Your poinsettia happy after Christmas.
★ Look for healthy plants whose true flowers (the cyathia), as well as the bracts and leaves, look well. Avoid plants kept in cold temperatures, with soaking wet or bone-dry roots, or with yellowing leaves. Poinsettias hate sudden exposure to cold, so make sure yours is well wrapped for the journey home and never left in a cold car.
★ The ideal position for a poinsettia is a spot in bright but indirect light, at a fairly constant temperature above 13°C, away from direct heat and draughts.
★ Water only when the compost is dry up top. When doing so, add enough to soak right through the compost. Return later to empty any excess from the saucer. There should be enough fertiliser in the plant’s original compost for the festive period.
★ Feed monthly from January to March,using a well-balanced liquid feed. In late March, prune by about three quarters (wearing gloves to protect your skin) and make sure the plant receives plenty of light to encourage regrowth. Wait for new shoots to show before potting on.
★ Once it’s back in growth, move it into a slightly larger pot. Make sure the plant’s rootball is reasonably moist first. Use John Innes No.3 compost with a little added potting grit. Water in gently. After a month, resume feeding.
★ To colour up well, poinsettias need total darkness for at least 12 hours a day for eight weeks. To achieve this, put them in a room with no artificial light. Avoid touching the sap of poinsettias as it can be a skin irritan
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