Poisettia

[Rosa_Mundi]

As usual, mine has dropped half of its leaves, but it's still relatively healthy. Has anyone managed to get this thriving for another year without a greenhouse? I know it's not really worth it, but I'm loath to throw out any plant that shows signs of life.... ;D

[Rosa_Mundi]

[Lady Cosmos]

Poinsettia is not an easy plant to keep but it is possible......
The colour is the top leaves, the bracts.
The plant needs at least 6 hours of indirect light and room temperature.
Water only after the soil is dry at depth of 3 inches.

DRAFT is the big enemy.

Even low temperature they hate.
This all should make them going till April. Than cut back, leaving about 6 buds.
Water and fertilize.
4 weeks later it start getting leaves again .
Cut it back about 15 jly and 15 september. to keep it compact.
In oktober keep it in complete darkness during night for 14 days.
End of november colour wil be seen again and the plant is ready to enjoy. hehe. what a work...... ;D
But when you buy a poinsettia in the shop/ nursery do NOT bring it outside without protection, otherwise it iwill die :'(

[Rosa_Mundi]

Does sound like a lot of work - but if it makes it as far as April. I'll give it a try, thanks. I'm pretty sure it got chilled on the way home, mind, so it may not survive anyway....

[djbrenton]

We kept last years and just treated it like any other house plant. We didn't, however, get round to turning it red by excluding light as we didn't get a box large enough to place over it at night ( it's about 3ft tall now )

[ACE]

Only heresay, but my wife knows a lady who has kept hers for years but only ever watered it with warm water. Along with the darkness treatment it is worth trying.

[Rosa_Mundi]

Well, it's now stopped dropping leaves and there are still some left, so I'll definitely give it a try - expect an update in eleven months or so! ;D

[flowerlady]

My neighbour bought me one for Christmas, ...  guess what,  she walked it round to the house in the evening breeze ... nearly ALL the leaves dropped off within 24 hours.

Makes answering "How's your little plant doing" a little difficult ... "more coffee dear?"  ;D

[Rosa_Mundi]

 ;D
Amazingly, mine has stopped dropping leaves with a few left - don't know what I've done, but it seems to have decided to make an effort. Perhaps it heard me murmuring, "Compost heap...."

[tibouchina]

I bought two at Christmas 2004 for our office, they were kept on a window sill and just seem to go on and on.  This Christmas bought two more, but couldn't throw others out as they were still full of leaves and looking healthy, what a suprise to see red bracts still appearing even though they have been kept in the light.  We lived in South Africa where they grow in the garden to small tree size, didn't have to keep them in the dark to get red bracts there!