If you happen to have a poinsettia or two still hanging around post-holiday, they might be looking a bit sad. Don’t toss them just yet, there is an easy way to extend the life of those gorgeous blooms with a minimal amount of effort.
If your poinsettias are like mine, the leaves in particular look like their best days are well behind them. But there’s an easy rescue to give new life to the best of these seasonal plants.
This is the same trick I use to keep the blooms of hydrangeas full and fresh for weeks. With the poinsettias, start by cutting them off close to the base of the plant, giving you a long stem. No need to remove the plant from the potting soil. Now fill a vase with hot water and under hot running water, trim the stems on an angle at a length that fits your vase.
Here’s the reason this works. When the stems of poinsettias are cut they release a white, sticky sap. Trimming them under hot water helps keep the opening of the stem from closing up. The hot water in the vase also helps keep the water flowing to the petals. Every few days recut the blooms in the same manner to keep them looking fresh.
You can often find poinsettias still in the stores and most are on sale, in some case stores are giving them away. These blooms of gorgeous plants will keep your spirits bright well into the New Year!
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Poinsettias – Extending Their Beauty into the New Year!
Equipment
- Sharp knife or scissors
Ingredients Â
- Poinsettia plants
InstructionsÂ
- With the poinsettias, start by cutting them off close to the base of the plant, giving you a long stem. No need to remove the plant from the potting soil.
- Now fill a vase with hot water and under hot running water, trim the stems on an angle at a length that fits your vase.
- Every few days recut the blooms in the same manner to keep them looking fresh.
