Why your poinsettia dies after the holidays
You didn't do anything wrong on purpose. Poinsettias are just a little dramatic.
Line Andorsen · 2 min read
Watering is the most common problem
Check the soil every day. When the surface is dry, water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot. Take the plant out of its decorative cover to water it, and put it back once it has drained.
Too much water gives you yellow lower leaves and can rot the roots. Too little makes the leaves curl and drop.
Drafts and cold windows
Poinsettias dislike cold drafts from the front door, warm air from a heater, and quick temperature swings. Even a short spell of cold can blacken the leaves, and they tend to drop afterward.
Give it a bright window, but keep the leaves from touching the glass.
Want to keep it until next Christmas?
Poinsettias are grown to be temporary, so it's perfectly fine to compost yours when it's done. But if you feel like trying, here's the recipe.
- January to MarchBright light and a steady temperature. Water when the surface is dry.
- MarchCut the stems back to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) above the soil. When new shoots appear, move it to a sunny window and give it a dilute feed every two weeks.
- Once frost has passedGet the plant used to the outdoors over about a week, first in shade and then in sun. Bring it back in by mid-September at the latest, and before any frost.
- October to DecemberComplete darkness from 5 pm to 8 am every single day, in a closet for example. The rest of the day it sits in the sun. Stop once the leaves have colored up.