With the arrival of the Christmas holidays, our homes are enriched with decorations and the poinsettia is one of the most loved.
The poinsettia has large colored leaves, often red (but also pink or white), which look like flower petals. The true blooms, however, are small and yellow and are found in the central part of the plant.
Since poinsettias naturally bloom during the winter season, this plant is associated with the Christmas holiday season and used to add a decorative and festive touch.
However, behind its vibrant red petals lies a crucial secret: watering.
To keep the poinsettia in top shape during the Christmas period and beyond, we need to proceed with the bottom watering technique:
- We fill the saucer or container in which our poinsettia is placed with water;
- We wait 10-15 minutes to give the roots time to absorb all the water the plant needs;
- After this time, we eliminate the excess water to prevent it from stagnating and rotting the roots.
This technique, based on the absorption of water from below, makes the surface of the soil appear dry even when the earth is sufficiently wet.
Therefore, to understand if the poinsettia needs to be watered we must base ourselves on its weight; when it is light it means it needs water.
The frequency with which to water the poinsettia is generally every 2 or 3 days, but it can vary depending on its size and the temperature of the environment in which it is located.
We place the poinsettia in a place with diffused light, avoiding air currents and temperature changes to which the plant is sensitive to keep it in excellent health.