Q&A for How to Keep Poinsettias Growing To Next Christmas

Poinsettia are actually small trees in the wild so they produce sap, which is what you are seeing. It is poisonous to many insects (not all). It can also irritate sensitive skin, so don't touch it without washing your hands afterwards.

Make a solution of dishwashing soap and water, and spritz it on the plants to get rid of the flies.

Put it in a hot spot and avoid watering it. Make sure it can drain. You could push down the soil, like you would a sponge, if it is in a pot. If it is summer, it has a better chance to dry out. It might not work if it has been wet too long.

It's possible. Keep it watered and watch for new growth at the junction points of the old leaves.

Yes. I had a white poinsettia on the Treasure Coast for years. It grew to over 6 ft tall and was just as wide. It was green all year until December and would then turn white just in time for Christmas. They don't like to be transplanted when that big, so mine didn't make it after that.

Keep the plant warm inside and continue to water it.

You can grow them anywhere indoors, or outside if your area never gets below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover it with a blanket or towel. If you are nervous about it being smothered, set up something (sticks, tent poles, etc.) to hold the blanket/towel up higher.

If you want your poinsettias to get the right amount of water, just poke a hole in the bottom of your pot and any extra water will leak out. Remember to put a dish or bowl under your poinsettia or the water will leak onto your floor.

Yes, keep it in the same position all the time and give it water, great light, and plant food.

It should, however, sometimes they can be faulty and not grow any.

If the top and sides of the plant are larger than the pot, it may be time to get a bigger home!

Not unless your winters are above freezing. Winters above 50 degrees Fahrenheit are best for outdoor wintering. However, indoors poinsettias will grow well year round.

The worst harm poinsettias can do to your pet is a little bit of vomiting. Just to be safe, keep the poinsettia out of the reach of your pet.

Let your soil dry out completely to make the move easier. Then fill the bigger pot halfway with new soil and sit your plant, with the old soil and all, in the middle of the new pot. Fill in the space around it.

You should trim the top. That will cut down on growth at the top and increase growth on the side, thus it will become fuller. This method also works well with other bushes.

No, poinsettias are not toxic, not to humans and not to most pets. That said, I wouldn’t suggest eating them.

You should water it more, and give it some sunlight.

In the spring is the right time. Cut down to about 6” and remove a few small limbs to encourage it to grow nice and full next year.

Repot the plant in fresh potting soil that has good drainage. Poinsettias are susceptible to stem and root diseases if the soil is heavy and retains excess moisture. Soak the soil well, and then allow all excess water to drain away. Place the plant in a warm, sunny spot for renewed growth.

Help your poinsettia to turn red by placing it in total darkness for 14 hours each day, starting eight weeks before you want to display it. During the day, the plant needs bright light, but it should be placed in complete darkness every evening.

The poinsettia should be kept in a dark, cool environment until April or May, when it should be placed outdoors or in a brightly lit spot indoors and its stems should be cut back to 6 to 8 inches above the soil line. It is best to repot the poinsettia at this time, when it is about to produce a flush of new growth.

Prune off the old stems in late winter or early spring by cutting them back to 4 to 6 inches in height and leaving one to three leaves on each stem. This forces new growth to appear at the leaf axis and paves the way for a full plant that can support many blooms.