With proper care at home, poinsettias can stay beautiful for 2 to 3 months. If it loses its appeal or becomes less attractive, it may be time to part ways with it.
But, if you’re up for a gardening challenge, here are some tips to make your poinsettia bloom again:
March to Late May: For those who enjoy a bit of a gardening challenge, you can coax your poinsettia into blooming again next season. In March, trim the stems back to about 4 to 6 inches from the soil. You can also consider repotting it at this point. Once you see new growth, give it a sunny spot by the window. Water the plant when the soil feels dry and fertilize every two weeks with a diluted fertilizer solution.
Late May to Mid-September: As May rolls in, it’s time to move your poinsettia outdoors. Let it adapt to the outdoors by placing it in a shaded, protected area for a couple of days. Gradually expose it to more direct sunlight over 7 to 10 days. Once it’s acclimated, plant it in a sunny area with 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. For a full and bushy plant, trim the shoot tips once or twice from late June to mid-August. Make sure to continue to water and fertilizing.
Mid-September to December: By mid-September, it’s back indoors for your poinsettia. Put it in a bright, sunny window. Remember, poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning they grow during the long days of summer and bloom when the days get shorter in the fall. To make sure your poinsettia flowers for Christmas, it needs complete darkness from 5:00 pm to 8:00 am daily starting from early October until the bracts develop good color, typically by early December. Shield it from light by placing it in a closet or covering it with a box during those dark hours. During the day, let it bask in the sunlight from your window.
If all goes according to plan, you will have a gorgeous poinsettia for the next Christmas season.
