Read simple Tips for Watering Poinsettia for Best Growth throughout the growing season for a cheerful, festive vibe in your home.
What’s red, green, and shows up in stores during the holidays? There are lots of answers, but one popular choice is the poinsettia. With its bright red bracts and deep green leaves, it’s the most popular potted plant in the country. While many people think of it as just holiday decoration, it’s a real plant that comes from the tropical regions of Mexico. Proper watering is key to keeping your poinsettia looking excellent for a few weeks or months. Many people aren’t sure how much or how often to water it. This depends on things like the type of soil in the pot and the temperature in your home. Read Tips for Watering Poinsettia for Best Growth in this post.
How Often to Water Poinsettias
When you first buy or receive a poinsettia, it usually looks its best. The leaves are bright and fresh, and the red “flowers” stand out beautifully. But if you don’t water it regularly, the plant will start to wilt before long.
How often should you water a poinsettia? Like many tropical plants, poinsettias prefer soil that is moist but not too wet. The type of soil in the pot can help you figure this out—heavier soil needs less frequent watering.
If you didn’t buy your poinsettia from a garden store, it probably wasn’t planted in high-quality soil. Light, airy soil dries out faster, so you might need to water it more often—maybe even every other day. Warm indoor temperatures (over 70°F during the day or 55°F at night) can also make the plant dry out faster.
How to Water Poinsettias
Watering poinsettias is similar to watering most houseplants: pour water into the top of the pot until it comes out of the drainage holes at the bottom. However, since poinsettias are often sold in grocery stores as temporary decorations, there are a few extra things to do to care for them.
Most poinsettias come in pots wrapped in colorful foil, like red, green, or silver. Always remove the foil from the bottom of the pot before watering. If you don’t, water can’t drain out, and the soil will stay too wet, causing root rot and killing the plant.
Check if the pot has drainage holes at the bottom. Sometimes, poinsettias are sold in pots without holes. If that’s the case, you’ll need to make some holes or move the plant to a pot with proper drainage.
How Much Water Do Poinsettias Need?
A poinsettia needs water when the soil feels dry, but how much should you give it? Water the soil well until the roots at the bottom of the pot get enough. Stop when you see water coming out of the drainage holes—this means you’ve watered it enough.
What Does a Poinsettia Look Like When it Requires Water?
To know when to water a poinsettia, check the soil on top. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. Don’t wait for the plant to wilt. If it doesn’t get enough water, it might start losing leaves. However, be careful—losing leaves can also mean the plant is getting too much water.
What Happens When You Overwater a Poinsettia
The soil and how much water the plant needs are closely linked. Overwatering is less likely if the soil drains well and the pot has enough drainage holes. When you water, any extra water will drain out. But if the soil doesn’t drain well, there are no drainage holes in the pot, or the plant sits in a saucer of water, you could end up overwatering the poinsettia.
Related: Poinsettia Care Mistakes to Avoid this Christmas
