Knowing how often to water poinsettias can be tricky.
Start with a healthy plant.
Instead, search out a poinsettia with dark green leaves and lush, brightly colorful bracts.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
A healthy poinsettia easily keeps its good looks for six weeks or more.
Check the soil moisture daily.
When the plant’s soil is dry to the touch,its time to water.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Poinsettias thrive when their soil is allowed to just barely dry out between waterings.
Poinsettias are tropical plantsheralding from regions with well-draining sandy soil and rain showers.
Replicate these conditions in your home, and your poinsettia will be happy.
Remove the cover before watering poinsettias.
Even though poinsettias need frequent water, they despise soggy soil.
Before watering your plant, slip it out of the decorative plastic or paper cover.
Let your poinsettia soak.
Leave the pot in the tray for 15-30 minutes.
It will absorb any needed water that collects in the bottom of the tray.
When watering, be sure to tip your watering pot close to the soil, avoiding the leaves.
Getting a poinsettia’s leaves wet can cause problems like leaf spot.
Dont leave water in the cover.
The same applies if you use a saucer under your plant’s pot instead of a cover.
Avoid nearby heat sources.
Vents, radiatorsanything that is moving warm airwill cause the soil of nearby poinsettias to dry out more quickly.
If possible, place your poinsettia near a sunny window,away from heat sources.
Watch for yellow leaves.
Overwatering causes leaves on the bottom of the plant toturn yellow and drop off.
In time, the lower half of the plant becomes a bunch of leafless stems.
At the first sight of a yellow leaf, check the soil moisture.
Do not water the plant until the soil surface is dry to the touch.
Don’t let your poinsettia wilt.
Poinsettias are quick to let you know when they desperately need water.
Their leaves will look curled and droopy.
To ensure a poinsettia is thoroughly watered, it’s best to do both.
A poinsettia’s leaves can signal a variety of stresses.
Also, double-check you’re not overwatering, which can result in wilted-looking and yellow leaves that drop.
