This week, I thought it was time to give some tips on one of the symbols of Christmas - poinsettias

CARE OF POINSETTIAS These plants are very sensitive to cold conditions so it is best to buy them from places where they are kept in warm, bright conditions and certainly not from outdoor displays.

TEMPERATURE The minimum temperature required is 15C (60F).

LIGHT The plant prefers a brightly lit spot. Never leave it on a windowsill at night behind closed curtains, as there is a risk of it becoming chilled.

HUMIDITY This is very important to the plant, so stand the pot on a wide saucer of moist gravel. Keep the gravel moist as it will then release moisture into air currents around the foliage, preventing dehydration of the leaves.

WATERING Allow the surface of the compost to dry out between waterings as it is better to keep the plants on the dry side rather than too moist. Of course you should never allow the compost to dry out totally, on average I would say that watering the plant twice a week would be sufficient, unless the room was very hot. Always use tepid water.

FEEDING Feed every 10 days, using your favourite houseplant food.

CARE AFTER FLOWERING Generally the plants are discarded, but they can be grown on if you are prepared to put in a little effort if you would like to have a go, please contact me for further details.