How to Keep Your Poinsettia Fresh, Healthy and Beautiful
The poinsettia is a beautiful plant and one that is especially popular at Christmastime. For the person planning to buy one to put in their home or give as a gift, this article shares helpful tips on choosing a healthy poinsettia and what to do to keep it healthy.
The poinsettia, also called euphorbia pulcherrimaha, has become a popular Christmas plant. It can be found in various colors, like red, pink, and white, and it comes in different sizes. If you plan on keeping one in your home this holiday season or any other time of the year, use the following pointer tips on poinsettias to keep yours looking its best.
1. When shopping for poinsettias, ensure the area in which you find them is warm and free of drafts. As the temperature begins to drop in many areas of the country before the Christmas holidays, make sure you never purchase a poinsettia that has spent time outdoors. If it has been kept in a place where the temperature is less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it will suffer and drop its leaves a few days after you take it home. To shield your plant from the cold when carrying it to its destination, carefully put it in a paper bag to keep it warm. Make sure it stays warm in the room you place it in afterward.
2. Do not purchase this fabulous holiday plant if it has a protective sleeve around it. Protective sleeves made of plastic or paper will cause the bracts on it to wilt if they are kept on the plant for too long. Putting a protective sleeve on this plant for a short ride home is acceptable, though.
3. If the poinsettia you purchase is not yet mature, give it lots of light. If it doesn’t get sufficient light, you will wind up with a plant that has small bracts, and the bracts will lack color. Also, ensure the lamp you expose your poinsettia to is filtered because when this plant is exposed to unfiltered light for an extended period, the color of its bracts will fade.
4. Water when the soil gets slightly dry. Keep in mind the soil this beautiful plant sits in should always be moist. If your poinsettias are large, skip a day before watering them again.
Follow the above poinsettia pointer tips to find a beautiful, healthy plant and keep it fresh and looking beautiful. Then, let this pretty plant fill your home with holiday cheer at Christmastime. Note that it’s vital to keep your poinsettias where your cat or dog can’t reach them if you have either of these pets. Poinsettias may be aesthetically pleasing to many humans, but they are toxic to pets.
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