Lucas Holman
Nearly every store that I’ve visited the past week has had poinsettias for sale.
Poinsettias are tropical plants that are native to Mexico where frosts are not a concern. A freezing temperature of 32 degrees will completely kill the plant. You will see damage on the plant if it receives temperatures below 50 degrees constantly. The ideal temperature of a poinsettia is the temperature that most of us keep our thermostats set. They thrive between 65 and 75 degrees.
They are easy to grow provided you give them the correct care. Because they are native to Mexico, they prefer to stay on the dry side.
The No. 1 killer of poinsettias is over-watering. The majority of the poinsettias that I see for sale have a foil wrapper around the container. This holds water and doesn’t allow the plant to dry out each time you water. The plant will sit in water for a few days and root rot will start to set in.
Once root rot has set in on a poinsettia, there is no saving the plant. Root rot will fool most people because the plant will wilt, but the soil will still be completely wet. Keep your poinsettias on the dry side and water them only when the plant needs it.
There is no way to set a specific regiment on how often to water the plant. Your finger is the best indicator. Stick your finger or a freshly sharpened pencil in the container and see if the soil is moist. If the soil is dry, water the plant, but allow it to drain in the sink before placing the foil back onto the pot.
Everyone keeps their house at different temperatures. Keep your poinsettias away from drafts in your home. This could be the vent from your central heating and air unit or even the door that is going to the outside of your home. A blast of cold or hot air might stress them enough to shed some leaves.
We grow poinsettias for their colorful leaves called bracts and we wouldn’t want them to drop off. Be sure to also protect your poinsettias from cold windows by not allowing them to touch the glass. Depending on how cold the weather is outside, you might see some damage on the leaves that are touching the glass.
MCG
When you are done with your poinsettia, the best place to put them is the compost pile. I get asked often how to care for them so that they will color up again next year. It’s a hard task and usually requires excluding light as the days get shorter. I’m too lazy of a gardener to keep them from year to year, but I will buy them from my local greenhouses.
Go out and support your local garden centers and get some of the newer unique colors that are out now instead of red.
Lucas Holman is the UT Horticulture Extension Agent, Wilson County. Contact him at (615) 444-9584 or Lholman1@utk.edu. The University of Tennessee Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu
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