collecting around its roots, and will drop its leaves. It is best to water it only when the soil is dry. However, please ensure that it doesn’t dry out completely. Soft, temperate water is best used to water your plant. After watering, remove any excess water from the pot to avoid waterlogging and to prevent the roots from rotting. If the poinsettia starts to drop its leaves, it may be due to the fact that it has been over-watered for a longer period of time and that the roots have started to rot. If this is the case, do not water your poinsettia for a while. Begin to water again moderately once the soil has completely dried out again.
Location
To ensure the healthy growth of a poinsettia, it requires a well-lit and warm environment. It is important to avoid exposing the plant to direct sunlight or strong drafts. For this reason, placing the poinsettia on a windowsill is generally not recommended, as drafts can reach the plant through tilted windows.
During the summer months, it is crucial to protect the poinsettia from direct sun exposure. However, with proper shading, it can be placed on a windowsill. In winter, the plant can benefit from a few hours of sunlight each day. However, it is important to provide the poinsettia with less than 12 hours of light or sun daily, as this allows the bracts to develop their vibrant and intense colors properly.
Flowering
When the days become shorter, the poinsettia starts to flower. Plants from the previous year have to be “tricked” into flowering prior to Christmas. Because many households remain illuminated until the late evening, the day is still too long for the plants, in spite of it being winter. The poinsettia should receive less than 12 hours of light/sun per day so that it can properly develop the colourful, intensive shades of the bracts. In order to simulate shorter days, the plant should be kept for approximately six weeks in a darkened room for 12 hours, or alternatively should be protected from the light by a cardboard box. This simple trick will make your poinsettia flower.
Decoration
Depending on requirements and personal taste, your poinsettia can also be decorated with gold thread or little stars. It is up to your personal taste to decide whether the plant looks best as it is or whether it needs further embellishment.
