Dying poinsettia

peterhm0HlrL4

The story is as follows:
I bought a supermarket poinsettia on Christmas 2019, complete with red leaves. All ok, lasted a few weeks then went all green, lost red leaves.
Three months ago I put it in the dark cold garage and basically neglected it, certainly did not water it. I hoped this would make it redden some of its leaves. No red leaves appeared but it thrived! All leaves, old and new were green.
I got it out recently and put it in the light and watered it (to death) once. Ever since Its leaves have turned yellow and fallen off.
Someone tell me what is going on?

Many thanks,
peter

yorkshirerose

I think you have done well to keep it alive since 2019! Poinsettias are Mexican plants and are usually disposed off a few weeks after Christmas. It is possible, with care, to keep them going, but not everyone has the patience to try.
Dispose of your plant and treat yourself to a new one next Christmas.

wild edges

Well they don't like the cold, or the dark, or being watered to death so that might have been a factor   They like a warm house with no cold draughts, bright light and fairly minimal watering with room temp rainwater. If you want to get the colour back you need 12 hours of grow-lights and some way of cutting out all light for 12 hours a day. 

peterhm0HlrL4

Wild edges,

Many thanks for the info. Ditto to yorkshirerose.

Given that "They like a warm house with no cold draughts, bright light", how did the poor beast survive 3 months in a dark and cold garage? And apparently thrive?

JennyJ

I've tried a few times to get them to look good a second time (covering with a thick black plastic bag for 12 hours and leaving the lights on for the other 12 through the autumn - I don't have specialist grow lights), and failed. Now I treat them like a bunch of flowers - buy a new one each year and compost it after it's finished doing its thing.

peterhm0HlrL4

peterhm0HlrL4 said:

Wild edges,

Many thanks for the info. Ditto to yorkshirerose.

Given that "They like a warm house with no cold draughts, bright light", how did the poor beast survive 3 months in a dark and cold garage? And apparently thrive?

I was disappointed not to hear back from you. I am intrigued by the behaviour of my poinsettia and would love to have some suggestions...
Thanks you,
peter

bertrand-mabel

Bear in mind that poinsettias are commercially grown for the christmas market and the work that goes on in those glass houses is enormous.

Often the question comes up on Gardeners Question time and most of the panel says what Yorshire Rose says....buy a new one next year. It is so difficult to get them to produce the red bracts again.

Silver surfer

peterhm0HlrL4 said:

Given that "They like a warm house with no cold draughts, bright light", how did the poor beast survive 3 months in a dark and cold garage? And apparently thrive?

I was disappointed not to hear back from you. I am intrigued by the behaviour of my poinsettia and would love to have some suggestions...
Thanks you,
peter

Complete and utter luck, a fluke that it survived a dark, cold garage.
Must have had enough moisture stored in the stems to manage to grow more leaves.
The shock of moving it into a warmer place and the sudden soak were just too much for the poor thing.

I agree with yorkshirerose and all others...
Dispose of your plant and treat yourself to a new one next Christmas.....and every Christmas.
They are incredibly cheap...maybe £3.99 at 2020 prices  in a supermarket.

yorkshirerose

Please make sure when you buy your next one that it has been grown in this country.
Many, up to now, have come from abroad in heated lorries and may not  have reached their destination for a few days, and are often mishandled, especially by supermarkets and D.I.Y. outlets who do not understand the requirements of the plant.
Also, any plants brought in from abroad must  now have proof of origin of Country by way of a Plant Passport.