What to Do If Poinsettia Won't Bloom? Care Methods Differ Across the Four Seasons
In the world of flowers, the poinsettia enjoys great fame. It blooms around Christmas, New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, and is a very festive flower with flame-red color. However, during cultivation, improper care may prevent the poinsettia from blooming, so what should you do if it won't bloom? The key is still care. Below are the poinsettia's four-season care methods carefully selected by the editor, very comprehensive, so flower lovers, you must take a look~
I. What to Do If Poinsettia Won't Bloom
Earlier, we already introduced the effects and uses of the poinsettia, and know that it is not only highly ornamental but also has good medicinal value. But all of this has one major prerequisite: the poinsettia must bloom. However, for certain reasons, the poinsettia may not bloom, so what should you do if it won't bloom? For this, the editor has sorted out several causes; just address them accordingly. The specific causes are as follows:
1. Long-term lack of light
A poinsettia that won't bloom may be suffering from long-term lack of light. With insufficient light, the poinsettia not only grows poorly but is also prone to disease, so the red bracts are not seen.
Solution: Quickly move your poinsettia to a sunny spot, and its red bracts will, I believe, soon appear.
2. Insufficient fertilization
During the growing period, the poinsettia needs a large amount of nutrients. If it lacks fertilizer at this time, it is fatal to its growth. A poinsettia lacking fertilizer is often short and spindly; blooming would be a miracle.
Solution: Quickly apply some special plant nutrient fertilizer for it; this is very good nutrition for it to sprout and grow red bracts. I believe that after a period of careful care, your poinsettia will bloom.
3. The flowering period has not yet arrived
The poinsettia won't bloom. Besides the above two main factors, there may be another reason: the flowering period has not yet arrived. The poinsettia's flowering period lasts from December to February of the following year. If its flowering period has not yet arrived, that is, it is still in the growing period, green leaves may be constantly sprouting, so the red bracts that flower lovers see are naturally fewer.
II. The Poinsettia's Four-Season Care Methods
To make the poinsettia grow well and its flowers bloom beautifully, to put it plainly, it requires our careful care. However, in the poinsettia's cultivation methods and precautions, we have already learned that the poinsettia has many requirements when grown indoors, and they differ across the four seasons. For this reason, to make things convenient for flower lovers, the editor has sorted out the poinsettia's four-season care methods; you might as well take a look.
1. Spring care of the poinsettia
Repotting: April to May in spring is the best time for repotting. When repotting, use fertile soil with good drainage. The quality of the soil directly affects the poinsettia's growth. When changing the soil, replace 1/3 of the soil, so as to avoid the plant not adapting to a large-scale soil change.
Pruning: After repotting, ensure the plant has sufficient water and light to promote new sprouting of its branches. The newly grown semi-lignified branches can be cut off for cuttings. At the same time, the plant shape can be properly pruned so that the old branches are evenly distributed. If you do not prune the branches, you should pinch out the growing tips 2-3 times to ensure a full plant shape.
Watering: Water when dry, stop when wet. Spring is the poinsettia's peak growing season, so sufficient sunlight must be ensured, and watering must not be neglected either. Ensure the potting soil is dry-wet alternating. If watered too much, the potting soil stays moist for a long time, root growth is poor, and root rot easily occurs. But if the potting soil stays on the dry side for a long time, the roots easily shrivel, causing the plant to lack water. So water when dry and stop when wet.
2. Summer care of the poinsettia
Light: Avoid high temperatures and scorching sun. The poinsettia is not tolerant of high temperatures and blazing sun. In summer, the temperature should not exceed 28°C, otherwise growth will be poor. The plant should be placed in a semi-shaded environment to ensure sufficient water supply. When the temperature is high, spray water around it frequently and strengthen ventilation to lower the temperature. If the temperature is above 28°C, the poinsettia's growth stalls, so fertilization should be stopped, and resumed after the temperature drops.
Watering and fertilizing: In summer, despite the high temperature and stuffiness, under normal conditions the poinsettia still grows normally, so water must be replenished in time, watering once each in the morning and evening, and avoiding watering under the scorching sun. Apply decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 20 days, preferably in the evening, and let it get sunlight the next morning.
3. Autumn care of the poinsettia
Light: In autumn, as the temperature gradually turns cooler, gradually increase the morning and evening light and ensure a sufficient supply of water and fertilizer. If the plant shape has already taken form, short-day treatment can be carried out to force flowering.
Temperature: In late autumn, the temperature drops, so attention must be paid to controlling the temperature, and the plant should be moved indoors in time, with the indoor temperature kept at around 20°C.
4. Winter care of the poinsettia
Temperature: The poinsettia is not cold-tolerant, and when it blooms in early winter it should be kept at 15°C, with sufficient light and a sufficient supply of water and fertilizer. Insufficient temperature affects flowering, and at the same time the leaves will turn yellow and drop, forming bare stems and affecting the ornamental value. When winter comes, all the previous efforts are rewarded. At flowering, appropriately lower the temperature; at 5-10°C, the viewing period can reach 2 months.
What to Do If Poinsettia Won't Bloom
What to do if the poinsettia won't bloom 1. Failure to bloom caused by lightThe poinsettia is a typical short-day plant. If the poinsettia is placed in an environment with light both day and night, it will cause the poinsettia's flowering period to be delayed or no flowering to occur. Especially at night, even letting a poinsettia in darkness see a short period of light will affect its normal flowering.
How to handle itUnder suitable temperatures, ensure the poinsettia has about 13 hours of darkness each day. Especially at night, it is best to cover the poinsettia plant with a black plastic bag or cloth with good light-blocking performance, letting it enter a completely dark environment, so that it can bloom smoothly.
2. Failure to bloom caused by temperature being too high or too lowTemperature not only affects the poinsettia's flowering. If the ambient temperature is relatively low, for example below 10°C, then the poinsettia's flowering will be delayed and it cannot open as scheduled. If the ambient temperature is too high, for example above 35°C, then it will also affect the poinsettia's normal flowering.
How to handle itTo ensure the plant blooms normally, it is best to place the plant in an environment with a daytime temperature of 20°C—25°C and a nighttime temperature of 15°C. This not only ensures the poinsettia blooms normally, but also makes the beautiful bracts grow plump and symmetrical, and the ornamental value will increase accordingly.
How to make poinsettia bloom red 1. Give enough lightThe poinsettia is a short-day plant. If the daylight hours are too long, the leaves will not turn red. To make the poinsettia's bracts turn red ahead of time, control the daily light to within 12 hours; only in this way can flower bud differentiation be promoted.
If your poinsettia never turns red, you can try giving it only 9 hours of light per day; generally after 5 weeks this way the bracts will turn red.
2. The poinsettia's flowering period has not yet arrivedThe poinsettia's flowering period is from December——to February of the following year. If its flowering period has not yet arrived, during the stem and leaf growth period, green leaves will be constantly sprouting, so the red bracts that flower lovers see are naturally fewer.
It is suggested that flower lovers give the poinsettia sufficient sunlight to promote rapid and luxuriant growth of stems and leaves. Only after the branches and leaves are luxuriant can the bracts turn red.
3. Give enough fertilizer, especially fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorusNot paying attention to fertilization, with too much nitrogen fertilizer and insufficient phosphorus and potassium, will cause the poinsettia's bract color to be impure. During the growing and flowering season, apply liquid fertilizer once about every half month. After autumn begins, apply more fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to promote flower bud differentiation and ensure the bracts are bright red and pure in color.
Making the poinsettia bloom laterThe flower buds of the poinsettia at flowering are relatively sensitive to light and are difficult to differentiate in a lighted environment. Simply letting the plant receive more light can delay the flowering period. Flower lovers can care for it normally during the day, and carry out supplemental lighting treatment from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. the next day. Generally, a candlelight intensity of about 100 meters around the poinsettia can prevent flower bud differentiation; a small night light can be used at home. Likewise, control the temperature so it does not exceed 23°C. Of course, different varieties have different sensitivity to light; supplemental lighting treatment is best started in September.
Making the poinsettia bloom earlierAfter the poinsettia is pinched, 1—3 weeks later, under a temperature of 20—25°C, after shading treatment, that is, covering the plant with a piece of black cloth. Give 9 hours of light each day, that is, cover with a black curtain at 5 p.m. and open it at 7—8 a.m. the next day. Single-petal varieties can bloom in 45—55 days, and double-petal varieties can bloom in 55—65 days. If shading treatment starts in early August, with ventilation and cooling at night and topdressing once a week, the terminal leaves begin to change color in late September, and it can be enjoyed on National Day.
What to Do If Poinsettia Won't Bloom
The poinsettia's natural flowering period is around New Year's Day. However, many flower growers find that the poinsettia they grow still shows no flowers by spring, and thus they cannot enjoy its beautiful bracts. In this situation, the following measures can be taken to prompt it to bloom.
The poinsettia is a typical short-day plant. To make it bloom well, after it is moved indoors it must avoid light at night and be placed in a spot roughly the same as the natural day-night changes. If this issue is not noted, it will cause the poinsettia's flowering period to be delayed or no flowering to occur. It should be noted that at night, even letting a poinsettia in darkness see a short period of light will affect its normal flowering. Therefore, it should be placed in a completely dark place. Unsuitable temperature will affect the poinsettia's flowering. If the ambient temperature is relatively low, for example below 10°C, then the poinsettia's flowering will be delayed and it cannot open as scheduled. If the ambient temperature is too high, for example above 35°C, then it will also affect the poinsettia's normal flowering. Cultivation practice shows that to ensure the plant blooms normally, it is best to place the plant in an environment with a daytime temperature of 20—25°C and a nighttime temperature of 15°C. This not only ensures the poinsettia blooms normally, but also makes the beautiful bracts grow plump and symmetrical, and the ornamental value will increase accordingly..