Last updated on March 16th, 2022
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Poinsettias are very cheery plants, the quintessential Christmas plant known for their bright red flowers contrasted by its stunningly rich green leaves. What most people don’t realise though is that you can grow these all year round, even after they start to fade. All you have to do is put in a little bit of care and you can keep the plants growing all year round as well as make sure they produce the bright red shades they are so famous for year after year.
What to do with a Poinsettia after the red leaves turn green
Step 1
In order to avoid the disappointment that typically accompanies the second year of owning a Poinsettia, you want to start pruning the plant back hard in April, to no more than 10cm.
Step 2
Next place the plant in a room where it is exposed to continual temperature ideally around 13 degrees Celsius. You may need to repot your Poinsettia as they are usually grown in small pots for the size of the plant. Grow it in a light, cool place for the remainder of the summer with an ideal temperature between 15°C and 18°C, no more.
Step 3
The flowering and subsequent colouring is actually stimulated by the shorter day length of winter which naturally takes place in December and January. But you can simulate this in November by putting your plant in a dark room once it has been exposed to 12 hours of daylight or even putting a cardboard box over it to control how much daylight it receives. Be sure to protect the plant against artificial light sources. They need 12-14 hours of darkness each day, get this wrong and nothing else matters, you won’t get the red leaves.
The plant will need a regular temperature that hovers around 18°C in order to produce the bright reds that everyone loves, so it is vital that your Poinsettia never has the opportunity to get too cold, even a cold breeze can cause them to quickly drop their leaves.
Rest assured commercially grown products are typically treated with chemicals to keep the colour vibrant, however, just like the natural soil in your garden, your plant will revert back to its original colour the following season, so by following these steps you can ensure you don’t have that issue with which to contend with. And instead, you have the quintessential Christmas plant year after year and of course, they will get bigger and bigger too.
