Poinsettia, Euphorbia Pulcherrima, is an eye-catching indoor plant with leafy red “bracts” surrounding green-yellow flowers. They are frequently used to decorate homes during the Christmas season. Most poinsettias are thrown away after the holidays because they are challenging to maintain alive. But with a little tender loving care, you can keep your Poinsettia alive all year long.
One of the important factors affecting Poinsettia’s health and growth is its watering schedule. As a result, this article will go through the Poinsettia plant’s watering needs to help you understand how often to water poinsettia plants.
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Factors Affecting Poinsettia Watering Schedule
The amount of water a poinsettia plant needs depends on its growing environment and whether it is planted indoors or outdoors. The Poinsettia plant’s water needs can be influenced by light, temperature, humidity, soil type, plant size, and the type of potting container in which it is placed.
Temperature and Humidity
The environment in which you are growing your poinsettia plant is a crucial factor that will influence how much and how often you should water the poinsettia plant. For instance, water will evaporate from the soil more quickly if you live in a warm, dry region. As a result, the plant will lose more water through its leaves. The plant will also grow more quickly than usual under these conditions, increasing its water needs.
Potting Soil
The potting soil you use will greatly impact on how much water your Poinsettia plant needs and how quickly the soil dries out.
Selecting a well-draining potting mixture is crucial so that any excess water drains away from the roots after you’ve watered your poinsettia plant. A mixture of one part perlite, two parts peat moss, and three parts all-purpose soil works well since this mixture provides good drainage and aeration while still allowing for some water retention.
Potting Container
When the Poinsettia is planted in glazed ceramic or plastic containers, the soil will hold the water until it is either absorbed by the plant, drained out of the drainage holes at the bottom, or evaporates. But, Terracotta pots and other pots with porous walls allow oxygen and water to travel freely through them. So, when selecting a pot for your poinsettia plant, it’s crucial to remember these things.
A drainage hole must always be present if you want to utilize glazed ceramic or plastic pots, as it can be difficult to consistently add the necessary amount of water to a pot when there are no drainage holes.
Since unglazed clay pots have porous walls and can significantly reduce the risk of overwatering, they are typically a good container option for poinsettia plants.
How Often To Water Poinsettia Plants Indoors
As previously noted, the poinsettia watering plan varies depending on the environment and the growing medium or pot type. Watering the poinsettia plant once a week should be sufficient as long as the soil dries out between watering. Remember that the soil’s surface should feel completely dry before any watering.
How Often To Water Poinsettia Plants In Summer
If you keep your Poinsettia indoors, the watering frequency will depend on your home’s summertime temperature and lighting. In the summer, you can water your Poinsettia every three to four days if your home is warm and well-lit. However, the best way to decide when to water is to assess how dry the soil is.
How Often To Water Poinsettia Plants In Winter
The watering schedule may change throughout the winter season as there is less sunlight and it is colder outside. In the winter, you can water your Poinsettia every seven to ten days. However, the best way to decide when to water is to assess how dry the soil is.
How To Water Poinsettia Plant Indoors
When the poinsettia soil is completely dry, water it well until water flows out of the drainage holes. There are two ways to water your poinsettias:
- You can top-water your poinsettia plant using a watering can.
- You can place the poinsettia pot in a shallow dish filled with about 2” (5 cm) of water and allow the pot to soak up water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Symptoms Of Underwatering & Overwatering
Signs Of Underwatering Poinsettia Plant
Your Poinsettia isn’t getting enough water if its leaves start to dry up, curl, or droop.
Signs Of Overwatering Poinsettia Plant
The wilting and falling of leaves on the lower regions of the plant are the most typical symptoms of overwatering in poinsettias.
Another symptom of overwatering and root rot is the sudden wilting and eventual death of the entire plant. It’s frequently too late to save the plant at this time.
Tips for Watering Poinsettias
Empty the excess water from the saucer
Poinsettias don’t appreciate standing in a pool of water, unlike some other house plants, where it’s a good idea to allow some water to pool in the bottom saucer and let the plant ingest it later when it needs it.
Ensure that water can flow through decorative coverings
Poinsettias can become too damp, damaged, or killed if wrapped in plastic, foil, or other ornamental materials.
Decorative plastics or foils are frequently used to wrap poinsettias. These coverings do a great job of keeping water inside. As a result, the pots cannot drain properly, and standing water is frequently left in the bottom of the foil, which has the same effect as a plant saucer filled with drained water.
If you wish to maintain the ornamental wrapping on your poinsettia plant, ensure the pot can drain well. In order to have good drainage, The bottom of the foil can either be totally removed or have holes drilled into it. Alternatively, you can remove the foil when you immerse your plant, let the pot drain in the sink for a time, and then re-insert it into the sleeve.
Don’t irrigate excessively or frequently
Poinsettias are most frequently killed by overwatering. Avoid giving your Poinsettia more water than it requires, and avoid watering it more frequently than necessary.
