How Do You Get A Poinsettia To Rebloom

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Who doesn't appreciate a lovely, vibrant poinsettia during the holiday season? Along with Christmas trees, snowmen and gingerbread houses, these decorative, colorful plants make the season bright!

But did you know that it's possible to keep your festive plants year round and rebloom them for a second season? While easy to maintain, getting them to bloom again can be a little tricky, but totally worth it if you find yourself struggling to part with the festive plants post-New Year.

Basically, you want to treat poinsettias like any houseplant: Give them bright light, don't over-water them and make sure to feed them with a liquid houseplant fertilizer. Once the flower petal leaves fade and fall off the plant, cut back the stems to just below the flowers and allow them to grow back.

Here's your straightforward, step-by-step guide on reblooming poinsettias:

1. Place Plants Outside

Come spring, when the temperatures are consistently over 50 degrees Fahrenheit, place your plants outside so that they receive consistent, bright and indirect sunlight. Keep in mind they will grow, but they'll stay green in the summer.

2. Prune

When mid-summer rolls around, prune the plants back to one-half to one-third and re-pot them in the same or slightly larger pot.

Poinsettias Make For A Colorful Holiday — Getty Images | Mario Villafuerte

3. Place Plants Inside

Once summer is over, bring your plants indoors before nighttime temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It's super important that from Sept. 21 through the end of October your poinsettias get 14 to 15 hours of complete, uninterrupted darkness daily, along with nighttime temperatures around 65 degrees. This permits them to change colors.

4. Cover

Each day at 5 p.m., remember to cover the plants to ensure darkness, and then uncover them around 7 or 8 a.m. The correct lighting is key to making this whole process work!

5. Enjoy Them Again!

If you follow these precise directions, your poinsettias should be getting bright and cheery by the end of November. Come December, they should be completely ready to decorate your home, providing a festive touch throughout the holiday season!