Poinsettias have become disposable items because they are so inexpensive to buy at Christmas time. The houseplants can definitely be made to bloom again, so that you can care for a poinsettia for several years. How to make your houseplant bloom again.
How can I get my poinsettia to bloom again?
To get a poinsettia to bloom again, cut it back from April, fertilize from May, reduce the light to a maximum of 11 hours per day in November and keep it bright and warm before flowering.
Make the poinsettia bloom again
The poinsettia has its main blooming period around Christmas time. Strictly speaking, the poinsettia is not about the flowers, which are very inconspicuous. Rather, the plant is valued for its bracts, which appear in red, yellow, pink or two-tone.
After the flowering period, which can extend into March depending on care, most plant lovers throw away the poinsettia because it loses leaves and no longer looks so beautiful.
It is definitely possible to bloom again next winter. The following care measures are necessary:
- cut back from April
- water less
- fertilize from May
- dark in November
Simulate lighting conditions at home
The poinsettia is native to the equator. There are different lighting conditions there than here. These must be simulated so that the houseplant forms its pretty bracts again next winter.
As the most important care measure, the plant must take a summer rest and be placed much darker a few weeks before flowering.
The plant must not receive more than eleven hours of light for at least six to eight weeks. Some experts even recommend keeping them completely dark during this time.
Cover poinsettia with paper bag or cardboard
During the summer, the poinsettia can spend time outdoors in a partially shaded spot on the balcony or terrace. At the latest when it gets too cold outside, you have to bring the plant into the house. The temperatures should not be cooler than ten degrees.
Now place the poinsettia in a warm place and water it a little more than during the summer.
A cheap place is a room that only gets daylight and is not illuminated by artificial light sources. If such a space is not available to you, cover the plant with a cardboard box, a paper bag or a flower pot for several hours a day so that it is as dark as possible.
Keep bright and warm before flowering
After the dark phase, new approaches to the colored bracts have formed. If you want the poinsettia to bloom on time for Christmas, you have to start darkening it in November.
Shortly before Christmas you can bring the poinsettia back into your warm living room. Place it in a bright place away from drafts.
Tip
With proper care, the flowering period of the poinsettia lasts until March. It is important that you water it correctly and that it gets a bright and warm location. However, he doesn't like drafts or heating air that is too dry.
