How to Care For Poinsettias (And Make Them Bloom Next Year)

Poinsettias are a quintessential holiday plant but can be finicky to care for. If you learn where they come from and what conditions they like, you can not only keep them looking amazing throughout the holidays but care for them the following year and force them to flower for NEXT Christmas as well.

0:00 - Intro
1:11 - Poinsettia Facts
1:52 - Buying The Best Pointsettia
3:53 - Light & Temperature
4:41 - Watering & Humidity
5:25 - Fertilizing
7:02 - Post-Holiday Care
10:34 - Forcing Poinsettias to Flower

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[faithandhope]

I have one that is 13 years old and 2 others that are 10 and 8 years old. I kept them in the same pots with the coloured sleeve on the outside of the pots. I have them in a west facing window in southern Ontario, Canada. They oldest one is about 5 ft tall now. I never repotted them until this past summer. Very seldom did I fertilize them as well. I admit that I probably overwatered a lot. Two are red and the other one is a white poinsettia. They would bloom the colours in April or May but finally this Christmas, they bloomed the beautiful colours. They have smaller mostly green leaves but splattered with colour throughout. I don’t do anything but water every few days and leave on the same table in the window all year round. People are amazed when they come over and see them.

[creativenative]

I live in Louisiana & my Mom used to have a poinsettia that she maintained for years. She would repot her plant in Spring & place it underneath an oak tree for shade. It would remain there until like September, early October. She would pinch off the old growth & it would bloom new green leaves like crazy. By Thanksgiving the plant would start turning it's top leaves to red. It rebloomed for years & got huge. She would just repot it in Spring & allow it to enjoy the outside fresh air under that oak tree for about 9 months or so. She would also use Jobe's fertilizer spikes like a month or so before she brought it inside. Beautiful plant.

[dianebeckett]

I've kept my 2 poinsettias for years ...never forced them in darkness and they have the red bracts every winter but then I live in England so 15 hours of darkness is no problem anyway ☺️

[jetteramsey]

When I lived in s cal, they grow outside in my back yard, lovely!

[livesoutdoors]

My family has passed the same plant to our mom for three years at Christmas. It spends the spring and summer in our greenhouse and the winter at grandma’s house. It turns back green gradually then just before December it starts turning red and is ready for granny by Christmas. It’s getting big!😆

[Yoliplanting]

After Christmas last year there was one dumped by the side of the road still in those horrible wrappers they sell them in which is the death of most of them and I took it home. It was basically a dried out twig. I planted it in a pot with good soil and this Christmas as soon as the weather dipped a little it rebloomed ❤

[kellythomas]

My grandparents lived in Corpus Christi TX and had a huge poinsettia next to the front porch. It was six feet tall and beautiful!

[goco]

Poinsettia aka cuetlaxochitl is a flower many indigenous peoples used to celebrate the winter solstice. It was later transferred to Christmas for that reason.

[loraboogaard]

I live in Michigan an have kept one of these alive for about 10 years! It loves to be outside during the warm summer months and grows like crazy. It starts to look a little shabby and drops leaves during the winter months. I’m going to try a humidifier next to it... also the 15 hours of darkness. This plant loves to bloom during the end of June until the end of August

[deee]

Just got this. Perfect timing. My caretaker brought me a beautiful plant and so far so good. I’m not able to do a lot but I’m going to try and keep it as long as I can. Great video. Thank you.

[WendySanchez-lcco]

I got a poinsettia for Christmas one year and it never died. I wasn't going to throw away a beautiful alive plant so she was on my kitchen table for YEARS!!! My goal now is to collect different kinds and place them to add a little color to the rest of my plant collection.

[gamethyst]

When I visited Mexico a couple years ago, my grandma had a tree of this. I never knew they were poinsettias bc I never looked up. Lol they were soo tall and I didn't expect them to grow in such a hot area 😅. Little did I know...

[Ricochetmex]

I live in Mexico and I have seen poinsettia bushes growing in very dry dirt with tons of sun in hot climate all year long. Great tips 😌

[brownsugar]

We had poinsettia bush when i was growing up . ..they glow in the dark during the advent season 😇

[theNikkiDash]

Would love to see the after holiday how to care update for this plant when the time comes. Merry Christmas!☃️🎄

[iLalalaLove]

Would love an updated video for this in the spring or summer☺️

[AlisUnicornFarm]

Poinsettias my bday flower! My mom gave me on for my bday and I have such a brown thumb. But Ive been taking care of it well! I hope it lasts me years like the comments, will use your tips!

[dianabaskin]

Thank you for this video. I am always just happy that mine lasts to the end of Christmas. I got a couple as gifts and would love to keep them longer. I will remove the sleeves to give them proper drainage and will see what happens.

[javierceron]

I just came onto YouTube to look for this video lol right on time!

[-mrt]

Hi from Malaysia 🇲🇾
I’m a big fan of poinsettia since my university time in the states… we have quite a wide range of poinsettia varieties here : Red, pink, yellow and even white which i bought 1 pot from the nearby nursery! The tropical temperature here in Nov - Dec - Jan is around 30C (day 86F) and 26C (night 77F). I reckon it is ok to leave the plant overnight at the balcony as it’s naturally ventilated, airy and completely pitch dark! I only water it every other day due to the humid climate here. Thanks for your useful tips and wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas in advance 🎅 🥳