- Make sure to start with healthy plants. Pick the best out of the bunch. Look for full leaves and deep colors.
- Keep your poinsettias in a warm spot {not too warm, though}. If you set them next to the door, watch out for repeated cold drafts. They are not huge fans of temperatures below 50 degrees {we have that in common}. They are happy to be in a cooler spot {between 55-65 at night, so don’t worry if you drop your temperature at night}
- Watering. Allow your plants to drain {you may want to punch additional holes in the bottom of your container}. Poinsettias are like tomatoes, they do not like wet feet. Water thoroughly when pot looks dry. {You’ll know if you are overwatering because the leaves will turn yellow and fall off}
- Poinsettias do best in bright, indirect light. {Seems like an oxymoron, I know, but keep them in a well-lit room, away from the window}
- If you really want them to last {6-8 weeks or so}, you may want to consider fertilizing them after they bloom. {Little tip: the colored red, pink, etc. parts are actually the leaves. The flower is typically compact and green.}
*** Did you know the Aztecs used Poinsettia sap to cure fevers and the red leaves {called bracts} to create red dye? Yep. I would not lie about such a useful bit of information. They didn’t really become a popular Christmas decoration until the 19th century when a U.S. Mexican Ambassador brought them back to the states. They bloom in December, so they were an ideal choice for the holidays.
Need something a little different to read with the kiddos this Holiday Season? Try The Legend of the Poinsettia
Source: onehundreddollarsamonth.com