How to keep poinsettias for next year

So, you've bought a bunch of poinsettias and decorated your home for the holidays. Do you toss them in January, along with the Christmas tree? Most people do. Others try to keep them as houseplants but soon learn they're among the most difficult plants to grow, often succumbing to root rot, leaf drop, scale infestation and a host of other problems. Plus, it's not easy to keep them blooming.

But there's a little-known method that will allow you to store them and take them out in time for next year's festivities. It not only has the makings of a fun project but will help you save some money when you need it most.

1 Provide water and sunlight for poinsettias throughout the holidays and until they stop blooming. Once the flowers (technically, they're bracts, but we'll call them flowers) are gone, allow plants to dry out.

2 When they've entered dormancy, lay pots on their sides in a cool, dark cellar and leave them there until April. Check them periodically, and if the woody stems start to shrivel, spritz them with a little water. This may or may not be necessary.

3 In April, bring plants back into the main part of the house, trim about 2 inches from the end of each stem, place by a sunny window and water regularly, keeping soil moist but never soggy.

4 You can move them outdoors around Memorial Day or continue to keep them as houseplants over the summer. Either way, fertilize once a month with 1 teaspoon per gallon of a complete fertilizer (20-20-20).

5 Around Labor Day check for the presence of insects, and if any are found, either pick them off by hand or rinse plants with a gentle stream of water to remove, then bring plants indoors. Place by a sunny window and continue to water and fertilize monthly. They do best if temperatures are kept between 70-75 degrees during the day and 60-65 degrees at night.

6 In order to form flower buds, poinsettias require about 15 hours of complete darkness daily. So for 40 days beginning Oct. 1, keep them in a very bright sunny spot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and then move them into a dark closet from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Do not skip this, even for one night, or bud formation may be inhibited.

7 By Nov. 9, you should notice the bracts taking on a reddish hue. From this point on, keep plants in the main part of the house around the clock and continue to water and fertilize. You should be seeing red (or white) in time for the holidays.