The holidays have ended and your enthusiasm for the season (and your Christmas spirit) are both rapidly fading. But the beauty of your poinsettias doesn’t have to!
If you’re curious about what to do with your poinsettia plant after Christmas, don’t worry. You don’t have to toss them in the trash just yet. There are plenty of ways you can continue to make use of these gorgeous flowers even after all the other decorations have been picked up and packed away in storage.
How To Grow Poinsettias After Christmas
Poinsettias can be grown at any time of the year. You can continue to grow your plant even after Christmas is over – as long as you provide the proper poinsettia care and growing conditions.
Place your poinsettia in a warm, sunny window that isn’t exposed to many drafts. Make sure your plant receives at least six hours of bright, ideally indirect, sunlight each day.
Poinsettias thrive in warm temperatures, ideally between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, dropping slightly to around 60 degrees at night. Just make sure it doesn’t get too cool, as this can cause the green leaves of your plant to drop.
Water regularly, providing an inch or so of water each week.
How to Care for Your Poinsettia Plant After Christmas
The care you provide your poinsettia after the holiday season will be more or less the same as what you did during the more festive periods.
However, once spring rolls around, all that will change. You should care for the plant as normal until the early summer. Then, start to allow it to dry out between waterings.
In mid-April, cut the stems back to about four inches above the potting soil. Repot your poinsettia in a larger container with fresh potting mix. You can also cut back any parts of the plant that are faded or dead. Water thoroughly then put it back in its sunny window.
Water only when the poinsettia plants is completely dry. Once new growth appears, you can feed with an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer at full-strength. Do this every two weeks.
Once nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 50 degrees, you can put the poinsettia plant outdoors, if you choose (though it’s also fine to keep it inside). Trim the plant again in July, removing about one inch of growth from each stem. Prune one more time in September, but this time, remove up to three inches. This will encourage side branching as long as you allow three or four leaves to remain on every shoot.
As the fall moves in and nighttime temperatures get cooler (less than 55 degrees or so), you should bring your poinsettia back in. Continue the indoor care recommendations that you followed before.
To get your plant to bloom for Christmas, you’ll need to provide it with short day lengths. Keep your poinsettia in complete darkness from about Columbus Day to Thanksgiving. Just put it in a closet (don’t forget to water it still!) for half the day and then put it back in front of the window for the other half.
By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, you can stop doing this and keep the tropical plants in bright light for six hours (at least) per day. By Christmas, your poinsettia should be in its blooming period, displaying vibrant colors and adding festive cheer!
Other Options for Your Poinsettia
If you’d rather not deal with caring for your poinsettia after the holidays, you don’t have to. You can always compost it!
Just make sure you bury it well enough so pets can’t dig it out – it can be toxic – and be sure to buy a new poinsettia just in time for the next holiday season.
FAQs
What can I do with leftover Christmas poinsettias?
Leftover Christmas poinsettias can be repurposed in several ways. You can transplant them into larger pots for continued indoor growth, place them in your garden or landscape if you live in a suitable climate, or compost them to enrich your soil. Some people also dry the red bracts for crafts or decorations.
What is the lifespan of a poinsettia?
The lifespan of a poinsettia can vary depending on how well it’s cared for and the environmental conditions. With proper care, poinsettias can last several weeks to a few months, maintaining their vibrant colors throughout the holiday season and beyond.
Will poinsettias rebloom next year?
Yes, Poinsettias can rebloom the following year with the right care and conditions.
See more: What does the poinsettia symbolize?
*image by MAnuta/depositphotos