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Lean Schnabel's tips for poinsettia care
Evan Schnabel, a junior in horticulture, is part of a team that coordinates the care of more than 1,000 poinsettias for the Horticulture Club's annual holiday plant sale. He offers a few tips for the care of poinsettias.
- The actual poinsettia flower is yellow and located in the center of each whorl of colored leaves. The flowers fall off by mid-January, but the colored leaves may last into summer.
- Poinsettias need lots of light, so place them in a sunny location inside. The plant should be allowed to dry out, but not to the point of severe wilting. Be careful not to over-water to avoid fungus growth and rot.
- Poinsettias can be set or planted outside in a location with plenty of light when temperatures remain above 60 degrees. Avoid severe heat – don't place plants in south or west locations with lots of brick or concrete. But, a northern exposure is often too shady.
- Trim the plant back in late summer to increase branching and flowering. For best results remove a couple of inches.
- Poinsettias are fairly heavy feeders, so fertilize every other watering to increase plant size, but stop in early October to prevent ammonia toxicity.
- No special treatments are needed to make the plant flower again. As long as the plant is receiving natural daylight it should flower during the holiday season.
