You wouldn't think container gardening would play a major role in the cold winter months. But what would the holidays be without the ever-popular poinsettia?
Although they are usually treated as seasonal decorations, easily tossed in January after the holidays, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are perennial plants that can be kept for years with proper care.
Poinsettias indoors for the winter need to be in a sunny window where the temperature is relatively stable. Keep them away from chilly drafts, heat vents, and radiators. Water regularly so that the soil stays moist (but not soggy) until the leaves begin to drop in late winter.
If you want to keep your poinsettia for another year, it'll need a dormant period in early spring. When the leaves drop, cut the stems back, reduce watering to just enough to keep the soil from completely drying out, and store the plant in a cool place until the weather warms in late spring.
When spring arrives, and all chance of frost has passed, put it in a sunny place again (either indoors or out) and let it grow. Left to its own under regular seasonal light conditions, poinsettias will grow to be rather large leggy, green plants. Not exactly the compact, scarlet beauty you started with, but a unique plant nonetheless.
If you want smaller plants for Christmas, take stem cuttings in summer. If the plants are outside for summer, be sure to bring them indoors before the first frost in fall.
To make your poinsettia red again next Christmas it'll need 14 hours of complete darkness a day for ten weeks, starting in October. Cover with a box or paper bag every night, so no light gets to the plant. When the color begins to appear, fertilize it with high Nitrogen fertilizer every couple of weeks. Then care for it as you did last year.
Here are a couple of useful links for poinsettias:
University of Hawaii Poinsettia FAQ http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/~experts/flo...
The Legend and Legacy of Poinsettia http://hg.women.com/homeandgarden/garden...
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