Look after your poinsettia

26th December 2020

Poinsettias need a temperature between 16°C and 22°C and a bright indirect light - but they dislike fluctuations in temperature so choose a site for your new present carefully, away from radiators, as well as cold windows and draughts. Water by soaking the plant weekly and mist the colourful bracts or stand it on a tray of pebbles. If you are determined to keep it alive, cut it back in March, feed and repot it in June and give it some time outside then bring it indoors again in August and put it somewhere with good indirect light and a stable temperature. From September let it have 9 hours of daylight and cover it to give it 15 hours of complete uninterrupted darkness, to encourage the new bracts to colour for next Christmas.