How quickly the holidays come and go and for this year the celebrations
are about over but if you haven't noticed the plants are left behind.
One question I get is what to do with the beautiful poinsettias.
Some toss out the poinsettias as they start to decline but I like to
keep mine another year. Here is what you can do now. Keep them in bright
light and gradually move them outdoors during the warmer weather.
Keep the soil moist and start feeding the plants. One way to make
the feeding easy is with a slow release fertilizer like the Osmocote
Smart Release plant food or the Miracle Grow Shake and Feed. These feed
the plants for several months so all you have to worry about is the
watering.
When March arrives, I like to grow my poinsettias in a
larger container. I repot them using the Miracle-Gro Moisture Control
Potting mixture and then continue the waterings and feedings. In March
they also get a pruning. This means cutting them back to about 12 to 18
inches. It does mean taking off all the color but the plants are going
to regrow at this time. I will have more care tips later but this should
get you started caring for your holiday poinsettia
