Many poinsettias often don't survive more than a few days because they are kept too moist or fertilized too much. When fertilizing, you should therefore keep a sense of proportion and rather give fewer nutrients than too many.
How should you fertilize a poinsettia?
When fertilizing a poinsettia, a high-potash fertilizer should be used every three to four weeks during the growth phase. Before flowering, a fertilizer containing phosphorus is changed every two weeks. Liquid fertilizer or fertilizer sticks are also suitable.
Don’t over-fertilize the poinsettia
A poinsettia planted in fresh soil does not need to be fertilized at all. There are sufficient nutrients in the substrate. You should only fertilize it regularly if you want to grow the houseplant for several years.
In principle, fertilization is carried out at longer intervals throughout the year. You should only take a break or apply less fertilizer from August to October. The poinsettia needs different nutrients during the growth phase than in winter during the flowering period. So you have to get two different liquid fertilizers.
- Growth phase: every three to four weeks
- potassium fertilizer
- Before flowering: every two weeks
- fertilizer containing phosphorus
Do not add more fertilizer to the irrigation water than stated on the package. It is even better to reduce the quantities by half.
Provide the poinsettia with slow-release fertilizer
Instead of liquid fertilizer, you can also use fertilizer sticks. Depending on the variety, these are put into the ground in spring. No further fertilizer applications are necessary.
The use of liquid fertilizer, however, offers greater certainty that the poinsettia receives the nutrients it needs for the respective growth phase.
Fertilize poinsettias during the growth phase
After flowering, start carefully with the first fertilizer applications. During this time, use a fertilizer that contains a high proportion of potash.
Fertilization is carried out every three to four weeks.
Fertilizer application during the flowering period
From November onwards, the poinsettia is made darker or temporarily covered with a paper bag to encourage it to bloom again.
Five weeks before darkening, fertilize the poinsettia with a high phosphorus fertilizer. It stimulates the formation of the bracts and, above all, the strength of the color.
Provide it with this fertilizer every two weeks until the first bracts appear. From the flowering period onwards, use fertilizer containing potash again.
Tip
The poinsettia usually lasts longer if it is planted in new soil after purchase. Planting substrate for poinsettias can be easily put together yourself using peat, garden soil, lava rock and quartz sand.
