You can keep your Christmas poinsettia and have it bloom again next year, but it will take a little work. If you wish to try:
January-March: Keep watering your poinsettia when the surface is dry.
April: Gradually reduce the water it gets, letting it completely dry between watering. Move it to a cool spot, like your garage. The desirable temperature is about 60 degrees.
May: Cut the stems back to about 4-5 inches, and repot the plant in the next-size-larger container. Continue watering when the surface of the soil is dry.
June: Move the poinsettia outside to a partially shaded location. You can keep it in the container or plant it in the soil.
July: Cut back each stem about 2 inches, to encourage new shoots and a compact plant.
August: Bring the plant back indoors where it can get some sunlight, and check it for insects. Cut the plant back, leaving three to four leaves on each stem.
September: Continue to water when the surface dries out. Also, start to fertilize every two weeks with a liquid all-purpose houseplant fertilizer, such as Peters, Miracle Gro, etc. Follow fertilizer directions for the size of container.
October: Poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning they need about 10 weeks of complete darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. to produce color. Any exposure to light during this time will delay blooming. Many homeowners put their plants in a closet at night. Make sure you take the plant out during the day and put it back in a sunny window.
November: Around the last week, stop the dark treatment and let the plant remain in the window. You should start to see color.
December: Keep watering and treating your plant as you did when you brought it home in bloom.
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