Hometown Moments & Memories
20
CARING
4
Soil. Check the moisture level daily. Water when soil is dry. Be sure to punch holes in the foil surrounding the pot so excess water can drain into a saucer.
FOR YOUR POINSETTIAS 5 When it comes to houseplants, nothing quite represents the holiday season like the poinsettia. Christmas Red is undoubtedly its signature color, but poinsettias also come in white, pink, salmon, apricot, yellow and cream. With tens of millions sold annually, they’re the highest selling potted flowering plant in the country. Of course, with the proper care and attention, you don’t actually have to buy them again every year. With a little gentle nurturing, poinsettias can live year round, sometimes growing as tall as ten to fifteen feet in tropical climates. Here is how to care for your poinsettia:
Fertilizer. If you plan to keep your poinsettia beyond the holiday season, add fertilizer to the soil monthly. Do not fertilize when it is in bloom. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous, although ingesting the plant is not encouraged as it can cause intestinal discomfort in children and animals. Plus who wants to eat a poinsettia when there’s so much peppermint and gingerbread going around?!!?
DECEMBER 12 IS NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY
1
Temperature. Ideally, poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and nighttime temperatures of around 55°F. Extreme high or low temperatures, even briefly, can shorten the plant’s life.
2 3
Sunlight. Place poinsettia in indirect light. Six hours of light daily is optimal.
Drafts. Keep poinsettias away from radiators, air registers or open doors and windows. A plant placed in the window should not have its leaves touching the cold glass panes.
AD
