I hate poinsettias!

I know that I must be thought of as a grinch for admitting my extreme dislike for poinsettias. They are too fragile to deal with. I can't leave mine all lined up neatly on my entrance steps inviting guests to stop by for some holiday cheer because the temps dip in the nights. And yes I am too lazy to take them in and out each day.

The plant dies even faster inside of my house of doom. The wood heater gets too hot for them, I forget to water them, and I do not have enough of natural light inside for me to even thrive (that's why you will find me outside most days soaking up the rays).

Sure I walk by the plants in the stores and start humming a x-mas jingle, but inwardly I am snarling at that perfect red and lovely green plant that says "take me with you, I'll be good this year." I almost fall for it but I scurry out of the store not purchasing what I came in for.

Maybe that is why Eve could not resist the temptation of the apple (no comments on the apple please. Just go along for the ride:) Red grabs you. And there is nothing more holiday joy than the appearance of the POINSETTIA.

Maybe I am just mad because I cannot enjoy it all year. It is here so briefly. And mines always ends up bald. I have been a great parent to many plants, but I will never be a great parent for the poinsettia.

Torment me with pictures of your healthy poinsettia please:)

Happy holidays!!

I was standing and taking a foto of a snowy, sharp peak in the Himalayas once. It was beautiful to see on a pristine day. My partner was standing near-by and said , "Do you realize what you're standing under"? I looked-around and all I saw were bare branches od aome kind of shrub.
I stepped back an looked again...there on the foregeound was a poinsetta that was nearly twice my height (6'3"). I was shocked! The poinsettas that I knew were the smallish table plants, I had never thouight of how they looked in their natural habitat. well I moved around and got into a position where I could see the Nepaleese peak with the poinsetta as a foreground.

Anyway... I have success with poinsettas by not putting them in the direct sunlight and I put a wide container filled with water under the pot with the poinsdetta in it. The evaporation of the water goes upwards and keeps the plant leaves in a somewhat moist state. One problem in my house is the harmful dry air that you get in the winter time.
The light that they do get comes in the window for less than two hours per day, but they get indirect light all day long.
Another thing that I do is --every 4 days, I submerge the pot into a bucket od water and let ir bubble until it stioos bubbling, then I put it back into it's container. I religiopusly do this and have even held it over.
I haven't had poinsettas for a few of years because it is poisinous for the cats.
I did have them in a west window once-- they did it one year and the next year they died...
I do believe that having a dish with water under the plant helps alot. I do that with other plants like ferns and split-leafed monstera.

I apologise for this somewhat chaotic note...I am pressed for time. Good luck

Addendum: Drooppy, maybe you need to use a grow light on it for a few hours per day as the darkness increases.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html