Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are perennial houseplants. As with all plants that are grown in a pot, a poinsettia also needs to be repotted regularly. When repotting is on the agenda and what you need to consider.
The poinsettia should be repotted once a year
Repot poinsettia every year
You should repot a poinsettia every year, even if the pot is not too small. The ideal substrate for poinsettias consists largely of peat, which decomposes over the course of the year. The soil should therefore be replaced regularly.
If you can continue to use the old pot, clean it thoroughly before planting the poinsettia again. New pots should also be very clean so that no germs or fungal spores can spread.
The best time to repot
A poinsettia is repotted after flowering in spring. Later, you should only transplant it if you need to save it from dying.
Prune roots when repotting
- Cut off faded inflorescences
- carefully rinse off old soil
- Prune diseased, dry roots
- Fill the pot with fresh substrate
- Insert the plant and press firmly
- keep moderately moist
Carefully remove the poinsettia from the pot. Rinse the old substrate under running water.
Look closely at the root ball. Cut off any roots that have dried up or rotted. When growing a poinsettia for bonsai, reduce the root ball to keep the plant compact.
Place the poinsettia in the pot and carefully press down the fresh substrate.
Care after repotting
After repotting, do not keep the poinsettia too moist. Above all, avoid waterlogging. Fertilizing is not necessary in the first few weeks after transplanting, as the fresh substrate contains sufficient nutrients.
If you have the opportunity, spend the summer with the poinsettia on the balcony or terrace. Otherwise, keep caring for it on the window sill.
In order for the poinsettia to be able to develop its colored bracts, you must first set it dark or darker for a few weeks.
tips
Poinsettias usually recover very quickly from repotting. However, give the plant a grace period and do not place it in direct sunlight for the first few weeks.