So the poinsettia will turn red again

So the poinsettia will turn red again

Poinsettias are short-day plants

Poinsettias are native to the equatorial line. There they grow in deciduous forests that are heavily shaded and therefore do not get too much light.

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The plant has adapted perfectly to the conditions. It only forms the colored bracts if it is dark for a long time. It has to be less than twelve hours a day in any case.

If it stays light longer, the leaves of the poinsettia stay green. In Germany it is much longer light in summer, so that the plant does not turn red again without artificial darkening, but remains green.

Make the poinsettia dark

A poinsettia that is offered in the supermarket or the nursery has been placed in the dark by the gardener. If you want to grow poinsettias per year, you have to provide for a dark phase. Only then will the poinsettia turn red again in the next season.

Most people want the houseplant to be in full splendor at Christmas time. In principle, however, you can make the poinsettia blush at any time of the year.

Make sure he gets a maximum of eleven to twelve hours of light per day for six to eight weeks beforehand. To do this, place it in a dark, not too cold cellar or storage room. If space is not available, place a cardboard box or opaque bag over the plant to simulate darkness.

So the poinsettia will turn red again

After the darkening phase, place the poinsettia in the desired location. This should ideally

  • warm (more than 22 degrees)
  • bright and sunny
  • protected from drafts

be. In the coming days the poinsettia will develop the desired colored bracts.

Tips

The poinsettia is not considered particularly easy to care for. When watering and fertilizing, you need a little tact. Here it is worthwhile to skimp on water and fertilizer rather than keep the plant too moist and nutritious.