End of January usually finds me scouring my landscape for an opening suitable for my potted Poinsettia. Over the years, I’ve had meager success in transplanting these beauties to my yard. They’re still alive mind you, but not thriving as I had hoped.
The reason? Well, I’d toss the blame off to a lack of sunlight. The front of my house faces north and the plants simply don’t get enough light to keep them happy. The rear is too hot for these gals, so I’ve steered clear of any attempt to spruce up my backyard with them. However, if I’m to be truly objective about the state-of-affairs, I’d have to bear some of the responsibility.
I’m not good with watering. Okay, I’m not good with “remembering” to water. Or feed. I know, it’s a problem. Ask any of my plants that do not sit in the direct path of the sprinklers and they’ll tell you the same thing. She forgets us. A lot!
Hmph. Well, this year I’ve made new resolutions, one of which includes beginning my day with a stroll around the house. If I see the plants, I’ll remember to water them, right?
Of course I will. It’ll be great. I’ll find a spot to the west and nestle my potted Poinsettia in the ground. Prior to bloom, they prefer less than 12 hours of sunlight, which makes west my better bet, keeping them in the complete darkness from 5:00 pm to 7:00 am. I’ll water them regularly (Poinsettia don’t like to dry out) and feed them a well-balanced fertilizer come spring.
When summer rolls around, I’ll cut them back to encourage healthy new growth for the upcoming holiday season. When December arrives, I’ll cut back on the fertilizer and allow my gorgeous girls to bloom. Easy peasy.
Some general thoughts for growing Poinsettia: They prefer indirect sunlight, protected from cool drafts. As a native of Mexico, this plant doesn’t like the cold, so whenever the temperature dips below 50-55 degrees, you must be vigilant and cover it else it shrivel up and die.
Stimulating them with a little “root tonic” couldn’t hurt. The shock from their lovely potted plant status to in ground can be quite daunting. Hopefully, you have some worms on the welcoming committee as you place them in ground and all will be well. All-purpose fertilizer should suffice throughout the year. Prune during the warmer summer months.
I think I’m going to think of them like my ferns. Keep moist, keep out of direct sunlight and fertilize.
Note: For my Arctic Amigos living north of the Florida border, don’t try this at home. Save your plants, but keep them as indoor plants only.
My mom successfully has her poinsettia plants in her backyard and bloomed nicely. I think she planted them 3 years ago? Maybe I’ll plant mine and my yard guys can upkeep them. Lol
This weekend I planted mine — basically dotted the landscape to see which would prove the best position. Stay tuned to see how it works out!