Poinsettia Care Sheet
“The Do’s and Don’ts” of Poinsettia Care in Knoxville Tennessee.
Here are the DO’s of Poinsettia Care:
- DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
- DO provide room temperatures between 68 – 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your Poinsettia.
- DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.
- DO use a large roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.
- DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced all-purpose fertilizer.
And here are the DON’TS of Poinsettia Care:
- DON’T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts or the top of a television.
- DON’T expose plants to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outsides during the winter months.
- DON’T over water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, allow the water to drain completely.
- DON’T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
- DON’T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.
Some interesting Notes:
Poinsettias are NOT poisonous, according to POISINDEX Information Service. A 50 pound child would have to ingest over 500 Poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Yet even at this high level, no toxicity was demonstrated.
