Enjoying a poinsettia plant during holidays is truly a rewarding experience, but what happens after? Poinsettias usually go into a dormant stage and won’t look as fabulous as they used to.
Luckily, there are a couple of cultivars that can grow and thrive even after the holidays!
All it takes is to follow a specific plant care regimen, including careful watering, repotting, and also adding amendments to the soil that will keep your poinsettias healthy year-round. There’s one secret ingredient that will make sure your plant keeps thriving for a long time.
In this article, we are going to talk about that secret ingredient and share some tips on how to use it. Keep reading to find out more about how to have a thriving poinsettia all year round!
It’s All About Coffee Grounds!
Most gardeners already know that spent coffee grounds make a good soil supplement. They improve the drainage and provide nutrients that will attract earthworms. Coffee grounds added to plants help with the pH levels, slightly raising the soil’s pH.
You can add coffee grounds to houseplants too, including our lovely poinsettia. The most important thing you should keep in mind while using coffee grounds for your poinsettia is timing.
Related: Why And How To Use Coffee Ground In Plants.
When To Add Coffee Grounds
These plants have specific needs during different times in their growing stages. When to add coffee grounds is determined by your fertilization habits.
The best time to add coffee grounds is right after the blooming season and before the plant starts to form new buds, so usually between late April and early September.
Pruning and adding soil amendments should be done approximately at the same time because pruning is also recommended after the blooming period.
During the summer, you need to take your poinsettia outside as well. Soil amendment and trimming should be completed before you proceed to taking your poinsettia outdoors.
You shouldn’t add coffee grounds during the dormant stage (from mid-September through December) because the plant needs time to store energy and prepare for the new blooming cycle. Extra nutrients aren’t necessary when the poinsettia is “blooming”.
If you have issues with poinsettia flowering, make sure to check: 6 Steps For Making A Poinsettia Flower Again
How To Add Coffee Grounds
Now that we’ve established when is the perfect time to add coffee grounds to your Christmas plant, the question is how to do it properly.
Actually, there are a couple of ways you can amend coffee grounds in the soil. For starters, you can simply mix in some used coffee grounds when you plan to pot or repot your precious plant.
Just like peat moss, vermiculite, sand, or any other soil amendment, add coffee grounds to the soil and then fill out the container in which you plan to grow the poinsettia.
If you are growing it outdoors, you can use a trowel or your hand to work coffee grounds into the ground. But, you can also dig a hole and add coffee grounds in before planting the poinsettia.
After you’ve added soil amendments, water your poinsettia lightly and wait until the top few inches of the soil have dried before watering it again. Using a tiny trowel or spoon, stir coffee grounds into the top layer of soil for container poinsettias.