Gardening Poinsettia Plant Care and Falling Leaves Precautions

How do you take care of a poinsettia plant (Euphorbia pulcherrima)? Carefully. These finicky short-day poinsettia plants require specific growing needs in order to retain their Christmas blooms. However, with proper care, your holiday poinsettia flower should continue to put out blooms, or at least remain attractive for weeks after. 

Know about Holiday Poinsettia Plant Care 

Poinsettia plant care begins with proper light, water, and temperature conditions. During the holidays, while in full bloom, they typically enjoy semi-cool, moist locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture. Poinsettia flower plants should be water thoroughly, taking care not to drown them by ensuring adequate drainage is available. Likewise, avoid letting them sit in water-filled saucers, which can lead to root rot. Adding poinsettia plants nearby can help increase humidity levels in dry rooms, as will humidifiers. 
Once poinsettia flower bracts have fallen, you have the option of discarding the plant or keeping it an additional year. For those choosing to continue with poinsettia plant care, decrease regular watering to allow the plant to dry out some. However, don’t let it dry out completely. Also, relocate the poinsettia flower plant to a cool, dark area until spring or around April. 

Poinsettia Plant Fertilizer 

Fertilizing poinsettia flower plants is never recommended while they’re still in bloom. Fertilize poinsettia plants only if keeping them after the holiday season. Apply fertilizer every two weeks or once monthly using a complete indoor plants fertilizer. Provide the poinsettia flower plant is given the proper environmental conditions, it should begin to regrow within weeks.

Poinsettia Plant Care After the Holidays 

In spring, return the poinsettia plant to a sunny area and water well. Cut back all canes (branches) to about 6 inches about 15 cm from the pot’s rim. It may also be a good idea to repot the poinsettia flower using the same type of soil. While poinsettia plants can be keep indoors throughout summer, many people choose to move them outdoors in a sunny, but protected, area of the flower garden by sinking the pot into the ground. Either way is fine. 
After new growth has reached between 6 to 10 inches about 15-24 cm, pinch out the tips to encourage branching. Once nights become longer in fall, bring the poinsettia flower indoors. 
From about September through November sunlight becomes crucial in poinsettia plant care. In order to encourage blooming, poinsettia flower plants require long periods of darkness at night, about 12 hours. Therefore, move the poinsettia plant to a location where it will not receive any nighttime light or cover it with a box. Allow plenty of light during the day so the plant can absorb enough energy for flowering. Warmer days 65-70 F about 18-21 C and cooler nights 55-60 F about 13-16 C are also recommend. Provide semi-cool, moist locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture once blooming occurs. 

Falling Off Poinsettia Plant Leaves

It’s important to pinpoint the possible cause in the event that your poinsettia flower plant leaves are falling off, as in some cases, this can be easily fixed. Environmental factors such as warm, dry conditions are most often the reason for leaves Falling off. Keep the poinsettia plant in a cool, draft-free area and provide plenty of water. If all else fails, the poinsettia plant may need to be discarded. 
Now that you know how to take care of poinsettia plants you can keep these lovely plants year round. With proper poinsettia flower plant care, they will give you years of beauty.