The poinsettia perfectly fits the Christmas spirit due to its colorful flowers that create a rosette that resembles a star. Sometimes it happens that the leaves of the plant fall off after just a few weeks. The causes should be sought in inadequate care. If you bought this unique flower, be sure to check what to do to make it decorate the room even twice as long.
it will please our eyes throughout the holidays and even longer if we take proper care of it. So how do you care for this houseplant?
Poinsettia requires a clear positionbut away from direct sunlight. Therefore, it is best to place it on the windowsill of the eastern or southern window.
The best temperature for this specimen is between 16 and 22 degrees Celsius. The plant does not like drafts, so when airing the room, it is worth moving it to another room.
Water the Star of Bethlehem in moderation – the substrate should be neither dry nor too wet.. Water it every 2-3 days, checking the soil moisture with your finger. It is worth pouring water into the stand. If it is not absorbed within 15 minutes, we pour out the excess.
The poinsettia will last longer if we fertilize it every 2 weeks. We use fertilizer for flowering plants for this purpose.
We must be careful when caring for poinsettias. Otherwise it won’t last until Christmas. What are the most common care mistakes?
The most common mistake is excessive watering of the plantwhich leads to root rot. They cause yellowing and falling of leaves drafts and too low temperature in the room.
The leaves will start to fall if we place the Star of Bethlehem in a shaded place. Remember that you need to provide additional lighting if the specimen is placed on a wardrobe or chest of drawers.
After purchasing, we transplant the star of Bethlehem into a larger pot with fertile soil with expanded clay granules and coarse-grained sand. It is worth regularly removing dry leaves of the plantthanks to which we will provide it with adequate air circulation. We also recommend removing faded flowers. In this way, we stimulate the specimen to develop further.
Many people throw away the poinsettia after it blooms, but it’s a good idea to leave it to bloom next Christmas. After the holidays, we must feed the specimen with fertilizer rich in potassium. In April, we cut its shoots to about 10 cm from the ground and move it to a room where the temperature is 13-16 degrees Celsius.
In May, we transplant the Star of Bethlehem into a new substrate. Place the pot in a bright place at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. In autumn, we take it to a dark room during the day or cover it with cardboard. We also limit watering and lower the temperature to 15 degrees Celsius.
