Want your Poinsettias to last longer?

**~Sherry~** · 10-19-2002, 09:55 PM

I found these tips in Countryside magazine for keeping your Poinsettia alive longer... she says you can keep them till March and April or beyond!

Wrap your plant well when you bring it home. Even a tiny frost can kill it. Unwrap it as soon as you get home.

Give it at least 6 hours of bright light every day... but keep it away from cold, draft, and heat sources.

When surface of soil feels dry, water it thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Keep it cooler at night than the day time... but no colder than 55F.

Make holes in the bottom of its pot for drainage.

After you've had the plant 6 weeks, begin monthly fertilization with houseplant food mixed half strength.

**heaven** · 10-19-2002, 10:13 PM

great tips but keep away from pets and children they are posionous.

**QuilterMom** · 10-19-2002, 10:19 PM

heaven - I was just about to post the same thing!

**~Sherry~** · 10-19-2002, 10:37 PM

Actually.... the horticulturist that wrote this articles says they're not poisonous....

Poinsettias have milky white sticky sap that may irritate a person's eyes, or soft tissues of the mouth and throat if ingested which could be why poinsettias were once considered poisonous. But thorough testing has proven that they aren't poisonous and most people don't even find the sap irritating. So if a leaf gets into a child's mouth, there's no need to panic according to horticulturist Deb Brown of the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

I was going to post this along with the original post and forgot.

**heaven** · 10-19-2002, 10:37 PM

great minds. LOL

wow thanks for setting us straight Sherry.

**captclearance** · 10-20-2002, 01:29 AM

Thanks.... I hate spending so much in these and having them die..... But beware this holiday...Mistletoe (the berries) are poisonous !!!!

**QuilterMom** · 10-20-2002, 08:39 AM

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...... our dogs' vet would very much disagree with the person who wrote the article. I think they are beautiful, but I'm not willing to take a chance around my ds or my dogs.