Watering the poinsettia: how often and how to do it

The frequency of watering the poinsettia is especially important, since, both in the face of excesses and their lack, it will not take long to lose its leaves, so it must be done properly so that the plant is healthy. These are the most important points to keep in mind about how often the poinsettia is watered :

R iego Easter flower in winter

It must be abundant, especially at the beginning of it, in its flowering season. At this time it is convenient to water the plant up to twice a week, taking care that the substrate is always kept moist, without ever drying out completely.

Watering the poinsettia in summer

It should be more spaced, reducing the frequency of it to once a week. Only in especially dry and hot climates will it be necessary to increase the frequency of watering the poinsettia.

In any case, to know how many times the poinsettia needs to be watered, pay close attention to the appearance of the poinsettia leaves and be alert to possible symptoms of over- or under-watering. For example, if you see that your poinsettia has flabby or fallen leaves , soft and dark, it is very likely that it has an excess of water; This also happens in case you see that the poinsettia has wrinkled leaves. On the other hand, if they are losing their color, they look brown or yellowish, and something drooping, then it is that the plant is drying out, lacks irrigation or it may have excess direct sun or sources of dry heat, such as radiators.

Now that you know when to water a poinsettia , let’s talk about how to do it correctly. If you want your poinsettia to keep its leaves for as long as possible, you should not water it in the usual way that other plants are watered. That is, do not pour the water or spray it on it, since the leaves and bracts of the plant should not be in contact with excessive humidity. Follow these tips and steps to water the poinsettia or water the Christmas plant properly:

1. In order to water it properly, you will need your poinsettia to be in a pot with drainage holes . and have a plate or use a larger container.
2. Fill the dish with water suitable for irrigation and place the pot inside. Thus, the substrate and the roots themselves will absorb the water they need. Therefore, it will be the lower part of the plant that absorbs the water, without its leaves or flowers becoming excessively humid.
3. You should leave the plant in immersion for a maximum of 10 minutes , or a little longer if the soil was very dry before starting to water it.

This type of irrigation, known as immersion irrigation , is quite common in some species of plants, such as orchids, and is especially useful for those that, like the Christmas flower, do not tolerate excessive humidity very well in their aerial part.

There are many who are made with one of these plants thinking to have it only during the winter season, but the reality is that, with proper care, a poinsettia can survive perfectly until the following year and so on. We always encourage you to try it, since it is an effort that pays off when the same plant accompanies us year after year, instead of getting rid of it.

Once all the doubts about how the poinsettia is watered have been clarified , we will comment on the other poinsettia care. In all other aspects of its care, the poinsettia is not a particularly demanding plant. This is a basic guide to the care of the poinsettia, Christmas plant, poinsettia or Poinsettia :

Light

As far as light is concerned, it is always advisable to put it in a well-lit area or room, but where the sun does not affect it directly. Also ensure that its location is away from heat sources or the passage of air currents, as they do not do you any good.

Spray water on its leaves

In the flowering season, and only during it, you can spray its green leaves with a little water, but do not let its red bracts get wet.

Compost for the poinsettia

Regarding the subscriber, in its growth and flowering season the poinsettia appreciates receiving the contribution of liquid fertilizer in its irrigation water, once every two weeks approximately. In this way, it will grow with more energy and more quickly.

Poinsettia pruning

It will also be necessary to carry out a specific pruning for the poinsettia, usually when its leaves begin to fall, whose objective is to stimulate the growth and flowering of the plant, in addition to helping it through the most problematic months for it. Here we explain everything about when and how to prune the poinsettia .

Finally, it is important to respect a period of vegetative rest, or it will not flower again the following year. If you follow all these indications, your poinsettia will accompany you for many years, brightening your winters with its intense colors.

To learn more about this plant and how to take care of it so that it is healthy and, thus, makes your home happy, we recommend you consult these other gardening guides from AgroCorrn:

• Cares for the poinsettia .
• How to make Easter flower turns red .

In addition, here below we leave you a video that delves more into the care of the Poinsettia or Christmas Eve plant , including irrigation and some aspects of its flowering.

If you want to read more articles similar to Watering the poinsettia: how often and how to do it , we recommend that you enter our category of Growing and caring for plants .