Here's How Often To Water Poinsettias So They'll Thrive

Poinsettias are tropical plants native to Mexico that appear as decorations in stores and homes during the festive winter holidays. Red "flowers" with green leaves is the classic look but you can also find white and pink, ones too. But the colored leaves aren't actually petals of a flower but leaf bracts. Once you take one home, it's important to give them the best care so they flourish. As sensitive plants, they need to be watered properly to ensure they stay happy and thrive in your home.

We spoke to horticulturist experts on how to water, what to know and how often to water poinsettias.

Meet The Expert

• Delilah Onofrey is the Marketing Director for Suntory Flowers and a National Garden Bureau member.

• James Doukas is the Territory Manager for Selecta One North America.

How Often To Water Poinsettias

Every poinsettia will have slightly different watering needs based on where it's located in the home. The amount of sunlight and air movement it receives, along with how much heating is on in the home, will influence how often to water, which can be one to three times a week, says James Doukas, Territory Manager for Selecta One North America.

Poinsettias do best when the moisture is even—not too wet or too dry. If you water too much, the soil can stay damp for too long and cause root rot.  "Too wet and the roots themselves will be deprived of oxygen (O2) creating an environment conducive to a variety of root diseases," says Doukas.

Underwatering can also harm your poinsettia by causing the plant to wilt, so finding the right balance of moisture is important. "Roots can be injured, too, when too dry, allowing a common rot fungal disease, pythium, to set in," says Doukas.

Avoid placing your poinsettia in your home near a cold draft or a heater. Cold drafts and heat can damage the leaves and colored bracts, says Delilah Onofrey, Marketing Director for Suntory Flowers and National Garden Bureau member. Heaters can dry out the plant, too.

The Best Way To Water Poinsettias

Poinsettias like to have moist soil but do best when the soil dries out a bit before receiving another drink. "If you have a houseplant watering can with a long spout, this will help you reach the base underneath," says Onofrey. When you water, make sure to avoid any water splashing on the leaves or stems. Another option, depending on the type of pot you have, is to water at the base. "If you have a pot that promotes watering from the bottom, the plant will decide how much water to take up," says Onofrey. She says you want to ensure the plant doesn't sit in water.

When poinsettias aren't watered properly, diseases can occur. "Water sitting on the interior foliage or bracts in the cool and dark home environment can create a perfect microclimate for fungus like botrytis," says Doukas.

You also don't want any water to collect at the bottom of the pot, which can cause the roots to stay damp and lead to root rot. Like most plants, poinsettias don't fare well when they sit in water. When you purchase a poinsettia, they usually are wrapped in foil, but it's best to remove it first so water doesn't collect at the bottom of the pot.  "If you really like the look of the foil, poke holes in the bottom for water to drain," says Onofrey.

Why You Should Check The Soil Before Watering

If you have a watering schedule you may give all your plants H20, whether they need it or not. Instead of automatically watering your poinsettias, check the soil to see if the top soil level is dry by doing a finger soil test. Put the tip of your finger at least a centimeter deep or more in the soil. "If the soil is moist, you don’t need to water," says Onofrey. "This is more accurate than just looking at or touching the surface of the pot soil."

The size of the pot also influences soil moisture and how often your poinsettias need to be watered. The bigger the container, the more water the plant will need but this can make it more difficult to know the moisture level in the pot.  For example, Doukas explains, "For a larger pot, the first 1-2 inches may be dry, but the interior of the pot where 90% or more of the roots are has adequate moisture." He says that "smaller pots are more susceptible to dry down from airflow and heat.

The Weight Method

An alternative to the soil test is figuring out when to water based on the weight of the pot. Doukas recommends this method for pots that aren't too heavy and you won't injure yourself in the process. If it's too heavy, opt for the soil test method. So what does this method entail? Each time you water, pick up the pot so you have an idea of how heavy it is when the soil is wet. "Get comfortable with the weight of a recently watered pot," says Doukas.  He recommends picking up the pot every couple of days so you notice as the pot becomes lighter. "I promise with practice, you will get comfortable just lifting a pot an inch or so up in the air to quickly know how much water is left in the pot for the plant to use," says Doukas.

What Does Yellowing Leaves Indicate?

Plants give off signs when something isn't right. Leaves can turn yellow for many reasons and sometimes it can be difficult to know the culprit. If you notice the bottom leaves of your poinsettia turning yellow, it may be an issue with insufficient sunlight or how the plant is storing food.  "Lower leaves that start to yellow and later fall off are an indication of two possibilities: Not enough light is reaching the lower leaves, which is the most common in a home on a larger plant," says Doukas, "or the plant is actually using its food stores in those lower leaves and moving the sugar and nitrogen out of them."

If it's the first issue, you'll want to move it to another area of the home that receives more light. If it's the latter or if you want your poinsettia to last long after the holiday season, consider giving it plant food or fertilizer. "If you want your poinsettia to last a long time, a little nutritional feed 1-2 times a week can help keep the plant healthy," says Doukas. 

Related: The One Costco Holiday Item My Mom Swears By

Read the original article on Southern Living