Did you received a poinsettia and don’t know how to tend it or it isn’t doing well? Or is that poinsettia you were given for Christmas still around?  Would you like to keep it longer, perhaps even for years?

Even if your poinsettia has dropped all of its leaves you may be able to rescue it.

If you haven’t already remove the foil or plastic wrap.  Next if it is after Christmas repot in a pot about 2″ larger using potting soil or potting mix.  Never use garden soil in a pot.  Make sure the pot has drainage holes.

Water your poinsettia.  I like to give plants a shower after repotting.  Place the pot in your shower and spray off the leaves using slightly warm water.  This will rinse off any dust or insects.  Also, be sure the potting soil is wet throughout.  Once your plant has dried off place in an area with indirect bright light away from furnace vents or other blasts of air – especially hot or cold air.   Check the soil moisture level at least once per week by sticking your finger into the soil.  The soil can be almost dry before watering.

If there are no leaves just keep tending your poinsettia and most likely it will leaf out within a couple weeks.

Your poinsettia may or may not flower in the future.  I don’t care whether mine does or not.  Most years it does.  I have found through experience and talking to those growing poinsettias in greenhouses that they will often flower without subjecting the poinsettias to periods of darkness.

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