How to care for your Christmas Poinsettias

First, I was surprised to learn while researching this topic that many people don't yet know that Poinsettias are not poisonous. Although they are an ornamental plant, and not edible for people or pets, they don't pose a health threat. According to the American Society of Florists poinsettias have been tested more for toxicity more than any other plant. Because they are not edible, the leaves (known as “bracts”) could cause a little belly ache. Some people may have an allergic reaction when handling Poinsettia bracts, especially if they rub their eyes causing redness and irritation. Now, caring for those previously perky poinsettias, let's start with the easiest steps:

• Prolong your poinsettias' blooms by giving it around six hours of daylight. If that's not possible, just give it as much bright light as you can.

• Keep it away from drafts or excess heat.

• Every day check the soil. Give it water as soon as it feels dry to the touch.

• If you want to keep the decorative foil or plastic covering over its pot, just cut some holes in the bottom, and sit it on a pie plate to catch excess water. Just don't let it sit in extra water.

• After it's done blooming (once it loses the yellow part of the flower), give it a dose of a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

• As soon as you can, transplant your Poinsettias into a pretty ceramic pot (not larger than 4” bigger) that will help it retain moisture and give it room to grow.

• In late March or early April, cut your poinsettia down to 8” tall, continue watering and fertilizing every few weeks. By the end of May, you should see lots of new growth. Prune it until September to keep it bushy.

• To ensure blooms for next Christmas, beginning October 1, keep your Poinsettias in complete darkness for 14 hours each night. If you don't feel like moving them in and out of a very dark closet each day, cover them at night with a large box. Also, from October to December they need 6-8 hours of bright sun each day.
  

Interestingly, Poinsettias are very efficient houseplants for removing indoor pollutants. So, it may be worth the extra effort to keep them alive for next year. The bonus is that you might just get lovely, colorful blooms in December and January.