How to choose a poinsettia and care for it so that it stays beautiful for a long time

Poinsettia, or the most beautiful euphorbia, becomes a frequent gift for the New Year holidays. It is no coincidence that it is called a Christmas star, because it is by the end of the year that the plant “lights up” with bright leaves around small inflorescences at the top, which merge into stars.

Things to keep in mind when growing poinsettias

The milky sap of the plant is considered poisonous. Upon contact with mucous membranes, it can cause unwanted reactions such as itching, burning and irritation. And once inside the body, poinsettia juice can cause vomiting and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, try to protect yourself and wear gloves when caring for this beautiful, but poisonous plant. And keep it away from children and pets.

How to choose a poinsettia

If you want to please yourself with the purchase of a plant or present it to loved ones, pay attention to the appearance of the poinsettia. Most often, the leaves around the inflorescences are red, but sometimes pink, white, cream and mixed-color specimens are found. Regardless of the shade, the star rosettes should have a uniform saturated color without spots, dry patches and damage. The lower leaves are a dense dark green color.

A healthy bush is well developed. It has a dense form and dense foliage from top to bottom. If the poinsettia looks bald or has dry branches, it is better not to take such a plant.

Also, fungal plaque on leaves and shoots or the obvious presence of pests should alert. A sick poinsettia will bring a lot of trouble and, most likely, infect other inhabitants of the home greenhouse.

Poinsettias bloom closer to winter and it is at this time that they go on sale en masse. It is better to buy them in stores and garden centers, that is, indoors. These plants do not tolerate cold well, so you should not take them in markets or street flower shops. In this case, there is a risk of getting a poinsettia with frozen roots, although outwardly it may look quite healthy.

How to care for poinsettia while in bloom

At this time, you do not need to feed the plant. It just takes a little care.

Keep your poinsettias at a comfortable temperature

Poinsettia does not like dry and hot air. The optimum temperature for its cultivation during the flowering period is 18-22 ° C. Therefore, find the coolest place in the house for the plant. Do not put the pot next to batteries and heaters. If you send the poinsettia to the windowsill, do not open the window even for micro-ventilation: cold air and drafts can be detrimental to it.

Also, keep an eye on the humidity in the room where the poinsettia lives. It is best if the indicator is in the range of 60-65%. You can use a humidifier or spray the plant at least a couple of times a day with plain water from a spray bottle.

Take care of the right lighting

In order for the poinsettia to retain its rich leaf color during flowering, provide it with bright diffused lighting. Ideal for her would be a place on a window located in the west or east. The flower feels good in conditions of short daylight hours, so you do not need to use fitolamps to grow it.

Water the poinsettia

The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp. Stick to the golden mean: do not let the soil dry out and do not turn the soil into a swamp - both of which can destroy the flower. Poinsettia is watered under the root with water at room temperature as the top layer of soil dries. You can also spray the leaves of the plant daily with water from a spray bottle. This procedure saturates them with moisture, prevents dust from settling and increases air humidity.

How to care for poinsettia after flowering

The flowering period of the poinsettia lasts approximately 4 months. After that, she gradually sheds foliage and at some point turns out to be completely naked. Do not rush to think that the plant has died. It went into hibernation. And at this time you need to change the scheme of care.

Trim the poinsettia

When the poinsettia has shed almost all of its leaves, take sharp scissors or pruners and cut off all the twigs and shoots about 15 cm from the soil.

Send the poinsettia to hibernation

Find a dark cool place. For example, put a pot in a closet or under a bed. The key is to keep the poinsettia away from batteries and other heat sources. It is ideal for the period of hibernation to provide her with a temperature regime of 12-14 degrees. Leave the poinsettia alone until May, watering it only occasionally.

Reduce watering

It is no longer necessary to keep the soil in the poinsettia pot moist. It is enough occasionally, literally once every 7–10 days, to slightly moisten the soil by pouring 50–100 ml of water under the root. Regular spraying should be completely stopped.

How to care for poinsettia after dormancy

In May, take the pot out of the dark and start caring for your poinsettia to see it bloom for the new year. Again, put the plant on a warm windowsill with bright and diffused light. The temperature and humidity in the room should be the same as during the flowering period.

Resume watering

Moisten the soil in a pot with poinsettia in the same way as during the flowering period. That is, make sure that it is always moderately moist, and do not allow it to dry out or over-water. You also need to spray the foliage daily.

Feed Your Plants

You need to do this once every two weeks. You can use fertilizers with a uniform distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - for example, 18:18:18. Special products for winter plants or succulents are also suitable. The consumption rate and dosage varies depending on the manufacturer and is indicated on the packaging. At the same time, you can do both root top dressing, that is, pour a nutrient solution under the root of the plant, and foliar top dressing - spray the leaves with fertilizer. Continue top dressing until October - November.

As soon as the plant releases buds, fertilization should be stopped.