Hi Stan,

Red Poinsettias

Cut off any old blooms that are still on the plant in February or March. Cut the branches back to about 4″-5″ but try to leave a few leaves on each branch. You can use these stem cuttings to start new plants. Around June or July cut the top off of each of the stems. Pruning encourages the plant to become full and bushy and helps the plant have more flowers. Towards the end of the summer, if the plant stems have grown 4-5 inches, pinch off the growing tips one more time. Fertilize poinsettias six weeks after they have finished flowering and then monthly until December. Use a basic houseplant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Place poinsettias in complete darkness for 12 to 14 hours a night beginning in late October if you want the leaves to turn red by December. Hope you have beautiful poinsettias next year.