Place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
Provide room temperatures between 16- 21° C. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.
Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.
Fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.
Avoid
Cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts or the top of a television.
Exposing plants to temperatures below 10 ° C. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
Over watering your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering,and allow the water to drain completely.
Exposing your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
Fertilizing your plant when it is in bloom.
How long will a poinsettia stay in bloom?
It depends on all of the factors mentioned above. A quality plant in the right location that is well-cared for can stay in bloom for up to six months, but that is unusual. Most poinsettias will last 4 to 6 weeks before the flowers (technically known as bracts) begin to fall off. When the flowers fade and the plant no longer looks attractive, you can discard the plant or you can test your green thumb by doing the following:
1. Cut the stems back to just above the point where new (green) growth is emerging. This usually means cutting off one-half to two-thirds of the stems. It may look ugly until the new growth has filled out in a few weeks.
2. Move the poinsettia to a sunny window sill.
3. Do not repot the poinsettia.
4. Water and fertilize the poinsettia regularly. Do not let it get dried out. Avoid temperature extremes and cold drafts.
If you do all the above you will be rewarded with a full, nicely shaped, green-leafed poinsettia.
Keep up this regiment through the winter, spring and summer.
If you want your poinsettia to re-bloom, you will have to start preparing it in the fall.