How to Grow Poinsettia Year Round - Complete Growing Guide

Poinsettias are given as gifts around the holidays because of their beautiful green and red colors, however many people throw them out shortly after the holidays. In this episode, we will be showing you how to grow them year-round as a house plant, and how to make them turn back into their red and green color just in time for the holidays.
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[@pauaolson]

I did exactly what you said to my poinsettia this year. I CANNOT believe how big and beautiful it is. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! So hopefully I can get it to turn red this winter. 🍁

[@carolyncook1763]

0

[@misskriss848]

Hannah's Simple Thoughts did it turn red again?

[@jjadventures7656]

So did it turn red ? I need to know

[@pauaolson]

@@jjadventures7656 yes it did. 🍁🍁🍁

[@jjadventures7656]

Thank you I just bought mine this year hopefully I get it to bloom next year

[@markemyshibukawa9254]

I gave my mom one when I was in grade school for Christmas. She replanted it outside at the side of our house in just the soil we had. It was in shade 100% of the time and was watered a lot by our neighbor's A/C condensation. It flourished for years and surprisingly, became a beautiful bush! We're in SoCal.

[@vistaprime]

do you cut it after it flowers so it doesn't die as he suggested or does it still live on even when it flowers?

[@ThePhobosAnomally]

@@vistaprime It does not die after it flowers. it drops the red leaves. But if you want it to grow fast, you should prevent it from flowering so that it concentrate on the flowers. This is actually a tree (tropical). Google "Poinsettia in Wild in Mexico" and check some images. Red leaves are not flowers, the flowers are extremely small on poinsettias. Red leaves do not do photosynthesis, or at least not as good as the green leaves and that is why when the leaves are red, it is in sort of a dormant state - this dormancy is not required, so it's ok to keep your poinsettia in a sunny place all year round without having it 'flower' (turning red). That way - with good green photosynthesis the plant keeps on growing. If you have a poinsettia with a crown (the red set of leaves), the plant will not die. But if you see that the the red leaves are not looking all that great anymore or you are ok with having the plant, you should remove the leaves and with that you would make the plant a great favor. When poinsettias grown as a houseplants they do not have as many leaves as a full size tree. And if the top part gets red and folllowing that, produces less energy for the tree then there are not many green leaves left green to keep the plant happy. Those that are still green are shaded out by the red ones on the top, so they too can not do their job 100%. :) Hope this helps.

[@JAYTBAYB]

PhobosAnomaly I rescued a sick looking white/green plant and I'm gonna try and get it back into shape

[@ss-fs3fm]

Mark & Emy Shibukawa does she still have it?

[@heidispiegel]

Same here! Our family house is located in L.A.. The poinsettia was planted by the house, shady side and it grew tree-size (we could see it from the dining-room window. It would still be there (I'm 61) if it were not for workmen doing repairs to the wall 5 years ago and trampled it. :-(.

[@tangledshoelace4726]

I use to take care of a woman who had a poinsettia that was the size of a large bush!! It was just gorgeous!!

[@lokithedoggo3154]

Thank you for this! I have yellow poinsettia which i got last christmas and now it is starting to look dead and not bushy. I will try your tips and hopefully make the plant happy and healthy again.

[@urjaverma7661]

Didn't know lot of stuff i learnt in this video, especially about releasing roots from those circles while repotting! Thanks that was much needed

[@MidnightMustang]

Just got mine last night and I am in love with it. LET'S DO IT

[@terryrussel3369]

FINALLY ! Someone who makes sure we know what to feed the poor things and even understands the idiosyncratic lighting requirements and adaptations !

[@marthabonelli8906]

You have so much knowledge on this topic. I truly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing 😊

[@scott12black]

Great info for a handout at the nursery next Christmas, thanks! Great way to get customers back in the door for pot-up supplies during the winter as well.

[@MIgardener]

There you go! Great idea!

[@richardherbst8081]

So far I am keeping mine alive! This is the longest I have had one live. I am determined to keep it going. This really helps...Thanks!

[@ildiphoenix]

I bought a Poinsettia last Christmas in Tokyo where I live ,amazingly. Is still nice with the red lives but this last days started to look tired and that’s when I found your video ,I will put it in a bigger pot and do as you said ,my ancestors where Gardner’s in Hungary and I didn’t know how to keep a plant alive :) Thank you 😊

[@user-cv6fp2gy3s]

Thank you I've always chucked mine out I love them, the colours are beautiful for the holidays but after watching this I know now. 😊

[@fizzypop1858]

You rock, Luke! I have been limping my poor poinsettia along since last November (2018) and it's looking pretty weird right now. I want to keep it happy, so decided to search how to do that and found your video. Thanks for what you do here on youtube!

[@fancyfaceq172]

Looking forward to taking care of mine all year around n see next year how big the plant will get

[@Reub3]

My favorite thing to do every year. Drive around the neighborhood and pick up all the poinsettia plants in the garbage. I bring them home plant them in the ground (most of them make it). Water them in with compost tea all year round. The following year holidays... PROFIT BIG TIME as I sell them to people who want poinsettia's in a nice pot. Now if I can just figure out how the leaves stay red all year round even though we have mild winters in SE Texas.

[@vaneetgill]

you are an angel for the discarded plants.

[@julisseporras-gerhardt3472]

Reub3 how do you make compost tea? Thank you 😊

[@priyankaray1816]

Smart

[@theresanutter4690]

From my understanding poinsettias are South American natives and can (or do) grow into trees. I've also read where the leaf colors and flowering is more due to more or less phosphorus and nitrogen in the soil than lighting.

[@Crymzon1980]

I'm glad I came across this video, first time having a poinsettia and didn't know i needed to defoilage it, but now i'm looking forward to how it will progress !

[@Tdv58]

Well myne just started going red on its own. After being in a warm spot in the summer having sun. No fertilisers or darkness. I didnt think it will bloom again. What a suprise. I love my plant

[@andrewml3602]

Thanks for the tips with poinsettias. Didnt know you can make them flower again. Great plant to have year round.

[@pershop4950]

Glad to see this kind of video. 2 years ago, I began trying to grow the poinsettias year-round also. The first year, I made a mistake and left it out in the early spring when we got a particularly cold night, so I lost that round. Last year, I managed to keep 2 plants alive, but by the time I took them inside this year, one of them was losing all its leaves. I somehow missed this and didn't take the right action to help it. But the other plant is doing well. It has not yet created its red leaves again but it looks healthy with many green leaves. Thank you for your additional tips and instructions. However, since I did not know about the part to cut the flower to prevent the plant from dying, I can confirm that I just transplanted it and the plant did not die. But I can't say it has made new flowers / red leaves / petals either.

[@Wh3nth3wick3drul3]

Mine never dies and has spent it's third Christmas. It just is spindly and never went red the two years afterwards. Which is why I came on KZbin to see if I could prune it somehow and make it beautiful.

[@chrisclyde4490]

3500k is full spectrum. Maybe go a little lower like 2700k for more red. Thank you for the tips about pruning back, and changing light schedule. I didn't know that you keep them in dark most the day and only give a few hours of light to get it to flower. I was thinking 12 on and 12 off so I'm glad that I seen this. 🤙👊

[@kstari]

I'm new to your channel. I can't say I know much about plants and gardening but I'm hoping to learn more. I just happened to see this title and seeing I still have two red poinsettias ( it's march now) I figured I'd watch to see how I can keep them year round. I found the information pretty fascinating:)

[@StephandSnow]

you should definetly do another video 3-5 weeks of yourr poinsetta! as a reminder for me lol and i do wanna see how yourr poinsetta looks

[@ammorales1524]

Perfect timing! I was planning on transplanting my poinsettia this weekend but in the ground. Your video gave me the know how in doing this. I live in the Bat Area Northern Cal and I hope and pray I will find a suitable place to plant it and thrive for many years. Thanks Luke!

[@dianadiana9299]

Hiya... I always keep my Poinsettia in my conservatory where it gets plenty of light all year round. I never put it in the dark & always get red leaves on it for Christmas. All I do is to repot it and water it weekly :-)

[@almuttolkien6805]

Just came across your channel to learn how to propagate poinsettias, but have to tell you that I have been able to keep my plant for 3 years now. Yes it needed transplanting but since I didn't know about cutting those red leaves I now have a beautiful, bushy plant that flowers (almost) continuously all summer long and it seems that those red leaves turn green, go figure. OK at Christmas time it's green.......but ornaments do the trick.

[@Loretta_Goff]

By the way.. First garding video ever that I'm going to share on Facebook :-) Way to go Mr DeThaw :-)

[@MIgardener]

Thank you for sharing it! We need more people like you to help spread the word!

[@ladyVictoriaB]

Thank you so much. I grow my poinsettia and it’s very big and beautiful everyone admired it and I was wondering when will it turn red. Now I know what to do.

[@misskriss848]

Victoria did it turn red again?

[@kathynissing9867]

8 percent of our lives and they will be our best to get it back in time to see you and then I hope we will see them tomorrow morning

[@DaveD2488]

I did not cut mine back but since near the end of October I have been covering it with a dark trash back and placing in basement. I do start to see some red on leaves now. I will start to do the cut back method after this Christmas season.

[@christinafreeman4954]

Yes! I really need to clip the flowers off. I was wondering why it was dropping leaves. Thanks!

[@roosb9579]

Christina Freeman k

[@karlar534]

I bought 12 ponsiettas on Thanksgiving last yr and the last one just died yesterday. I couldn't believe it lasted so long. Imma do the same this yr

[@divinelotus19]

Mine is still kicking after 2 years, zero maintenance. This year I'm putting more love to it.

[@OktoberSnoopy18NaLa22]

THANK YOU so much for your help! 🙏 you are the only advice I found, that made any sense & am following for my poinsettias ♥️ I do not have a green thumb 😬 appreciate all your advice! Happy New Year 2022 🌎🕊

[@rodgerbarnett5826]

OK, I did everything wrong according to your very informative video. I live in South Texas and we get some pretty good heat during the summer, My plant looked just like yours when i bought it last year from Home Depot. As the season went on I thought i would attempt to keep it alive for the next season. Well....all the big good lookin' leaves fell off over time and were replaced with really small leaves, I moved the plant indoors and it's still alive. I did just fertilize with some miracle gro. I have always watered it and i also did replant into a larger pot. Now down here in Texas we like to think everything grows bigger, but my plant is embarrassin". I realise there's a learnin' curve to everything you try, so I'm hopin' this plant will recover. I'll buy another plant this Christmas and try again. My current plant appeasr healthy, just has really small leaves. Ideas?

[@natalieanastasiaschmidt]

Interesting to learn how to sterilize compost (for indoor use)! Thanks for the informative video!

[@joyasdecobre]

I am so glad to have found this video. I learnt something new about dealing with rootbound plants and repotting them. Also learnt about pruning them to encourage new growth for the next year. I have one query, which is actually why I even thought to check your video. It is about my poinsettia buds falling off. Should I be concerned? Or I should I welcome it thinking those fallen buds will sprout into new saplings in the same pot? Will appreciate your reply 🙏

[@HulaShack1]

In one house I lived in in Hawaii, there was a poinsettia tree.

[@TH-eb5ro]

I had one as a large bush in my yard in the Philippines.

[@lork213]

Great looking forward to following these steps this Year!

[@davidsurnearsr8249]

My wife was given a white plant last november and it is still beautiful and I have a red that started to die but is coming back strong. Thank you for the tips! I was wondering about pruning to encourage growth, thanks again

[@randyrandolph8190]

Look at that bridge lenders in Florida why is my poinsettia stillridge and May

[@nancypeplau9747]

Wonderful video, thanks a bunch!

[@damonmillman7127]

All new info for me. Thanks.

[@bubblekittea]

I bought the most beautiful Pink Poinsettia and I really hope I can keep it alive but I'm so nervous, I'm watching loads of videos like these thank you!

[@hazelcreekheritagefarm8092]

Thank you for the video! We have salvaged one from last Christmas and it has thrived just on its own. But to get it to red again for Christmas is one question I had which you answered in great deal!! Thank you thank you thank you. You are awesome.

[@Chirpy_Chirp]

Thank you!! I'm sooo excited to do this with my poinsettias this year!!!

[@deniseusmani198]

Thank you for the video I cut mine back a few weeks ago and it already shooting out new leaves

[@628DirtRooster]

Learn something new every day... I'll have to show Elizabeth. She's probably going to tell me she already knew and is surprised I didn't. lol

[@Stay1432skz]

Great information thank you

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

"these plants will not flower and then continue to grow, once they flower they die" well, that isn't entirely true. In Florida it isn't uncommon to just stick them in the garden and you just prune them back hard in the spring to encourage bushier growth. But, if you don't, they will produce branches at the top and become spindly looking but they don't simply die.

[@seneciohaworthii970]

Michael McCarthy , yes I have one growing in my yard that’s 5 years old and blooms each winter

[@philip9878]

They dont have flowers, they're bracts.

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

@@philip9878 well that is flat out wrong. The colored leaves that most people consider to be the flowers are bracts. In the center of that are the cyathia which contain the flowers.

[@Jimbo41]

Michael has McCarthy hm

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

@Jenny Mitchell south Florida up to coastal Tampa. N. Central I would keep it in a pot, should you have a freeze you can bring it inside.

[@shentujaswal3773]

Thank u .....very useful information regarding this plant...this is a new plant in my big plant family....good wishes

[@janetskene3413]

How interesting. I’ve learned a lot. Thank You for sharing this information. I have been given a large pot containing several poinsettias of red and white (5 or 6). It’s gorgeous but I’m not sure what to do after Christmas ...

[@warrenbrown8998]

Thank you. Excellent

[@SharonCullenArt]

If we don't cut off the tree but provide it with more light won't the red leaves eventually turn green? Also mine tend to get real scraggly, I've lost leaves etc and they just look live death! Now I hadn't been cutting the red off so maybe that's the reason. But if it had lost a lot of leaves and looks scraggly what do we do to save them at that point? Should we cut them back more? Can we cut them back passed the first leaves just leaving stems?

[@kymalbreschtz7834]

We buy poinsettias every year. Normally get rid of it in April they start to fade away... Thanks for sharing! :-}

[@earth7451]

This is way TOOOO much work to get red leaves for Christmas, but thank you very much for the good explanation.

[@PriscillaHuffman]

Thank you, thank you thank you!! I needed this!

[@dianed3491]

Luke, make sure you give us an update on your poinsettia. I am interested to see. Thanks and Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@MIgardener]

Well I did just do it today, so it will be a little while before an update is in order, but I plan to grow it so it becomes massive for next year's Christmas... or I guess this year's Christmas?

[@holly_kay5570]

This is great! I've kept them alive for a couple of years, but not that way and they never real did well. I'll do it your way now...thank you!

[@you_r_my-world2288]

Very well explained. Thank you

[@cjgarner07]

I'm glad you posted this video wow my mother in law was just asking me about how to make them last and I had no idea! Thanks again!

[@MIgardener]

So glad I thought about doing it!

[@33piolin]

How do you put it in the ground if you have to put it in the dark?

[@frankdagostino5584]

great video thank you

[@EileenJoyHappy]

Thank you for the information. I did not understand how to get them to go back to red thank you telling us how to do that.

[@MIgardener]

It is definitely tricky, but so worth it!

[@emtnltrnwrck1971]

Thank you! So helpful

[@kamikake9834]

I know this is old, but if you are still around, I have a question. I have a poinsettia that I "rescued" last Christmas from a friend. It's in it's original pot (which I will now immediately change) and it's still alive, but only one spindly little trunk with a few leaves. Besides re-potting, what more can I do to help bring it back to glory?

[@KevSmetana]

I find this easy to fall asleep to

[@patriciabenitez6560]

What? Who would have ever thought 💭 of this. Thanks ❤️ 😊

[@jljsherrod02]

This is great! I was wondering how I'd keep it alive and then this video showed up, thanks!

[@narcoticmonke2382]

Thx this method works I watched this video close to last year soon I'll try the flowering method

[@dianabaskin1944]

Good information. I never thrown mine out but they always die on their own. I thought I would try to figure out how to take care of them. I get them as gifts and I used to buy a lot of them but didn't this year because they just die.

[@chrisnasil1752]

Thanks a lot for the information But i want to know how does it look like now so can you provide me with a picture of your poinsettia

[@comena30]

Excellent video. Thank you!!

[@michealhatfield9443]

Had mine since last year it's beautiful just an ice cube

[@siestaking]

Thanks for the vid. Love your channel. I will say, i’ve been growing the same plant, unpruned for three years here in a sunny Minnesota window. Multiple flowering cycles. Now it’s time to hack it back and see what happens. I’m going to try to take some cuttings from the discarded tops and grow some Christmas gifts.

[@EASTERBUNNY7772]

Merry Christmas 🎄☃️⛄❄

[@serenityinfinity1992]

I’m from Arizona I live mine out on the patio 45 degrees. The patio have an overhang. I want to experiment how to grow poinsettia in the summer time but it will be inside my living room. I hope they survive even thought they will not turn red in the winter, it’s looks pretty when it’s green.

[@douglasryals2110]

Thank you for the information. we've had bad luck with our poinsettias before.🌸🌸🌸🌺🌺🌺😞😞😞😞 But , last month we decided to try again. Hopefully this time we can do better.☺☺☺

[@dsbougie]

Thanks for the easy-to-follow guidlines here. I will certainly look for more of your videos. Any chance you added a short one showing your result with that particular plant or other poinsettia repots?

[@barbaraspan1437]

Awesome! I had no clue.... I will start buying the real ones again! ♥️ 👍

[@Sensationalwiggs]

Great information

[@keke1982]

Omg u sooooo simplified this for me‼️

[@PaNdeM0niuM]

Luke is super cute

[@josephrobinson9318]

Very cool. Here in South Florida I have native ones that sprout up as weeds. They only get a spot on the upper leaves of red or orange, not brilliant red like the cultivated ones.

[@trillismontgomery7763]

I've had mine about 6 years never did anything but water take outside in summer back in in winter but in larger pot no it needs a larger one and it's bloomed every year

[@markbrown1011]

I have a question, can I use a 5- 10-5 for the fertilizer. I would love to grow my poinsettia, the way you have shown us on your channel.

[@Kia31759]

Thank you very much great video

[@LadyDragonfly200]

Thank you!

[@stuartjones3001]

what a good video I will try and use these tips!

[@ninaandricky5580]

I am seriously considering starting a greenhouse just with poinsettias. I want to try this from seed. Is the process complicated? What would you suggest. I love the idea of having the veggies and flowers but once they are planted outside I don't have anything but the gardening tools and what looks like a war zone of the six seed plastic pouches everywhere. lol Any suggestions? Thank you so much for the information on how to use the plant itself to make more babies off of. I had no idea one could do that. Since I have no plants as of yet I have to think about seeds. NWPA does get cold in the winter months but it varies quite bit on the cold winter temps vs the cool autumn temps. I do have a heat source and lights with a fan for my spring crops inside. Any words of wisdom would make this gardener much happier and on my way of making a nice little farm with my new hobby!! Thanks again.

[@mabaza64]

When do you do this pruning? Can you use these pruned parts to grow new plants?

[@laurie812]

I prune mine in when it starts dropping a lot of leaves. Usually sometime between April - May.

[@srgmpdhns]

Thank you.

[@guidovitucci1439]

Where are the seeds found within in the poinsetta plant? Thank you

[@cha82ma]

Thanks

[@jackscomicsandunboxings5297]

I love this video and did this for my pointsetta and so far its looking great. the only advice i would give is show on screen what kind of fertilizer to use thats high in phosphorus and nitrogen or make a separate video about it

[@jamesnelson5110]

Have you tried just removing the small yellow flowers rather than the whole colour bract. I did last year and the plant did very well.

[@julisseporras-gerhardt3472]

You are funny, even though you are not trying to be. Thank you for the advice, I will be bringing my poinsettias in doors now that it is getting cooler at night. I hope that it all works out and that they re-flower for Christmas time. God bless and take care

[@kayjohnston9819]

Enjoyed your video! I have two poinsettia. One has purple flowers ( probably died leaves) and a red. Going to try to keep them alive.

[@sheilamasters2722]

So wonderful video, could give me step by step on how to take care of mine in January until spring? Truly appreciate

[@kimberlyglover5219]

I live in South Texas, my poinsettias have been thriving outside since Dec. (still red). I’m concerned about the heat that’s coming. Can poinsettias survive in extreme humid heat (heat indexes of over 100) ?

[@aishabegum9192]

Please show which baking compost you use ?thanks

[@programmingchicago]

Aisha Begum he said he doesn’t bake his, rather he gets sterile soil to start with.

[@anitha6261]

So I just got my plant. It was a gift. First plant I’ve ever owned. I’m excited. Now, if I just got my plant this week and it’s December where do I start as far as fertilizer? Do I start with the fertilizer that is higher in nitrogen or phosphorus?

[@arlecelarae]

Just too much work for me. Awesome info though, thank you!!

[@stanleyblazeraznik6047]

Let me help you.