The first challenge is simply getting it home. Since Christmas happens in December and December happens in the depths of winter in North Dakota, poinsettias don't much appreciate being transported in any manner that involves going outdoors. Any exposure to temperatures below 60 degrees is likely to cause leaf drop. Since the bright colors of poinsettias actually come from the leaves and not the flowers, leaf drop is a big deal! Exposure to temperatures below freezing, even for a very short time, will cause the leaf edges to blacken and curl, and may kill the plant.
Poinsettias should be securely wrapped, preferably in a layer of paper, then a layer of plastic. The packaging should completely enclose the poinsettia so no drafts reach any of the plant. The vehicle in which the plant will be transported should be warm and parked as close to the door as possible to avoid having the plant exposed to cold temperatures for any longer than absolutely necessary.
Once home, the plant needs to be placed in a sunny location that is free from drafts, either hot or cold. A south or west window is ideal, but a poinsettia may do well in an east window. North windows generally will not provide sufficient light to keep a poinsettia looking its best. The plant should be close enough to the window for good sun exposure, but not so close that the leaves touch the window pane or any cold air coming off or through the window reaches the plant.
Ideal room temperature for poinsettias is 65 to 70 degrees during the day and slightly cooler at night, however, not below 60 degrees. Too cool a location encourages root rot and leaf drop, neither of which are conducive to a long-lived beautiful poinsettia.
Correct watering is also critical to a poinsettia's health. If allowed to get too dry, a poinsettia will drop its leaves prematurely, leaving you with homely, blah green stalks. Too much watering leads to root rot disease, which will cause collapse of the entire plant. It is best to check the soil in the poinsettia pot daily, especially in homes that must be heated for the winter. Winter air is more arid anyway, and the process of heating it from frigid cold to a temperature comfortable for humans and plants draws even more of the moisture from the air. When the top half inch or so is dry to the touch, the plant should be watered until water drains freely from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
And here, it's wise to say a word about those beautiful foil wrappers that cover the not so beautiful green or black plastic pots. A horticulturalist will tell you those wrappers should be removed and thrown away. A home decorator will say "no, no, no. You can't spoil the beauty of the poinsettia with that ugly green (or black) pot!" Since there is a little bit of the characteristics of both a horticulturalist and a decorator in me, I've learned to compromise. I remove the foil wrapper briefly, use a knife or scissors to poke a few drainage holes in the foil, replace the foil around the ugly pot, then set the whole thing in a decorative saucer.
The recommended water amounts vary based on the size of the pot. The following table can be used as a guide:
Pot Diameter (inches) Fluid Ounces of
Water per Watering .
4 6
5 9
6 12
7 16
8 20
Keeping the right amount of moisture, giving the poinsettia enough sun, and keeping it free from drafts will provide you with those beautiful red, or pink, or even white leaves well into the spring.
No comments:
Post a Comment