Regarding your question, allowing your plants to have more room to spread their roots will likely cause them to grow larger. If it lives thru this Christmas ,I will try doing what you are saying for next Christmas. What if I just leave it in the closet for a while? I bought a few poinsettias five days ago. I didn’t know I was suppose to cut it back. Celebrate your success or good fortune, and know that many people reading this will be jealous! Maybe your plant isn’t getting 14 hours of TOTAL darkness. Hi, ran across the thread; good info. 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’ve had my poinsettia scene last December they where at my church and the pastor have me one it was dying but i nursed back to health it is growing good it’s all green the stems are red but the main branches are not and it’s growing tremendously but no red leaves what am i doing wrong plus i have seen little silver bus in the soil but they don’t seem to bother the plant our eat the leaves. I see the stems are turning more red but I’ve noticed the more leafs are falling then usual. Most of the leaves are green with the exception of the topmost few which are smaller and red or white repectivly. Do I continue with the no light treatment for more red? I kept them alive (albeit not in the best shape) and in May (I live in Mass), I moved them outside without trimming, etc. 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). We just moved it to a larger pot with new dirt, and its very happy and growing new green leaves. To reiterate, I have not been putting the plant in the closet or anything for 6-7 weeks, and now some leaves are changing. Good luck. Idon’t need the whole plant to go red, just the tops…?? Temperature stress and the wrong pot can also compromise the health of your plant. The weekend conundrum with your plant being at work will disrupt the light / dark cycle. I did none so far and it is looking like a little tree now, with no leaves on the bottom ten inches or so of stalks. I’m keeping it in a room that stays around 45 to 55 degrees. Thanks Melvin. Repotting your poinsettia plant may also help. 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. So it will get bright light for the required time then go off to resume the total darkness stage. Poinsettias need a humid environment during this time, but be careful not to spray the foliage directly, as you may invite leaf spot, not a desired feature on such a showy leaf! Good luck. Good luck! I have procrastinated on learning how to get the leaves red again, and bummed that they won’t be red for christmas. Unlike a maple tree for example, Poinsettias need the darkness in order for the leaves to turn. I’m giving the 14/10 method a go this year. Thanks. Susan, Yay Paulette! Settings with bright, filtered sunlight, like an east or west-facing window or … I am beginning to get worried for the plant as the bags are starting to cause the leaves on the plant to grow impacted. It winters in the cool guest room with generally only natural light. The leaves will die when they are exposed to cold and they can't be revived. I have three poinsettias: a 1 year old, a 2 year old, and a 3 year old. Have I understood correctly that after the red blooms fall off, I am to cut each stem down a bit? Continue to cover at least one and not the day to day changes between it and the uncovered plants. 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. Would be interesting to know. One red and the other white. They revert to green when they are exposed to light. If the roots appear healthy, the poinsettia is probably not getting enough water and/or light. And 4 weeks just isn’t enough time to see the results. You can keep it as a houseplant if you provide it sufficient light. The plant needs time to reproduce new growth. It as only 8″ tall. Poinsettias are sensitive to a disorder referred to as bract edge burn, a problem that causes the edges of the bracts to become brown and necrotic. It’s in a clay pot, that I think it’s time to get it a large pot. Its been 2 weeks since i moved it to larger pot. I water it every 4-6 days. Lastly, after you’ve reviewed the previous issues, add some liquid fertilizer at half strength, and do so every 2 weeks. I didn’t know I should trim them and last year they both came into full color. Once this occurs, cut the stems back to four to six inches. Yes, you should cut it back to a height of 4 to 6.” https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/restoring-a-poinsettia-to-its-christmas-color/ . Cutting or pruning is a great way to stimulate new growth and invigorate your plant. Best of luck. If you think you have root rot, apply fungicide. Thank you. As long as moisture remains in the saucer, you should be fine. Thank you. Poinsettia are very cold tender (which is kind of funny when you consider it is a "Christmas" plant). This my first year using this method and I set the timer so that the light would be on for 9 hours and was careful to only check on the plants when the light was on. If it were me and you’re going for red leaves, I’d put the plant in a box before you leave work for the weekend to make sure it has total darkness. Once the leaves have turned red (most of them) is it OK to leave in normal light again? It also has some white powdery fungus looking stuff on a few branches. At this point, forget the fertilizer, keep the soil barely moist and don’t worry if the leaves don’t look great for now. However last Saturday I returned after 3 days and both plants have a few red leaves!!! hi..i have started to put the plant in closet..but yesterday forget to put it..will this affect the process?. Once the flowers are gone, the leaf bracts fall off. It will be fun to hear more about this. I’m afraid I don’t have a good suggestion for you by leaving it outside. I’m impressed they did so well. Unfortunately I had to be away for conferences and meetings 4 times and so the treatment was not consistent. May the light green is better and its not getting enough light? Ideally spring is the best time to do this but when it has adequate exposure to sunlight. Also, you’ll need to keep it watered as indoor environments can be very dry. Odd question… I live in Michigan. Mine is by patio door probably to much light. But if you want to have a high chance of success, that’s what you need to do. Or do I need to bring it out each day? Thanks Joe. Since you are recommending that a poinsettia can be put in the ground, which US zone does the poinsettia grow best in? Thank you, I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out. Keep the soil fairly dry, and the plant warm until new growth occurs. Nothing says Christmas quite like the poinsettia. 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. very workable solution worth sharing with others looking for ways to get their poinsettias to rebloom. did you follow the guidelines for the light/dark timing? I DID BACK SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TRIMMED IT. 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. All that ever happened is, they died. Since our winter is so cold this year, I just relocated them temporarily, away from the window, as their leaves were curling a bit. In the open, this … If you can do that with the bag, AND it doesn’t get too hot under cover, that could work. https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/turning-poinsettias-red-again/. I just put it in the garage after Christmas and and moved it outside in the spring–still in the same pot. Or just 14 hrs? I would leave the plant uncovered and start again when you return from your trip. Hi Alise. Then try again with the leaf turning process next fall. But here’s plenty of notice for next year. Thank you. Hi Linda. As for turning new leaves red again, following the guide in the article should do the trick. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Ian so excited that I have kept my poinsettia alive from last christmas! I’m a newbie to caring for and reblooming poinsettias. I would leave it in bright light while you are away and resume the 14-10 rotation when you return. I never have a problem getting poinsettias to turn red again and I don’t do anything to it (as far as putting it in the closet). Plants need 14 hours of complete darkness each day to restore their holiday color. Losing leaves could be because of too much water or not enough. But August is too early if you’re wanting red leaves for the holidays Kristan. And you may never need to prune them if you’re happy with the size and shape. Today they are HUGE and full of leaves. Since it is now almost November, is there any way I can get the foilage to turn red? This can result in leaves gradually turning yellow before falling off. This is the first time I tried “recycling” a Christmas poinsettia. c/o The Joe Gardener Company Even a nightlight can disrupt this process! https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/restoring-a-poinsettia-to-its-christmas-color/, https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/turning-poinsettias-red-again/. rather than bring them indoors from the porch (where they make a lovely splash of bright green) can I just cover them at night with a blanket? These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. The window is pretty cold in the winter and they virtually bake in it in the summer. Works like a charm. The plant liked it, though. I have repotted it and new shoots are growing all over. My plant is in week four of 14 hours of darkness and only one small leaf is beginning to turn red. IT HAS MULTIPLIED IN SIZE AND IS VERY GREEN. Poinsettias come in a range of colors from white to orange, but are most popular in their red variety. Even a little light can affect the desired outcome. You will also learn a few ways to fix them. ... remember that poinsettias need plenty of sunlight during the day to produce robust healthy leaves. Any ideas/tips?! 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. Just waiting to put in the dark. 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. During the day, the plants need bright light, along with the other routine care. I live in Honolulu and have kept my poinsettia in the same pot on my lanai since Christmas. I think SF’s micro climates has a huge impact on plants. I put them outside in the spring and forget about them until fall. It may regrow those leaves, but that will take many months. I think you’re doing all the right things. There should be no signs of wilting or drooping and no fallen or yellowed leaves. Each was purchased at a different store a year apart. Is it unusual for the white bracts to be still in place – only one or two of the leaves have dropped to date. Copyright 2020 The Joe Gardener Company, All Rights Reserved. and how important is it to keep the plant in 65 degrees starting september? As for the silver bugs (“bus”), if they aren’t causing any damage, don’t worry about them either. This is such a wonderful option for those of us who hate to throw away healthy plants only because they won’t “rebloom.”. Q I have a large poinsettia with plenty of fresh green leaves. You’ve likely heard the expression; “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it”. Mary Ellen Fattori Now, the other two are turning red. Also if I plant such a large plant in the ground, will it make it throught the winters or will it die? I am really confused by this thing. It will do well either way. how about putting them in a box in the basement. If you have a closet and can block off light from getting in at the top, sides or bottom this should probably work. To correct the problem, you would need to break up the root pattern and repot in a slightly larger container. Is that possible? Hi my name is brittany and i have a poinseta i got him December 2012 he is now 3 years old i had to repot him 3 different times in the last 3 years he has a tree root and early 2013 he died completely but i brought him back from the dead now hes 3 years old and still growing and living i never gave up on him. But once it is, you’re good to go through and beyond the holidays. I would give it a try. A couple of years ago I was doing a Christmas job in a grocery store floral shop and, while unpacking 50 or so boxes (8 plants per box), I found one red one with white splotches. Sign up for our newsletter. It could be a number of things. Let us know what happens as well over time. As for your poinsettia bracts turning red I would love it if you did this and reported back on your findings. 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. 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. Seriously…how can this be? Cheers! 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. Im a little unclear about the pruning process. There are no dumb questions, especially when it comes to gardening and plants! I never trimed it and I didn’t know you could plant it out side. Good luck Chris. I am so happy. 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? -Kimberly Crawford. It reinforces how amazing and resilient plants are. This hopefully will give the humidity you say the plant should have at this time. You’re at the point where it’s getting too late to enjoy the full benefits of an all-red poinsettia. At this point, there are a lot of red leaves and the new leaves coming in are red. AFTER JANUARY I PLANTED IT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE IN A SEMI SHADED AREA. Well Jeanne, you get a gold star for being such a trooper. I think in SF, the climate is just perfect, and plants here develop their own rhythms. 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. John. Is there any way to make leaves big? If the roots are discolored, the poinsettia … I don’t care if the plants turn red; I really want them to thrive until I can put them outside again next Spring….Thanks for any tips.. In November, one plant started turning red. Poinsettias like to be kept in a cool room, preferably under sixty-five degrees. Starting in late September, place the poinsettia in a spot where it's in complete darkness for approximately 13 hours each night. And, do you think I need to tie the bottom of the bag? I did it for two weeks or so but saw nothing. I was wondering how are some people able to keep their poinsettias red even after winter? My first choice at this point is to leave it alone (but keep doing what you’re doing) if you are keeping it indoors. They keep their blooms nearly all year long. . I moved her back to a corner spot in my living room as it was too sunny & I thought that’s why it was wilting, she seems to be losing the leafs again also! I would love to keep it outside but the weather has been very cold here even in south Louisiana. I would wait until February or early March to cut it back. If you use a green bag would that help instead of putting it in a dark room for x number of hours a day. I’ve threatened everyone that has come near it. While they don’t look exactly like what you get in the stores, I am really happy with the results. Congratulations on your success. So are yellow leaves on poinsettia caused by too much or too little water? I was wondering re the chlorophyll deprivation that makes the leaves go red… do you think it would be possible to put black tape ‘stripes’ on the leaves and have them go partially red and remain partially green? My pointsettia was dying and one day i had a cup of cold coffee in my hand was passing my plant and pour it in a day or two later it was back pretty and green did the coffee have some thing to do with it living it is so pretty now. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) need total darkness, for 14 hours each day, starting about eight weeks before you want to display them. 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? Nothing out of the ordinary, that is, until this year! All the posts I’ve found are for people who can’t get theirs to bloom. if i begin the dark cycles in october, would they still turn red by winter? That would seal off all potential light. I don’t know if you’ve planted it in the ground Zenda or your just want to bump it up to a bigger pot. Then make sure it gets plenty of bright light on Monday morning. Bring it out again in the morning. Thanks Joe! But make sure it has enough sun too. Thanks. You an also fertilize with a a diluted mix of liquid fertilizer (about half strength) until you plant has settled in for a few weeks. Zak, I love your story. I live in San Francisco and my bay window faces south. I knew nothing about them other than that they were pretty and cheap. Pruning it is up to you John. Is this normal? Joe, I’ve been covering my plant for about 3 weeks now. Can’t wait to see if I can get it to turn red for xmas. However when I’m on holiday for a bit I won’t get to do this. Growing a Greener World Place your poinsettia where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. I’m assuming you also live in an area that stays warm enough for your poinsettias to stay outside all year. Whether your poinsettia is parched or its roots are waterlogged, it’s going to respond with yellow, dropping leaves. Mary, Hey Alex. During this time you should remove any little branches that grow around them. And, I’m still ‘misting’ the leaves as it’s still hot and windy here. John, the leaf size is a product of what the plant can support based on its environmental conditions. When you say “bloom” I assume you are talking about turning the leaves red. You should always keep the soil in your poinsettia’s pot moist. Should I cut the whole thing back to four to six inches and start over or just let it go the way it is? Best of luck! Please keep us posted. However, cold drafts, allowing the leaves to touch a cold window, or more importantly, lack of decent light, can injure the leaves and cause premature leaf drop. Thank you for the answer to my question. Otherwise, they’ll stay green. I just need to move this to somewhere darker in about August so they will turn Red again? I wonder if they’ll adjust and behave for the holidays. 2 Questions: What is the best thing to use for its 14 hour ‘blackness” period? Thanks for checking in Paulette. Am I understanding that I should prune it all the way back (in this case) to were there are no leaves left? I don’t know if moonlight will hinder your plants from turning red. 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. What Is Molybdenum: Information On Molybdenum Sources For Plants, Types Of Poinsettia Plants: Choosing Different Poinsettia Varieties, Poinsettia Care Following Christmas: What To Do With Poinsettias After Holidays, Giving To Food Deserts – How To Donate To Food Deserts, December To-Do List – What To Do In December Gardens, Farm Share Gift Ideas – Giving A CSA Box To Others In Need, What Is Gummosis: Tips On Gummosis Prevention And Treatment, Companion Planting With Borage – Plants That Grow Well With Borage, Non-Blooming Agapanthus Plants – Reasons For Agapanthus Not Flowering, Transplanting Poinsettia Plants: Can You Transplant Poinsettias Outside, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables, Gratitude For The Garden – Being Grateful For Each Growing Season, 7 Reasons To Do Your Garden Shopping Locally, Thankful Beyond Words – What Represents Gratefulness In My Garden. You can also keep your plant the same way it is as a small tree. I live in Kansas City. Thanks, Thanks Chris. The plant is rather large and seems very healthy, losing a few leaves now and then just as it has done all 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. Thank you for the advice!! He always manages to get it to bloom for Christmas to even though it is rather willowy and about 5 feet high and across. I didn’t cut mine back. Since you said it’s about 10″ below without leaves, I would suggest leaving about a dozen nicely shaped branches or more with approximately the same length removing every little ones that comes out. If taking it home is the only solution, if I can return it to the office when it’s red again for Christmas then great. Catherine, That’s your biggest risk of leaving them outdoors at night. I have 3 poinsettias in my office from last Christmas season. I’m not sure if I’ll try the 14 hours of darkness to try and get them red in time for Christmas. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. I’m going on holiday for just a week but am not sure if my poinsettia plant is going to be ok whilst I’m away? Joe does the temperature matter while the plant is in darkness? The most important thing when trying to to turn your poinsettias red again is the darkness. Fuzail, My plant started showing red veins after 3 days utilizing this process so I know it works. Alpharetta, GA 30004. I’m thinking you’ll get red, just won’t know how much. The stones will help elevate the pot so it’s not soaking in the water, and the water in the stones will provide the humid environment around your plants. Although it needs total darkness for hours a day, it also needs to compensate for that with strong light during the day. 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. Love the article — learn something new everyday! I’m inclined to say not that they’ve turned bright red, go ahead an let them go without the bags. . My hubby’s sister had one for several years, it. Temperature. Found your suggestions and tried to follow this them year. 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. The plant has grown over the summer on the porch and I am ready to start the process again. I got this plant from my mom, It is real healthy and is all green. Thanks. I now baby them. Pretty green leaves now. from the old leaves there’s only one left now, all the rest is new leaves that are dense but small in size. They are inside in a very bright room out of direct sunlight. Lesions on leaves and bracts appear as … Depending on where you have the plant (planted outside, or in a pot indoors), will determine how you approach this process. My plant is inside an office where the only light it gets are the lights from the office. Hi Chris. Most of them are red but some of them are white. My coworker says he does nothing to his poinsettia and it’s turned red each of the last 3 Christmases. If you don’t want to move your pot inside, I would use cardboard instead, However, you really need “total” darkness. If I remember to. I’m not sure where you live but I think you will have time if you prune your poinsettias now. I PUT MY POINTSETTA OUTSIDE IN THE SUMMER ( I LIVE IN ILLINOIS) IT GREW BIG AND BEAUTIFUL BUT WHEN I DUG IT UP IT WILTED AND LOOKS TERRIBLE! My plant has about 5 stems and lots of new green leaves are budding already, all I have done is water it. My plant has been in full sun for all these years. Usually, it’s the lower leaves that are sacrificed first. Mine is starting to turn red so I will a beautiful red plant for Valentine’s day! I was afraid it would died! This is mostly happening to the topmost leaves but on a couple plants it goes down further. Check with your local cooperative extension service for more information. Just because they don’t get the best conditons though, doesn’t mean they won’t turn red. 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. I gave up. Thanks for your help. You can transplant them out temporarily from late spring through early fall. That alone will produce a thicker, fuller plant. Pick a slightly bigger pot, tease out the roots to break up any circular pattern, and freshen up the soil. 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. I put the plant in a dark closest that is not used with a black plastic bag. This may be a dumb question but how long to you keep up the black out cycle? They were in partial sun all summer, but it was a very hot and humid summer here in the northeast. After 5 years, my poinsettia is 3’x3’x3′ and currently red. My grandparents built there house in San Clemente CA back in 1951. My question is – can I leave it in the dark for 48 hours (over the weekend?) You are a person after my own heart. Yes, you could buy a plant for a few bucks and have all the red you want. I am so excited! My leaves are turning a light green color. She had it in the house all the time! Hi 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). Each stem is starting to turn ONE red leaf, but only ONE per stem branch. I’m SO impressed with myself, I’ve never managed this with a plant (except a spider plant but a toddler could grow those!). Is it safe to cut it back to about half its current size, leaving only a few stems with leaves? I didn’t cut stems. It is too late to turn them red for this Christmas if that’s your hope Crystal. Here is a link with information about caring for our poinsettia. Thought I’d killed it but eventually it started sprouting again. They were doing fine,; but all of a sudden many of the leaves are turning brown on the edges and curling up. Thanks. *whispers* I even accidentally for got to cover it on 2 occasions in the 1st and 2nd week so my plant still forgave me! I’m sorry I’m late in responding to your question. Hi, I have a poinsettia that is really two separate plants in the same pot. I had my own landscaping business in a former life and still do yards for friends/family and our condo complex; a block of green I get to toil in regularly. Hi everyone Or should I just leave it as is? Sorry to hear that Betty. Loss of the older leaves is fine as long as new leaves are growing and the plant looks happy. But I don’t know for sure. 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. Poinsettias grow naturally in places like Mexico and Guatemala. You need total darkness for a consistent period each day. I have a couple questions. Wow Denise. When we sold the house in 2003, the base of the plant was 11″ in diameter and it was 6 feet tall. never bloomed again but it sure grew big! We have nice color forming on the new leaves. I’m inclined to say just keep doing what you’re doing–especially since you say new shoots are growing all over. Here is the link for the information about your poinsettia. I don’t know where you live but poinsettias are tropical and won’t survive a frosty night. Hmmm, the black garbage back worries me. Otherwise, you can try removing them by hand. 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. I cannot explain the why behind it, but like with most things with plants and gardening, there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule. i noticed a small increase in leaf size. As for light, the plant needs light each day as well as total darkness too. Put it outside in the spring, wasn’t happy with the cool air and direct sun, lost all it’s leaves. Thank you! If they’ve become root bound as I would expect, you need to break them up and replant into a larger container with fresh soil. The leaves are wilted and limp. Hi Brendan. Don’t feel bad if it’s a bigger undertaking than you have time for. It should put on plenty of new growth once it warms up. Hi Laura. The bracts will start to turn color in about four weeks, and continue if you carefully keep up the process. And it still needs light. Poinsettia leaves turning yellow can be caused by quite a few things, but the most likely source of the problem is water. I have not been watering them until i felt that the soil was dry. Should I prune it, repot it, spray it with something to get rid of the white stuff? I had success last year with the same plant which was smaller but thought l would see more color by now. I remember doing experiments with plant leaves along these lines in school – not sure if it would work in this case though. Just trying to figure out how tightly I have to monitor this in case ‘life’ gets in the way! All I do is water it and feed it normal plant food.