Poinsettias are generally a sign of the holidays, and once those days are over most of the plants simply get tossed out. But gardening guru Ciscoe Morris shows us how you can actually get your poinsettias to re-bloom again for the next year!
Here's how to get your poinsettia to rebloom:
1. Keep your poinsettia in as good shape as possible until spring.
2. In mid-March cut the stems down to 4 inches tall. Locate the plant in an east window, where it will get morning sun, or in a very bright spot out of direct sunlight.
3. Water sparingly at first. When new growth starts water a bit more often, and begin fertilizing with a soluble house plant such as Miracle Grow every 2 weeks. Begin with a 1/4 strength dilution and work up slowly to full-strength over a 2 month period.
4. In May put the plant outdoors in morning sun. Continue to water and fertilize.
5. Bring the plant indoors in mid-September. By now it will have grown full and large.
6. At the end of September, stop fertilizing and begin giving the plant 14 hours of absolute darkness every night. If any light hits the plant during the darkness period the plant won't bloom on time for Christmas (and might not even bloom at all). You'll need to do this for about 2.5 months.
7. During the time you are giving it the darkness treatment, you need to bring the plant out into a bright location (not in direct afternoon sun) every day.
8. Once buds form, you can stop giving it the darkness treatment. Leave the plant out where it will get morning sun or bright light. Soon the red leaves, known as bracts, should appear.
9. The problem is that in order to get the big red leaves your poinsettia needs to be actively growing, and at that time of year poinsettias are in semi-dormancy and not actively growing. Put the plant under a grow light for 16 hours a day and fertilize every two weeks. If you put it under a light, then fertilize with full-strength dilution every 2 weeks. Once the red leaves grow big you can stop the light and fertilizing program and display your poinsettia as you normally would.
Special tip: It's really easy to forget your poinsettia is in a closet and open the door ruining the whole operation. A good way to give them the dark treatment is to decorate a big cardboard box and put it over the plant every night. That way it's easy to remember to take the box off in the morning to give the plant light as well.
Final tip: After you've done this once, when the plant begins to fade the following year, pick it up very gently, and then throw it right into the compost bin. Considering what a hassle it is to get your poinsettia to rebloom, I guarantee once is enough!!!!!!
Gardening with Ciscoe airs every Saturday at 10am on KING5.
And if you have a gardening question or issue you'd like Ciscoe to tackle in an upcoming segment on New Day, send us an email with pictures of your dilemma to ciscoesaveme@king5.com.
