You have to learn how to prune a Poinsettia if you want Christmas stars to add beauty to your garden.
If there is one decorative plant that you would usually see in homes during the winter holidays, it would be the Poinsettia. Its petal-like leaves called bracts are often tinted in bright red, making the plant ideal for this festivity.
However, Poinsettias don’t only grow during winter. Along with proper care practices and pruning techniques, it is possible to enjoy its head-turner blooms until the season comes over and over again.
The Right Way of Pruning Poinsettias
Pruning is more essential for Poinsettias than you might have thought. While maintaining the structure is one of its purposes, it is also required whenever the bracts are beginning to wither. If you do not prune your Poinsettias, they will not last long.
Notes On How To Prune A Poinsettia
If you are in doubt when you should start pruning your plants, you only need to remember a few key points. Have a look at these tips:
Tip #1: Prune your Poinsettias when the season is about to end
Keep in mind that Poinsettias have to be pruned when the season is about to end. By that time, it would be March, and your Poinsettias are fully bloomed by then.
Tip #2: Every stem of the plant must be pruned
The pruning should be done on every stem of the plant. First, you have to trim the leaves just enough to leave about three or four, individually. Then, use your shears to cut each of the stems to twice as short as their previous lengths.
Tip #3: Prune the Poinsettia during the summer
If your Poinsettias can survive the spring, they would supposedly be around four to six inches long when summer comes. Therefore, it is time for you to prune them again by individually cutting the tips by half an inch.
The bracts would most likely wilt any time during the growing period. That does not mean that the plant is already dying, although that is what would happen if you do not prune the damaged parts.
What to do after pruning a Poinsettia?
After pruning, always make sure to provide the needs of your Poinsettias. Place the pots or plant them in an area with generous access to natural sunlight, and maintain a temperature of roughly 65 degrees F.
Do not skip on the regular watering routine as dehydration can be lethal to them, just like with most plants. You can also include fertilizers in their necessities, which can help enhance their overall health and improve longevity.
The Biggest Benefits of Growing Your Plants in a Greenhouse
Greens aficionados who’ve decided to take their gardening experience and skills to the next level dare to try their hand at greenhouse gardening. Although setting up your own hobby, semi pro, or mini greenhouse may be a large investment, you won’t regret it. Here are some of the many wonderful benefits of greenhouse gardening:
It protects your plants from the effects of bad weather
It can be very easy for harsh weather conditions to cause irreversible damage to your delicate plants. While other traditional outdoor gardeners try to come up with emergency preparations to shield their plants from high winds, heavy rains, and snow, you can be confident that your greenhouse provides your plants with the protection they need against the elements.
It keeps the destructive bugs and critters away
If you’re worried about the constant threat of pests and vermin, you’ll be glad to know that a greenhouse can also serve as an effective barrier against destructive insects and animals that can potentially put all of your gardening efforts to waste. While you keep the bad bugs and critters out, you have the choice to put the beneficial bugs inside your greenhouse to help promote plant growth and health.
You can customize your plants’ growing conditions
One of the best ways about growing your plants in any type of greenhouse is the fact that the enclosed structure allows you to control your plants’ growing conditions. These may include the levels of temperature, humidity, and light. So long as you understand the specific needs of your favorite vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, you can be sure that you’ll be able to provide them with the best growing conditions.
You’ll be able to grow your own food
When you grow your own food, you’ll spend less on grocery shopping. What’s more, you and your family will be able to enjoy food that was grown without the use of toxic chemicals and pesticides.
Things to look out for
Protect yourself by wearing your gardening gloves at all times. You are also encouraged to put on long sleeves while pruning your Poinsettias as their sap can cause reactions to your skin.
Make sure not to forget to clean your tools, such as your shears. The absence of disinfection can lead to the spread of diseases between your plants.
After all, knowing how to prune a Poinsettia is not the only step you must follow if you want it to keep on blooming and to make your home livelier during the jolly holiday. You should ensure that its needs are taken care of as well.