Poinsettia is a very popular annual flower, but many florists raise it as a disposable plant, in fact, it is a shrub that can maintain perennials, as long as it is properly managed, it can repeat the flowering every year and re-grow colored bracts.
1. How to deal with leaf shedding?
Some friends' potted poinsettias are placed in a dark place for a long time, or only keep the light bright, its state will be worse and worse, about a month or two later, its leaves will gradually fall off, this time do not rush to throw it away.
Even if the leaves are all shed, they can be moved to a sunny place and kept in more than 6 hours of light every day to ensure that the light is sufficient, so that it can resume growth and re-grow new small shoots. Poinsettia is particularly fond of sunlight and needs plenty of light to grow well.
2. Avoid over-watering
Indoor maintenance of potted red must avoid excessive frequent watering, if the soil continues to be wet, or the soil drainage is too poor, it is easy to cause its root system to rot, if the rhizomes are rotten, it will not be saved.
Before watering a poinsettia every time, to check the dryness and wetness of the potting soil, the main watering principle is to wait for 3 to 5 cm under the soil to dry and then water, you can wait for the soil to be completely dry and then replenish the water, each time you water must be thorough, when watering, you should slowly water the potting soil. If the soil is lumpy, loosen the soil first, then water it, and continue to water it several times.
3. Clean up fallen leaves and sterilize
If you find that poinsettia has some wilted or faded old leaves, you should remove them in time and do not let them fall into the pot soil, otherwise it is easy to breed germs.
After the Spring Festival, a poinsettia leaf will even fall off, which is also normal, that is, a poinsettia to the time of dormancy, this time must give foot light, pay attention to keep the environment warm, it will re-grow new small buds.
When maintaining a poinsettia in a pot, it is found that some branches have withered or rotted, and must be cut off in time, and it should be sprayed with bactericides in time, such as the common taking of the enemy or azoxystrobin.
There must be no sick leaves and branches left on the pot soil, and all of them should be cleaned up and thrown directly into the garbage can.
4, the appropriate temperature
Poinsettia is like the temperature of the warm environment all year round, between 18 and 25 degrees to grow the best, if the temperature is too high, it will also temporarily stop growing, especially if the temperature exceeds 30 degrees, we must pay attention to appropriate shade to avoid excessive exposure.
If the temperature drops below 25 degrees, then you can give full sunlight, give more sunlight, and it will grow better.
If it is a northern flower friend to maintain a poinsettia potted plant, do not raise it next to the heater and radiator, the potted plant should not be directly in contact with floor heating, to be raised in a position with sufficient light, maintain a certain air humidity, to avoid excessive dryness of the air.
5. Fertilize and prune
Wait until the temperature rises to more than 18 degrees after the spring warmth, it begins to emerge new small shoots, you can add water-soluble fertilizer to it every 3 to 4 weeks, you can use a variety of general-purpose fertilizers to supplement its nutrients, pay attention not to give too thick fertilizer.
In the spring and summer growing season, poinsettia will grow rapidly, if its plant grows too tall, it can be properly pruned on its branches and leaves, each pruning should not exceed 1/3 of all branches and leaves.
Poinsettia arrives in late autumn, and after the weather gradually cools down, the top of its plant will re-grow brightly colored leaves, these are what we call bracts, not its real flowers, its real flowers bloom at the top of the plant, are some small yellow flowers.
6, night to give the dark environment
In late autumn and winter, in addition to giving more sunlight during the day, the night should also give a longer period of dark environment, such as October to December, you can let them have 12 to 14 hours of dark environment every night.
After the sun goes down, you can use some black cloth bags or cardboard boxes to put the potted plant up, open it the next morning, let it bask in the sun, repeat this operation, you can let it grow very colorful bracts.
In autumn and winter, as long as the temperature is above 18 degrees, it can also be added to fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks, in addition to general-purpose water-soluble fertilizer, you can also occasionally supplement potassium dihydrogen phosphate, which can make its flower buds more colorful.
When maintaining a poinsettia in pots, the temperature is best maintained above 7 degrees, it is a plant that is more afraid of cold, and the temperature can be maintained above 10 degrees in winter, and it can safely overwinter.