Poinsettias - Extending Their Beauty into the New Year!
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.
Equipment
- Sharp knife or scissors
Ingredients
- Poinsettia plants
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
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.
This is the same trick I use to keep the blooms of hydrangeas full and fresh for weeks.