Read about the Poinsettia Care Mistakes to Avoid this Christmas to keep your plant healthy and festive across the holiday season.
Poinsettias are a cheerful holiday favorite. Sadly, these festive plants often don’t last past Christmas and are tossed out once their bright leaves fade. Also, Spray-painted poinsettias don’t last as long as natural ones, but all poinsettias can stay beautiful into the New Year with the right care. To keep yours looking festive, read Poinsettia Care Mistakes to Avoid this Christmas.
Taking good care of poinsettias is important to keep them alive, but they have specific needs to grow well. Caring for them after the holidays is also key to helping them last longer.
Poinsettia Care Mistakes to Avoid this Christmas
1. Moving Poinsettia Outdoors
Poinsettias don’t like cold drafts, so avoid buying them from outdoor stalls, and don’t leave them outside when you get home—not even on a porch. It’s best to get your poinsettia home quickly because they can’t handle being in the cold for long.
If your poinsettia stays in the cold too long, it might start losing leaves a few days after you bring it home. If this happens, trim off any damaged leaves and place the plant in a warm spot away from drafts. Some leaves may still fall, but with good care, the plant can recover.
2. Letting it in the Plastic Sleeve
Poinsettias often come in pretty plastic sleeves, but these can harm the plant by trapping too much water. It has been suggested to take the sleeve off as soon as you get home. Put the pot on a saucer to catch any water that drains out when you water it.
If you’re keeping the plant as a gift, punch a hole in the bottom of the sleeve and use a saucer to catch water. Be sure to empty the saucer after watering.
3. Not Receiving Required Light
Poinsettias are very particular about light. If it’s too dark, they won’t grow well, and if it’s too bright, they can burn.
Keep them in a spot with bright light for about six hours a day, but away from direct sunlight, heat, and drafts. In winter, you can place your poinsettia near a window, but in summer, move it to a spot with indirect light.
4. Keeping Poinsettia in an Improper Room Temperature
Poinsettias come from Mexico and like warm temperatures, but they can’t handle too much heat. They grow best between 50-75°F (10-24°C).
Placing them near a hot appliance can overheat them, while a cold, drafty windowsill below 50°F (10°C) can make them wilt and eventually die. It’s best to keep your poinsettia in a spot with steady, warm temperatures, away from drafts and big temperature changes.
5. Overwatering It
Watering is a tricky task, too much or too little can harm it. These plants don’t need a lot of water, and overwatering can cause root rot.
Yellowing or dropping leaves are usually signs of overwatering. Instead, check the soil and only water when it feels dry. Depending on where the poinsettia is placed, this might mean watering every day near a radiator or every three days in other spots.
To check if it needs water, press your finger into the soil—if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Be sure to let the water drain so the roots don’t stay soaked.
6. Allowing the Soil to Dry Out
While trying not to overwater your poinsettia, don’t forget to water it at all. If the leaves start wilting and falling off, it is a clear sign the plant is too dry.
You can save it by giving it a good drink and letting the water drain through but try not to let it happen too often.
7. Feeding at Incorrect Time
Fertilizing poinsettias is important, but timing matters.
Poinsettias need fertilizer in spring when they’re growing, not in winter. Fertilizing in winter could harm the plant.
To help your poinsettia bloom again next year, use liquid fertilizer once a month from late spring through summer.
8. Improper Humidity Levels
Poinsettias are from tropical areas and need higher humidity to thrive. If your plant is in a room with dry air, it may struggle.
Install a humidifier near the plant to keep it happy during the holidays, especially in winter when heating systems dry out the air.
If you don’t have a humidifier, try moving some of your other plants closer to the poinsettia to raise humidity, or use a pebble tray to help.
Related: Tips to Get a Poinsettia to Turn Red
