David, it may be time for potting up your plant. I got this plant from my mom, It is real healthy and is all green. If it were me, I would conduct an experiment at this point. I know I’m very late, but one could duct tape all the seams of a cardboard box to seal light out. My plant is inside an office where the only light it gets are the lights from the office. But make sure it has enough sun too. Hi, I have a poinsettia that is really two separate plants in the same pot. I truly love this plant, every day in the light and seeing the red, brings a new view. Is it unusual for the white bracts to be still in place – only one or two of the leaves have dropped to date. Thanks for your advice, the update. Bumping up the container size slightly and loosening the roots when you do, will keep your plant healthier and fresh. Help! As for total hours, I think the 15 or 16 hours isn’t as critical as total darkness is, but the closer you can get to 14 hours the better. Can’t wait to see if I can get it to turn red for xmas. We have been putting our pointsettia in light during the day for about 8 hours and in a box for the rest of the day/night. I have it on my computer desk under fluorescent lights. Thanks for any advice you can provide. I have to have the oddest Poinsettia. if i begin the dark cycles in october, would they still turn red by winter? Mary Ellen Fattori So Melvin, is this the first year in the containers? You should always keep the soil in your poinsettia’s pot moist. To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 F during the day. I bought 2 poinsettias at Christmas-time last year. By the same token, over fertilization can burn the leaves, yellowing them as well. i noticed a small increase in leaf size. HEY JOE , I remember doing experiments with plant leaves along these lines in school – not sure if it would work in this case though. They have new growth shoots approx 4 inches high shooting above the white bracts. If you don’t want to move your pot inside, I would use cardboard instead, However, you really need “total” darkness. Let us know what happens as well over time. IT HAS MULTIPLIED IN SIZE AND IS VERY GREEN. I did not prune them throughout the year because I did not anticipate leaving them in all year, but by September, the plants were huge (about 3 feet wide and 3 feet tall). Pruning stimulates new growth. In order for the poinsettia bracts (leaves) to turn red again, the plant must be kept in complete darkness for 12-15 hours from the end of September until color shows in the bracts in early to mid-December. One red and the other white. You’re at the point where it’s getting too late to enjoy the full benefits of an all-red poinsettia. I hope this helps. Hi Linda. If I put my plants in the basement in windows will the moonlight impact them turning red? Eventually, the green leaves fall, too. I will explain each issue in the following lines. Although poinsettias often drop their green leaves for environmental reasons, dropped red bracts are a signal that the plant is entering its dormant period. It winters in the cool guest room with generally only natural light. It is now May and it has stayed red and healthy the whole time. Plants eventually become “pot bound” or “root bound” when confined to the same container as the plant grows. Please tell me the correct pronunciation for Poinsettia. On average about six weeks is right. I have a basement. These colored leaves only appear during days with the shortest daylight hours. I have kept it near a glass window which gets 2-3 hrs sunlight daily. Hi Joe. And please let us know how this worked out. Botrytis gray mold (most destructive disease of poinsettia) Leaf and flower tissue rots; worse on immature leaves or wounded or stressed tissue. The leaves on Poinsettia plants turn yellow, curl and shrivel quickly do to warm temperatures and excessive moisture. Eventually the roots become so tightly encircled that they lose their ability to take up water and nutrients and the plant eventually begins to decline. I was gone a month, and when I got back, the person taking care of our plants and cat hadn’t watered as much as I had been watering, and it had lost some leaves. It may be all red by Valentines Day and that’d be great. Hi Laura. Idon’t need the whole plant to go red, just the tops…?? You can prevent the likelihood of root rot by always using new, sterile potting soil. Pull it out of the container and check the roots. The plant has really grown large so I’m afraid if I cover it too tightly I may damage leaves and/or break branches. Thank you for your help! Poinsettias are famous for their flower-like bracts that turn bright red in the winter time and earn them a place as an extremely popular Christmas plant. Here is a link about turning your poinsettias red again. Very leggy plants tell me it needs more light. This has being going on for at least 4 weeks or more. Is it too close to a heat vent? But that’s one of the mysteries of gardening I love so much. I have had them for about three or four years now. If the bracts aren’t needed or a burden they’ll drop off on their own. Lastly, I advise that you remove the plant from its original container and transplant it to one a bit larger. But I wouldn’t worry about pruning them yet. Then, if the cause of stress isn’t corrected, the leaf drop will gradually progress up the plant until it appears nearly naked, with only the colored bracts and a few green leaves on the top. Should I cut the whole thing back to four to six inches and start over or just let it go the way it is? Since it is now almost November, is there any way I can get the foilage to turn red? My fear is that at this point, your plant may drop most of its leaves, which is not what you want. Several barely survived the pressure washing company’s strong chemicals. Once this occurs, cut the stems back to four to six inches. Should I be concerned that if the plant turns red and I stop the 14/10 hour dark/light cycle, will it revert back to green? I’ve read that a few places, but not in others. I kept them alive (albeit not in the best shape) and in May (I live in Mass), I moved them outside without trimming, etc. PLEASE TELL US EVERYTHING IS OKAY, DON’T LEAVE US HANGING! If so, even with ample water, they won’t be able to take up water. The key is total darkness Amy. Next year I will pay put the box, in a warmer area and fertilize more frequently and will hopefully have better results! Now, the other two are turning red. . Wow, this thing is bright bright red and rocking! I cost you 10 days already! But once it is, you’re good to go through and beyond the holidays. Pick a slightly bigger pot, tease out the roots to break up any circular pattern, and freshen up the soil. I think one of the best things about gardening is the aspect of discovery. I doubt you could find a place that is “too” sunny from inside. Good luck. I have procrastinated on learning how to get the leaves red again, and bummed that they won’t be red for christmas. Alpharetta, GA 30004. Thanks for your help. Each stem is starting to turn ONE red leaf, but only ONE per stem branch. I hope I don’t kill them…. Thank you. I wouldn’t try to force any changes there. Cutting or pruning is a great way to stimulate new growth and invigorate your plant. Hope this information helps. My plant has been in full sun for all these years. If you are digging up from the ground, I’d repot after summer and with enough time before you bring it back inside, so that it has time to acclimate to its new home in a pot. Thank you!! It’s a perennial problem that I thought would have been conquered by today’s plant breeding techniques; however, this has not been achieved yet. They lose their leaves every 6 to 8 months in my observation. Jenny, rather than spray the foliage, i would place the container in a saucer of stones and water. I have never had this question before and I’ve never tried. Thanks Joe! Would be interesting to know. Do you think it will be ok if I stop covering them? It should put on plenty of new growth once it warms up. Hi Kimberly. Thank you for all of your wonderful work and advice. Any light leaks can break the cycle and your efforts to turn leaves red can fail. Hi Joe, I’m a very new to the plant world. In severe cases, all bracts can be affected, leading to decay of the entire top portion of the plant from Botrytis infection. Shane, But what you did is so much more interesting. My concern is that if you try, and then when it’s time to remove the tape, I think it’s very likely it will damage the leaves. Any ideas/tips?! Love the article — learn something new everyday! What if I just leave it in the closet for a while? You can transplant them out temporarily from late spring through early fall. JOE, The plant liked it, though. Good luck. I got him/her 5 years ago when someone gave it to me for Christmas. Congratulations on keeping your poinsettia alive. But if this is your only option you should def. How do I get its leaves to turn red for Christmas? And I have success! I WANTED TO KNOW SINCE I CANT MOVE IT SOMEWHERE FOR TOTAL DARKNESS.IS PUTTING A BOX OVER IT CAN THAT HELP ME OUT HERE WITH SOME HOLES MABYE. Is that what’s keeping the change from happening, or do I just need to wait longer? Best of luck. Loss of the older leaves is fine as long as new leaves are growing and the plant looks happy. Sign up for our newsletter or blog, and updates on new episodes, videos and more! Hi Alise. I have been going through all the comments and have learned a lot. It’s been exactly 4 weeks and some bracts have started to turn red =). IAM A NEW YORKER HERE AND I GOT A POINSETTA FROM A CLIENT AND ITS SITTING IN MY WINDOW AT WORK AND GOING STRONG SINCE CHRISTMAS OF 2015. My plant is in week four of 14 hours of darkness and only one small leaf is beginning to turn red. I can cover it at night when I leave the office but obviously, I’m not here to cover it at the weekend. I used Siri to dictate my message and unfortunately I did not proofread it before hitting the send button. After five days! If you can do that with the bag, AND it doesn’t get too hot under cover, that could work. yes Betty. Paul, your poinsettia needs total darkness cycles. While you might get lucky, the protocol would not be satisfied using your idea. He always manages to get it to bloom for Christmas to even though it is rather willowy and about 5 feet high and across. Now however I have two to three ft plants with almost a barky type stem and few leaves. Hope that answers your question. When you say “bloom” I assume you are talking about turning the leaves red. Good luck Tracy. I would wait until February or early March to cut it back. This pruning or shaping of your tree should start around May by cutting the whole top of your tree down to your 10″ leave-less trunk, unless you can already see some nice branches that are good to form into a nice tree. I’m afraid I don’t have a good suggestion for you by leaving it outside. I water them only when quite dry. Sorry to hear that Betty. Oh, I live in Virginia and my favorite plant lives outside ’til frost comes. You need a good head start. Happy gardening! They are both now 3-4′ high. For instance, Pink Knotweed , they say, doesn’t like direct sun light. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 0 Don’t feel bad if it’s a bigger undertaking than you have time for. Depending on your zone, you want to wait to take your poinsettia back outside until the fear of frost is past and the daytime temperatures are 70 degrees F or warmer, with night temperatures not dropping below 50 degrees F. If the ground temperatures are ok and you have moved your plant outside but there is a cold snap, cover the plant with a blanket and then uncover it the next day before the sun heats up too much. I re-potted it in spring and fertilized it once. I am in Jamaica and have two poinsettias I bought last year. You’ve likely heard the expression; “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it”. The planted a poinsettia they brought from Hawaii. I don’t need a response. Thanks! plz do let me know.. My guess is they will, just like poinsettias out in their native Mexico. Works like a charm. You are a person after my own heart. From what im reading in this article, this is OK? Most of the leaves are green with the exception of the topmost few which are smaller and red or white repectivly. Just trying to figure out how tightly I have to monitor this in case ‘life’ gets in the way! Or should I just leave it as is? It is too late to turn them red for this Christmas if that’s your hope Crystal. To reiterate, I have not been putting the plant in the closet or anything for 6-7 weeks, and now some leaves are changing. Temperature. Mrs Beatrice Petty, Urmston, Manchester . My experience is that once the leaves have turned red, you can put them out in full light. Pinched back in July. Good luck Chris. We live in the Pac NW and only have about 5 hrs of dark right now, so moving it to somewhere darker in a few months will do the trick? The branches you want to keep should be spread evenly around the tree to make it look round and nice. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/turning-poinsettias-red-again/. It would be a valuable lesson for us all. My poinsettia got too cold because I walked across the street with it in 20 degree weather. Maybe your plant isn’t getting 14 hours of TOTAL darkness. I would not break the light / dark cycle until it’s fully red. I am from India. I was going out of town for the holidays, so I didn’t complete the eighth week, sorry! You plant is trying to compensate for lower light levels. https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/restoring-a-poinsettia-to-its-christmas-color/, https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/turning-poinsettias-red-again/. My four year old poinsettia blooms all summer, brightening up the deck in Maine with small but very intensely red bracts. All the posts I’ve found are for people who can’t get theirs to bloom. I tried to retrieve my Golden Poinsettia tree, putting her back in the sun light area & fertilize every two weeks but sadly she never made it. If the exposure was short term the damage may be minimal. You need total darkness for a consistent period each day. What would be your advise in terms of pruning while the bracts are still present and should I pop them outside for the summer (Dublin temps are 12 to 20degrees centigrade). I’m SO impressed with myself, I’ve never managed this with a plant (except a spider plant but a toddler could grow those!). I bought a poinsettia last december. They can be stunning when they’re healthy, but a poinsettia with yellow leaves is both unhealthy and decidedly not festive. very workable solution worth sharing with others looking for ways to get their poinsettias to rebloom. Just forego that this season and keep it in a protected environment where it is not exposed to frost of freezing temps. They are inside in a very bright room out of direct sunlight. I just kept watering it. It also has some white powdery fungus looking stuff on a few branches. I had success last year with the same plant which was smaller but thought l would see more color by now. I started the process on Sunday night (brought the plant inside the house as cardboard wasn’t viable) and this am about a dozen leaves have started showing red veins and darken in color. I now baby them. When we sold the house in 2003, the base of the plant was 11″ in diameter and it was 6 feet tall. Since you are recommending that a poinsettia can be put in the ground, which US zone does the poinsettia grow best in? Check with your local cooperative extension service for more information. From inside the house, don’t be afraid to park it in a sunny spot. Advice please For the first time I’ve had a poinsettia live through the winter, it’s usually too dry and dark in the house to keep them happy through a New England winter. If you don’t put the plant somewhere for 14 hours where there is NO light, than you might not get red leaves. Q I have a large poinsettia with plenty of fresh green leaves. Infected plant material is probably the most important source of contamination; the bacteria can survive in dried leaves for as long as a year and they can reside on the foliage for several months before initiating disease. Found your suggestions and tried to follow this them year. The leaves are wilted and limp. Best of luck. They are all in an east facing window. AFTER JANUARY I PLANTED IT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE IN A SEMI SHADED AREA. If it lives thru this Christmas ,I will try doing what you are saying for next Christmas. I am so happy. Thank you. Otherwise, you can try removing them by hand. At this point, there are a lot of red leaves and the new leaves coming in are red. Days are getting longer and you can’t give it the environment it needs to change outside. I know it’s a lot of work to work the system to turn your poinsettia leaves red by following the “book” guidelines. th. I would love to see the comparison if you kept only one covered going forward to continue the experiment vs. one that you now just leave alone. Good luck. I wonder if they’ll adjust and behave for the holidays. They can be stunning when they’re healthy, but a poinsettia with yellow leaves is both unhealthy and decidedly not festive. Don’t let it dry out, but don’t water until the soil is sopping wet either. Sounds like you have the perfect house plants. Hi Brian. It may regrow those leaves, but that will take many months. It could be a number of things. And, to ensure light doesn’t accidentally get it, hubby has offered to make some stakes to keep the cardboard in place (we live in a canyon with winds and critters). Don’t think so Nancy. I think that the closet is dark, but it’s possible that a little light gets in there under the door. Seriously…how can this be? However, it’s the end of October first of November and some are very leggy. Honestly Gravy, your plants are doing what they’re supposed to do. Poinsettias are famous for their flower-like bracts that turn bright red in the winter time and earn them a place as an extremely popular Christmas plant. I have had mine for 4 years and prune it in the spring back to mostly stems but can’t put it outdoors so keep it in a south facing window. It’s called ramification, and each time you ramify, in theory the leaves should reduce to about half their previous size (In theory). I don’t know where you live but poinsettias are tropical and won’t survive a frosty night. I would love it if you did this and reported back on your findings. Unlike a maple tree for example, Poinsettias need the darkness in order for the leaves to turn. Hi, I was wondering if the leaves turn dark green or light green before turning red. The plant needs time to reproduce new growth. They revert to green when they are exposed to light. On my overnights away, do you think it best for me to leave the plant in total darkness (covered by the box) – maybe 48 hours – or is it best for me to leave the plan uncovered and start covering it again when I get home? Although it needs total darkness for hours a day, it also needs to compensate for that with strong light during the day. If you want your poinsettia to turn red again, you have to force it. Until then, keep in next to a sunny window and check soil moisture every few days and water lightly. The cardboard breathes, and the plant wont overheat. It’s cute, though! I didn’t cut mine back. Hi everyone It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. Nothing rivals the Poinsettia as a festive Holiday flower. But these are tropical plants and cannot survive cold temps Steve. Bold and beautiful, the poinsettia plant (Euphorbia pulcherrima) has bright petals that contain small flowers of green and yellow at the center. Give it a try. Site design by Hibiscus Creative. Is this normal? Not sure if this is better or worse. Perhaps a reader will offer suggestions on how to make this happen. This hopefully will give the humidity you say the plant should have at this time. Once it warms up where you live, prune back the broken leaves in early spring and let nature take its course. I got her last November & she was full till June. Poinsettias grow naturally in places like Mexico and Guatemala. This is such a wonderful option for those of us who hate to throw away healthy plants only because they won’t “rebloom.”. Congratulations on your successes, keep gardening. I planted my December 2015 poinsettia in a large pot and it has grown and done well this year. Be sure to give it plenty of water if you repot it. New growth should result from just below your cuts. I have waited until now – the end of May to consider pruning. I can’t wait to see how they make the transition inside. Place your poinsettia where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Its been 2 weeks since i moved it to larger pot. If you do as I suggest, then pruning out new shoots in July would be ok, but keep in mind the red leaves you are after are just that, leaves. Then you can plant outside or keep in a pot and bring it back in next fall. I only water when nearly dry and I keep it on a coffee table about 6 ft from an east facing patio door. Keeping an office plant at the office over the weekend in hopes of it turning red again can be a challenge. They’ll stay this way for several weeks, at least until after Christmas. Let me look into this and see if I can offer any more information on this today. Causes of Poinsettia Leaves Curling Try to keep your soil so that it is always slightly damp to the touch, and the pot has just a little extra weight to it when you pick it up. The pot is outside so i was thinking of a black trash bag. Poinsettia are very cold tender (which is kind of funny when you consider it is a "Christmas" plant). In order to best diagnose the problem, look at the roots. And the edges around few green ones are drying. About half of the small stems connecting leaves to the branches have turned red, but that’s it- no red on the leaves at all. Maybe if you use that easy-to-remove painters tape. They keep their blooms nearly all year long. I have just started the process of placing my poinsettia under a cardboard box for 14 hours each night in order to encourage it to bloom. Let me do this again. I had a tiny one last Christmas in the office and eventually all the leaves dropped off. As for hardiness, Zones 9-10 (USDA) is best for Poinsettias you want to leave outside all year. I have 10 poinsettias planted in front of my house. Hi Joe – really useful, clear advice, thanks! It is either too much or too little. Also, you’ll need to keep it watered as indoor environments can be very dry. Today they are HUGE and full of leaves. with a lamp w bright bulb on a timer I’m very curious to know how this works out so please get back to me on the outcome! The leaves will die when they are exposed to cold and they can't be revived. Settings with bright, filtered sunlight, like an east or west-facing window or … Each was purchased at a different store a year apart. Since our winter is so cold this year, I just relocated them temporarily, away from the window, as their leaves were curling a bit. I didn’t know that I had to keep it in total darkness starting in October. Eventually the leaves will start to drop off. Repotting your poinsettia plant may also help. I don’t let the plant get leggy, but by trimming about 1/3 of the leaves, and placing it in partial shade usually results in larger leaves. Unfortunately I had to be away for conferences and meetings 4 times and so the treatment was not consistent. It sounds like you did everything right. I have never been to a website where there were so many thorough answers!!! Good luck. I’m not sure if I’ll try the 14 hours of darkness to try and get them red in time for Christmas. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Odd question… I live in Michigan. I’m impressed they did so well. Joe does the temperature matter while the plant is in darkness? How important is humidity during the dark process? I haven’t seen any consequences to me leaving the plant covered in 48 hours until I returned to work on Mondays. It was late blooming this year as I was away in October and November last year and it turned red in February as a result. Im a little unclear about the pruning process. Why do poinsettias turn yellow? Some of the new leaves are turning red (only half of the leaf), some times it seems the leaves are very light green so if we keep it in the box for a day they get a very nice dark green . A further update: another month later, the plant still has relatively few leaves, but on about 6-8 branches, the leaves closest to the window have turned color. I would give it a try. Can I use a winter shrub cover to make my poinsettia bloom? The poinsettia plant is native to Central […] I would leave it in bright light while you are away and resume the 14-10 rotation when you return. Once the leaves have turned red (most of them) is it OK to leave in normal light again? Living in hot, dry Southern California, not only do I soak the soil almost daily but lightly mist the leaves especially when temps soar to 95+ (I don’t think any plant can take that much direct sun/heat and survive without some add’l TLC). Restoring a healthy green Poinsettia plant from last year back to its original red color is no problem if you follow a few simple rules. There are about 20 stems on this plant and they are all very leafy and healthy, but only ONE red leaf per stem. Water and medium shade (and keep out of direct afternoon sun) are key until it recovers over a week to 10 days at least. As for light, the plant needs light each day as well as total darkness too. Fuzail, I would place them outdoors in a container or in ground and keep an eye on them. is this normal? Yes, please do keep us posted. I honestly don’t know Joe if that little light is making the difference. If you feel the need to cut it back, do it now. Poinsettias need exposure to bright but indirect light each day. Place the poinsettia in a dark place for about 14 hours a night, starting in early fall. Just the lights from the office don’t compensate for that. However last Saturday I returned after 3 days and both plants have a few red leaves!!! But it should respond well if you follow the above. Best of luck. Hopefully it’s just a matter of time. Your temps are on the cool side but not too cool I think. Live in California in August! Also, if you transplant and cut back, keep it out of all day direct sun for a couple weeks. Environmental factors such as warm, dry conditions are most often the reason for leaf drop. It’s transplant shock. Catherine, I also think you need to cut the plant back a bit to rejuvenate it. Thanks for the info on turning the leaves red again. I’ve always considered myself to have a black thumb so I’m scared to mess with it since doing nothing so far has made it seemingly happy. Please let us know and share more details about the environment where they’re planted. All that ever happened is, they died. Poinsettias come in a range of colors from white to orange, but are most popular in their red variety. Any thoughts? So I will continue leaving it in front of the windows as its the only time I have ever had a poinsetta live let alone change color. They are now over 8 ft high will they still turn color even with the large size? I would wait a bit either way and let the plants acclimate to their new environment first. LORI, DID EVERYTHING WORK OUT????? I gave up. I have a white poinsettia and a red poinsettia and I’m wondering since the leaves are now beginning to fall off and I have had them since Christmas what do I do to keep them fresh do I plant them in a warm sunny place or do I put them in a bag and keep it in total darkness until next October. If I remember to. I have now placed pot on a bed of pebbles which has a small amount of water, not touching the bottom of the pot I hasten to add. I would not be worried about the humidity. I started in October with putting a big black thrash bag over my plants for 12 hours and giving them sun during the days. However, a diluted dose of liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks wouldn’t hurt for overall health, but don’t do it to try and boost the leaf size. https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/turning-poinsettias-red-again/ this link may help. All the branches died If the roots appear healthy, the poinsettia is probably not getting enough water and/or light. If you are turning the plant earlier, just remember that you need a few months to turn it red. Your plants seem quite happy indoors. It’s inside by the door to my office and it’s in a window. Follow Joe on Twitter. I’ll let you decide that. I started covering the poinsettia with a thick black garbage bag inside the closet. She had it in the house all the time! https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/restoring-a-poinsettia-to-its-christmas-color/ Yes, you need to fertilize and this article should help. How to get bicolor leaves . I don’t have anywhere dark and humid. My question is , is it to late to turn it’s leaves red? can I use a florescent light during the time I am trying to get it to turn red again for there is some sunshine that comes through but mostly in evening I manage every thing but giving it the prouper lighting any suggestions will be ablige. I’m looking forward to this challenge (and bragging rights!). But striking the correct balance between darkness and light is the key. Thanks! Is this normal? Have I understood correctly that after the red blooms fall off, I am to cut each stem down a bit? If you are looking for a pretty poinsettia for … EXPERTS. However alot of the Red leaves are falling off. I will keep you apprised of the outcome. No air and high heat is not good for your poinsettia. So are yellow leaves on poinsettia caused by too much or too little water? never bloomed again but it sure grew big! Yay Paulette! I’m thinking you’ll get red, just won’t know how much. I’ve had my poinsettias a LONG time and they rarely EVER turn red. They will fall off on their own if they’re no longer productive to the plant. I have tried to force poinsettias red, in the past. Hope this information helps. When you’re dealing with a poinsettia with yellow leaves, over or under watering are the most likely culprits simply because they’re so easy to get wrong. Lastly, after you’ve reviewed the previous issues, add some liquid fertilizer at half strength, and do so every 2 weeks. That's natural. These plants are in the same location every year when I bring them in. Starting in late September, place the poinsettia in a spot where it's in complete darkness for approximately 13 hours each night. G. I have been putting my potted poinsettia in a closet every night without fail for a month. and how important is it to keep the plant in 65 degrees starting september? May the light green is better and its not getting enough light? I’d think that smaller leaves would look more elegant myself. The research I’ve done shows that I need to keep it moist and do the 14-10 that you guys have been doing as well. Hi, ran across the thread; good info. You will also learn a few ways to fix them. Hey Alex. Also, the plant might be pot bound. I didn’t know I was suppose to cut it back. It will do well either way. Pretty green leaves now. Poinsettia infestation is usually present when you purchase the plant, so the most important thing is to examine the plant closely before you purchase and bring it home. Hi Chris. IM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE IT TURN RED AGAIN .EVERY BODY IN MY OFFICE IS DOUBTING ME BUT I KNOW MY BABY HAS IT IN HER. It is the perfect opportunity to observe the direct impact your efforts will have by going forward with just the one. I tried putting some used coffee grounds on it and then realized – chocolate flavored coffee grounds make your house smell like chocolate for a week. Living in Florida is too late to trim these? However, you won’t hurt it to try starting the cycle now and when you’re ready to bring it out for display, although it may not be as red as you’d like, it should show some signs of color at least with 7 weeks or so to go. Thanks in advance. When you don’t have optimum light and heating arrangements you sometimes just watch the thing and say, “grow or die, sucka!” Maybe next Christmas I’ll try the 14-10 method. I can’t say for sure but I have my doubts that florescent lights are bright enough to fully replace the sunlight. Here's a quick overview of how to care for your Poinsettia this holiday season. Sustainable Living and Organic Gardening PBS Series, Plants need 14 hours of complete darkness each day to restore their holiday color. A little suggestion from Cathy in ct. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. Put it outside in the spring, wasn’t happy with the cool air and direct sun, lost all it’s leaves. Or should I continue covering them for 3 more weeks? We have nice color forming on the new leaves. OMGoodness! Am I understanding that I should prune it all the way back (in this case) to were there are no leaves left? In mid-October, I moved my poinsettia’s from an outdoor patio to an unused bathroom which gets no light in the evening. I gave them a little bit of miracle grow about 1 1/2 weeks ago. But sometimes they don’t, so that’s where the intervention comes in by trying to simulate ideal conditions. I’m not sure where you live but I think you will have time if you prune your poinsettias now. Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. That’s why your leaves are dropping off now. The brown margins on the leaves are from dryness of soil or fertilizer burn. Ro, Too much work, they are cheap enough to buy new ones during the Holidays. -Kimberly Crawford. Another possibility is that it is getting too much dry heat from the location in the house. Adding too much and the result is fertilizer burn. Observe the display conditions. I have a poinsettia I bought last November. So should I keep the plant on the window where it’s sunniest indoors and just continue the regime when I return from holiday or keep it in the dark the whole time I’m away? I followed Joe’s article and got red leaves last year by Christmas. Thank you for the advice!! I planted my poinsettia in a big pot on my veranda and it turned green.. the pot is too big to take inside to let it have total darkness in order for it to turn red. I would love it if you would find a way to block the light and keep the experiment going. Can these plans be transplanted outside or is it too cold for them? Still very healthy. I got a huge poinsettia from my neighbor, the question I have is if I kept it in the house all year would it continue to grow? Also if I plant such a large plant in the ground, will it make it throught the winters or will it die? 2 Questions: What is the best thing to use for its 14 hour ‘blackness” period? Joe, I’ve been covering my plant for about 3 weeks now. I have the plant at my work. I live in eastern Tennessee. Hi, can you please tell me the best way to get my golden poinsettia tree back to life. Help! Lesions on leaves and bracts appear as … I will be using the 14/10 theory that you posted. But, I can have a red plant for Valentine’s day! There are no dumb questions, especially when it comes to gardening and plants! It will make such a great comparison and learning opportunity. Thanks. Thought I’d killed it but eventually it started sprouting again. Keep reading to learn what might lead to a poinsettia getting yellow leaves and how to treat yellow leaves on poinsettia plants. Best of luck. Thanks for sharing this tip with us. Although poinsettias like it warm, being wrapped in plastic outdoors, even in cool climates can kill your plant. Poinsettia leaves curl because of the incorrect amounts of water, light, and fertilizer. What must I do to grow leaves without interrupting the bloom? We have been light monitoring our poinsettia, from last year about, for five weeks (we should have started sooner, but we are newbies to reblooming, and are none-the-less very excited for the success we are seeing). The knot weed at our complex is huge and in direct light. Advice? Growing a Greener World However, starting in the evening, the plants must get complete darkness. I knew nothing about them other than that they were pretty and cheap. This can result in leaves gradually turning yellow before falling off. Pruning a poinsettia removes its faded bracts, making room for next year's colorful show, and... Transplanting to a Larger Pot. Should I prune it, repot it, spray it with something to get rid of the white stuff? As long as moisture remains in the saucer, you should be fine. did you follow the guidelines for the light/dark timing? This article is mega useful as I was wondering how on earth I was going to turn my poinsettia red again. If you think your plant has the right amount of water, though, there are some other possible causes. I have a plant out front in orlando i just coverd it with a box cutting all light out do i have to take the box off during the day? Hi Carol. My kind of a plant! Just keep it happy as you have been doing and try again next year. It wouldn’t necessarily look that good, I realise, but I’m curious to see whether it would work at all, even if it means sacrificing a fully red poinsettia for a year. Kerry, It is indeed a lot of work to turn the leaves red. I was afraid it would died! I’m assuming it’s not drastically different from non-dark. I have repotted them twice and it’s time to do it again. Yes, you could buy a plant for a few bucks and have all the red you want. John. If the latter, I’d do that after the holidays. Yes, this will be more than is advised, but my hunch is that this will be ok for 2 days per week. Select those branches that will go around to form into a rounded tree. I am really confused by this thing. But even so, I don’t think the leaves can stand up to that. I’ve not heard of this happening like this so quickly Heidi. You may also want to assess where you plant is located. Poinsettias WILL drop their leaves as the winter goes on. Thanks for checking in Paulette. I live in Kansas City. I DID BACK SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TRIMMED IT. Another reason to avoid direct sunlight is that it may become too hot for the plant. I can’t come to work during weekend. Nothing says Christmas quite like the poinsettia. FALL. I have 3 poinsettias in my office from last Christmas season. I just wanted to say I was so impressed by all the answers. I have an almost leafless poinsettia which after seeing your comments I learned that I can cut the stems back and it will put on new leaves/growth. Thanks Paul and I’m rooting for you! I have heard it pronounced by newscasters, private individuals, nurserymen…all differently. The most important thing when trying to to turn your poinsettias red again is the darkness. This is mostly happening to the topmost leaves but on a couple plants it goes down further. Poinsettia leaves turning yellow can be caused by quite a few things, but the most likely source of the problem is water. How to Make a Poinsettia's Leaves Turn Red Pruning a Poinsettia. I love poinsettias! However, if you added the fertilizer after the browning curled leaves, it was that the soil was too dry. I put my poinsettias outdoors, in the Spring, when the night temps are 59 degrees or warmer. They were doing fine,; but all of a sudden many of the leaves are turning brown on the edges and curling up. I don’t want to kill it, as it was given to me by a friend who died shortly after and it has sentimental value to it. I commend folks who place a box over their poinsettias every night to force the leaves to turn red. By dumb luck I’ve managed to keep a Christmas poinsettia alive for three years. It’s still a pretty plant even with green leaves but not so much with a few stems and a couple leaves. I’m going to try this 14/10 thing this year. If so, we should be finding out soon enough. I am covering poinsettia daily with cardboard box. Thank you for the answer to my question. It has been kept wrapped too long. Poinsettias can turn yellow for various reasons. Nothing out of the ordinary, that is, until this year! There should be no signs of wilting or drooping and no fallen or yellowed leaves. So I hope you will try this and let us know what you learn. Hmmm, the black garbage back worries me. The bracts will start to turn color in about four weeks, and continue if you carefully keep up the process. All I do is water it and feed it normal plant food. Please keep us posted. Wow Denise. Healthy poinsettias should have dark green foliage and brightly colored bracts (these are the modified red leaves which look like petals). But you could safely cut it back about 1/3 or 1/2 after the risk of frost is gone this spring when you move it outside during the warm months. Regarding your question, allowing your plants to have more room to spread their roots will likely cause them to grow larger. I’m curious to know if there is any color change with no intervention by you at all. Thank you. My first choice at this point is to leave it alone (but keep doing what you’re doing) if you are keeping it indoors. I’m keeping it in a room that stays around 45 to 55 degrees. Thanks. (early, not sure when you started the dark light program?) I have a red poinsettia , which I bought in December 2014. Thanks Joe. Poinsettias give off a toxic gas called ethylene. Poinsettia plants are susceptible to a number of infestations, but are most prone to whitefly. Happy Thanksgiving! If I cover it with black garbage bag , from what time till what time is best to leave the garbage bag on the poinsettia plant? The biggest issue is the plant’s need for darkness during this time. So the downside is, you’ll be taking your plant home with you on the weekends. It's the perfect decoration for office parties and family gatherings alike. I have my plant in a big pot also, so I got a cardboard box 16’x16″ square and about 24″ deep and turned it upside down as a “dome” over the plant. So it will get bright light for the required time then go off to resume the total darkness stage. I just need to move this to somewhere darker in about August so they will turn Red again? it lost most of it’s leaves during winter, i’ve cut it once probably around March. The weekend conundrum with your plant being at work will disrupt the light / dark cycle. By Joe Lamp'l. Or just 14 hrs? Even a little light can affect the desired outcome. I have a friend who has a poinsettia that he has kept alive indoor for decades. If it were me, I think I’d take a poinsettia with some green leaves vs. one with very few leaves. Congratulations on your success. Thank you. While I know not everyone has a garden she’d this is what’s working for me ..I set my pot on a bench in the shed in front of a window and place a brown paper sack over it for darkness and remove it the next day . Whether your poinsettia is parched or its roots are waterlogged, it’s going to respond with yellow, dropping leaves. When you do, break up the roots so they’re not all tightly wound in a circular pattern and use a high-quality “potting soil” or “container mix” when you transfer the plant to the new pot. I have a poinsettia that has been beautiful, putting in closet at night and doing what I am suppose to, but one of the branches has broken and I don’t know what to do. Losing leaves could be because of too much water or not enough. I just keep it where it is and watered normally and gave it fertilizer in late August. Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Let us know what happens. Yes. Poinsettias like to be kept in a cool room, preferably under sixty-five degrees. c/o The Joe Gardener Company Good luck! But don’t set it outside until it warms up in spring. It is dark here at night, no street lights as in country. My grandparents built there house in San Clemente CA back in 1951. Hi Brendan. It should be neither dripping wet nor totally dry, and if it is, … Just let mother nature handle it as the days get shorter it automatically triggers blooming as long as you do not have strong artificial light on at night. Will spraying the soil give it sufficient humidity? I bought a few poinsettias five days ago. 2) Can I completely block the light for 4 weeks? Remove it from its existing pot and check the roots. However when I’m on holiday for a bit I won’t get to do this. There are new shoots of the plants growing and the new leaves are all green. Please report back whatever you do. It’s in a clay pot, that I think it’s time to get it a large pot. Plants need 14 hours of complete darkness each day to restore their holiday color. And you may never need to prune them if you’re happy with the size and shape. But you need to prune the top removing branches especially the small ones that will not receive light since they are hidden from other branches. My Poinsettia has developed dark edges around the red leaves. Assuming this is not practical, do all you can during the week and lets see how this turns out. Mark, Make sure it’s being potted up in good soil, and gets plenty of water but not to the point where the soil is saturated. I too started my attempts at turning a poinsettia in an office setting. Sorry for all the errors! I’m giving the 14/10 method a go this year. I’d say enjoy it as is and tackle this project with a smaller plant in October. If you use a green bag would that help instead of putting it in a dark room for x number of hours a day. Thank You, Ive researched and failed ..its now 2 months of 5pm to 8am total darkness..and bright flourescent lights or the sunny windows ..theres no peak thru light when I put the plant to sleep..I made a cover that fits in the cracks in the doors of a cabinet we are only using for this plant and here we are with dark , very dark in fact , green leaves and only a hint of red speckles in the stems..So my family laughs and says MOM YOU CAN BUY ONE FOR $8.00!! Your poinsettia with yellow leaves could be caused by a mineral deficiency – a lack of magnesium or molybdenum could turn leaves yellow. I wish I could tell you what it is! Is there any way to make leaves big? Will leave it outside now, still watering it in hopes something will happen. Good luck. Do I continue with the no light treatment for more red? I just put it in the garage after Christmas and and moved it outside in the spring–still in the same pot. Once the flowers are gone, the leaf bracts fall off. We just moved it to a larger pot with new dirt, and its very happy and growing new green leaves. My question: I have to be away overnight occasionally over the next few weeks and will not be able to cover or uncover the plant while away. I have been covering each plant with a light proof trash bag every night for 5 weeks, 14 hours a day – I’ve been using trash bags because the plants are too big for boxes. It is fine to cut back some of the stems Jamie. They were in partial sun all summer, but it was a very hot and humid summer here in the northeast.