Prolong your poinsettia's holiday cheer with pumpkin boost
The red flowers of the poinsettia are inseparably associated with the holidays. You can find them almost everywhere, including in supermarkets. Although it may seem like these flowers are temporary, a simple method will allow you to enjoy them much longer than just during Christmas.
In winter, it's hard to find vibrant colours, so the red poinsettia stands out against the omnipresent grey. Its colourful leaves, reminiscent of stars, add a festive charm and create a beautiful and simple home decoration. This unique plant is often treated as a one-time purchase, but it can last for weeks with proper care.
Poinsettia for the holidays
We often treat the poinsettia as a seasonal decoration, yet it's a perennial plant that can adorn our interiors with the right care for many months. The key is providing appropriate growing conditions and regularly using homemade fertilizer.
The poinsettia grows best in well-lit areas, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. It's also important to avoid drafts and maintain moderate humidity levels. Room temperature should be around 18–21 degrees Celsius, which is optimal for this plant.
How to care for your poinsettia
After the holidays, we often forget about the poinsettia, but it requires care all year round. During the winter, the plant enters a resting phase, which means reducing watering and moving it to a cooler place. We can start watering and fertilizing the plant more intensively in spring and transplant it into a larger pot. In summer, it's worth putting it outside, avoiding direct sunlight.
An ally in taking care of your poinsettia will be pumpkin. This vegetable is a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals that nourish the plant. Thanks to it, the poinsettia will retain its vibrant colours longer and be more resistant to diseases. Pumpkin provides essential nutrients like potassium and phosphorus, which strengthen the roots and help in energy production.
Just take the vegetable, blend it, and fertilize it. It's an affordable and natural way to keep your poinsettia stunning for much longer.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin pulp without seeds
- 1 cup of water per tablespoon of pumpkin pulp
Instructions:
- Blend the pumpkin pulp into a smooth paste.
- Add water and mix.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve.
Water the poinsettia with the fertilizer every two weeks, using 2 tablespoons per pot. After the first month, you'll see the initial effects, and the poinsettia will bloom longer than usual.
