• Home
  • Meet Mary Schier
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Northern Gardener Book

My Northern Garden

November 28, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Someone Gave Me a Poinsettia—Now What?

How to

pink and white poinsettias

Poinsettias ready to be given as hostess gifts.

I suspect my sister, Suzy, is among the many holiday hostesses looking at a leafy, lovely poinsettia this morning and wondering, how do I take care of this? I bought several of the gorgeous poinsettias being sold by the Northfield High School choir recently and gave a big, white one to Suzy, who hosted 26 family and friends at Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.

Poinsettias are not hard to care for. Here’s all you have to do:

  • Give it 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day, if you can. (That may be tricky in Minnesota in December, but choose the poinsettia’s spot with light in mind.) Many sites recommend a south, east or west window, but the plant should not touch the cold glass.
  • Check the soil in the pot daily and give it a good drink whenever it feels dry to the touch. You should make sure the pot has a drainage hole (poke some holes in the foil wrapping, too). When you water, give the plant enough that the water runs out the hole in the bottom. If the plant is on a plate to catch the drips, be sure to empty the water so the plant’s roots don’t get too soggy.
  • If you want to keep your poinsettia as a houseplant, give it a dose of all-purpose houseplant food after the blooming season and once a month through winter.

For more information on poinsettia history (did you know poinsettia’s were named after the U.S.’s first ambassador to Mexico, John Roberts Poinsett?), selection, and care, check out this great site at the University of Illinois extension.

poinsettia brachts

Related posts:

  1. Water pH and Your Plants The late, great Malcolm Burleigh, an award winning grower and...
« Dried Bean Philosophy
Holiday Containers by the Numbers, Part 1 »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed for Posts

Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

My Northern Garden book

Follow on Instagram

mynortherngarden_mary

Did I mention how exquisite the plant material is Did I mention how exquisite the plant material is at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia? I’ll be doing a full blog post soon about this and some of the other gardens we visited but as I’m heading home I’m cherishing all the great people on the Garden Fling tour, the amazing organizer @karl_gercens_ and the beautiful places we saw. 
.
.
.
#gbfling2023 #grateful #phillyfling #pennsylvaniafling #gardenbloggersfling #gardenbloggers

#baileynurseries  #cobrahead #crescentgarden #dramm #ealicata #gardenrant #thegreatgrowalong #longwoodgardens #monroviaplants #nwfs #northwestflowerandgardenfestival #picklewix #provenwinners #sandiaseed  #teakcloseouts
Philadelphia gardens are full of lush and lanes, t Philadelphia gardens are full of lush and lanes, tree snags and lichen. Perfect accent for our rainy garden tour. #gbfling2023 #americasgardencapital #lichen #fallgarden
Wait for it! The best gardens have secrets within Wait for it! The best gardens have secrets within them. #gbfling2023 #americasgardencapital #gardensecrets #paths #gardendestinations
Just 15 seconds of water sounds to ease you into y Just 15 seconds of water sounds to ease you into your weekend courtesy of @longwoodgardens fountains. Have a great one! #watermusic #gbfling2023 #phillyfling #americasgardencapital #soothing
I’ve loved this container in the front of our ho I’ve loved this container in the front of our house, but things are looking faded, so it’s time for a refresh. Out went the Persimmon supertunias (love them, but they have done their duty) and a new cuphea I’m testing (great plant.) In go fall celosia in bright yellow and bronze orange garden mum, both from @shopbachmans. I kept the Queen Tut papyrus for its spikey texture. We’re ready for fall! 

#fallcontainer #fallplanting #fallcelosia #gardenmums #mngardener #fallinMinnesota
Meet shaggy soldier, a weed that I have gotten to Meet shaggy soldier, a weed that I have gotten to know quite a bit this summer. It spreads like crazy, seeds abundantly and is all over my community garden. Sone sources say it is an edible herb but I’m just pulling for now. Next year, I’ll smother it out with newspaper, cardboard and/or mulch. What weed is your nemesis this year? #weedsinmygarden #galinsoga #shaggysoldier #mngarden #communitygarden #weedy #herborweed
Just another morning in the garden with my monarch Just another morning in the garden with my monarch friends. Have a peaceful, joyous Sunday! #communitygarden #monarchbutterfly #weekendvibes💕 #pollinators
What’s the difference between having enough sun What’s the difference between having enough sun and plenty of sun in the garden? These two Tithonias tell the tale! 

Plus don’t forget to stop by the @mnhort booth in the dirt wing of the Horticultural building at the @mnstatefair! I’ll be there Sunday from 1 to 5 pm and would love to hear how your garden is growing! 

#sunorshade #veggarden #communitygarden #howmuchsundoyouneed #tithonia #mexicansunflower
It’s a hot 🥵 hot day and nobody is moving too It’s a hot 🥵 hot day and nobody is moving too fast. Savor the slow. #nectar #zinniasofinstagram #beelife #mngarden
Ground cherries look like tomatillos but taste lik Ground cherries look like tomatillos but taste like tropical fruit.
They are an acquired taste but I love them, especially in a spicy jam. 

For this recipe, I mixed

2.5 cups of cleaned ground cherries, 
half a cup of water,
1 cup sugar
a few stray strawberries from the fridge,
 juice of a small lemon, 
a 1-inch piece of ginger
1 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg

 Boil away until it is thick. Store in the fridge and use as you would any jam. 

#communitygarden #groundcherries #mngardener #cookfromthegarden
What a fabulous day, touring gardens with garden c What a fabulous day, touring gardens with garden communicators from all over the U.S. and beyond! Minnesota gardens looked good today. Than you, @gardencomm_gci for visiting the Twin Cities!
Ribbit! Saw this beauty enjoying a beautiful garde Ribbit! Saw this beauty enjoying a beautiful garden in Washington County today. #daylily #gardentour #mngarden
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • What to Do with Not-Quite-Ripe Winter Squash? Recipes Included
  • Can You Eat a Sweet Potato Vine Tuber?
  • Growing Lilies in Containers
  • How to Pollinate a Meyer Lemon Tree
  • Four Peony Problems and Solutions
  • Jams, Jellies, Preserves: What's the Difference?
  • Mushrooms Growing in Straw Bales
  • How to Grow Lemons in the North (Plus a Recipe)
  • Big Changes in Minnesota Hardiness Zone Map
  • Growing Peppers in Pots in the North

Post Categories

  • Books/Writing
  • Climate
  • How to
  • Plants
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Why We Garden

Copyright © 2023 · captivating theme by Restored 316