Poinsettias - can they live beyond January?

We have no less than 10 Poinsettias in our office that are in varying stages of apparant death. We have faithfully watered, but they are dropping leaves like crazy! Any tips on how we can save them? Thanks in advance!!!

Poinsettias - can they live beyond January?
Hehe...I like that..."varying stages of apparant death." Yes, they can live beyond January. I have one in my office that is 3 years old. Granted, it is difficult to get them to bloom again, but they can remain green for a looooong time. The idea is to not overwater. Also, be sure to remove it from that dang shiny plastic thing they put over the pot and get it repotted into something that has some good drainage (adding a couple of inches of rock in the bottom also helps with that). Poinsettas are packaged in such a way to get them through Christmas and not much beyond. The soil is pretty rotten too, so add some Miracle Grow Potting Mix as well. Water thoroughly about once a week...maybe less if its soil is not completely dry to the touch. Light is also an issue. They should get indirect light for a good portion of the day (10 hours at least), or be in a room that is lit nearly all day long.


Once every few months, put one of those fertilizer stakes in the soil. They can survive, but they're not the easiest houseplant to nurture! Hope there's not a mass botanical homicide in your office in the near future.
Reply:They will have to go into a high light situation. I suspect the office doesn't have great windows and space to put the plants nearby. Since they've been stressed so much, it is probably better to toss them. Otherwise hand them out, take them home, cut them back, put in bright light (not direct harsh light) and get them to releaf if they have the energy. They may be pooped out. If they live until spring, they can be put outside, treated like anyother plant outdoors and brought back in the fall for conditioning for blooming.
Reply:Probably the air in your office is very dry. You might put a saucer under the plant and fill it with small rocks, add water so that the humidity will be increased. Do they have any sunlight?
Reply:They need a very mild climate... and they will! I have one that's 3 yrs old! :)
Reply:My (now former) neighbor had one for years. She planted it in the ground and it was about 8 ft tall. Poinsettias are really stressed out plants. They are the Niles Crane of the plant word. Keep the soil evenly moist (potting them in Miracle Grow Moisture Control Soil would be a good step). And the key to getting them to rebloom next year if they survive intensive care is that they need a certain period of time w/o light to stimulate the blooms.