How to keep your festive houseplants flourishing all year
Those festive houseplants that brightened your home over Christmas don't have to be seasonal one-offs. With the right care through winter and beyond, poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and amaryllis can become permanent fixtures in your collection – and put on another show next December.
The key is understanding what each plant needs once the festivities fade. We might associate these plants with the winter months but poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and amaryllis are all tropical natives that naturally follow cycles of growth and rest. Think of it as guiding them through their natural yearly rhythm – just with a little help from you along the way.
How to keep poinsettias alive after Christmas (and get them to rebloom next year)
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) have a reputation for being temperamental, but they're perfectly capable of surviving (and thriving) well beyond the festive season.
These Mexican natives grow naturally in tropical deciduous forests where they experience seasonal dry periods. The biggest challenges are their sensitivity to cold, which causes rapid leaf drop, and getting those coloured leaves (technically called bracts) to return the following year – but both are achievable with the right approach.
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Winter (January–February): Keep your poinsettia in a bright spot away from cold drafts and radiators, maintaining temperatures of 16-21°C with a minimum of 13°C. Water when the top inch of compost feels dry, allowing excess to drain away completely. The coloured bracts will gradually fade, which is normal.
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Spring (March–May): In late March or April, cut the stems back to about 10cm from the base. This encourages bushier growth. Repot into fresh compost if the roots have filled the current pot, using three parts John Innes No. 3 mixed with one part grit. After repotting, keep your poinsettia in a bright spot with indirect light indoors, or move it outdoors to a sheltered position once temperatures are reliably warm.
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Summer (June–August): Your poinsettia will grow actively through summer. Continue providing bright, indirect light whether indoors or in a sheltered outdoor spot. Water regularly when the compost surface feels dry, and feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser.
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Autumn (September–November): Here's the crucial bit for getting those red bracts back. From late September, poinsettias need complete darkness for 12-14 hours each night for 8-10 weeks. A cupboard or spare room works well. During the day, give them bright light. This mimics their natural growing conditions and triggers the colour change. Maintain temperatures around 18-21°C and continue regular watering.
- Early Winter (December): By December, you should see new coloured bracts emerging. Once the colour develops, move your poinsettia to its display position and enjoy the show.
How to care for Christmas cactus year-round (and encourage reflowering)
Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera) are among the easiest festive plants to keep going, and they'll reliably flower for decades with minimal fuss.
Unlike true cacti, these are forest plants from the coastal mountains of southeast Brazil, where they grow as epiphytes on trees in humid, shaded conditions. This means they need different care from desert cacti – think dappled light and regular moisture rather than full sun and drought.
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Winter (January–February): After flowering, Christmas cacti need a rest period. Reduce watering slightly and keep them in a cool spot (around 10-15°C) with indirect light. Allow the top of the compost to dry out between waterings. This rest helps the plant recover and sets it up for next year's blooms.
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Spring (March–May): As temperatures warm up, gradually increase watering. Water when the top of the compost feels dry, and begin feeding monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser. These plants appreciate humidity, so a position away from radiators works best. Spring is also a good time to repot if needed – use a mix of multipurpose compost with added grit or perlite for drainage.
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Summer (June–August): Continue regular watering and monthly feeding through the summer. Your Christmas cactus can move outdoors to a sheltered, shaded spot if you like – dappled shade or a north-facing position works well. Avoid direct midday sun, which can scorch the leaves.
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Autumn (September–November): To encourage flowering, Christmas cacti need cooler temperatures (around 10-15°C) and slightly longer nights. From September, reduce watering slightly and stop feeding. Keep the plant in a cool spot with natural light patterns (no artificial lights in the evening). This drop in temperature and reduced day length triggers bud formation.
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Early Winter (December): Once buds appear, move your plant to its flowering position. Resume normal watering, keeping the compost consistently moist but not waterlogged. Avoid moving the plant once buds have formed, as this can cause them to drop. Your Christmas cactus should flower beautifully through December and often into January.
How to make amaryllis bulbs bloom again
Amaryllis bulbs (Hippeastrum) put on a spectacular show, then need a proper rest before they'll perform again.
These South American natives grow in tropical and subtropical regions with distinct seasonal patterns of growth and dormancy. The key is allowing the foliage to feed the bulb after flowering, then giving it a proper dormancy period to trigger next year's blooms.
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Winter (January–February): After flowering, cut off the spent flower stalk but leave the foliage. The leaves are essential for building up the bulb's energy reserves. Water when the top of the compost feels dry, keeping it just moist but never waterlogged. Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser, maintaining temperatures around 15-18°C.
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Spring (March–May): Continue watering and feeding regularly as the foliage grows. The leaves will be working hard to store energy in the bulb for next year's flowers.
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Summer (June–August): Keep up the regular watering and feeding. From midsummer onwards, switch to a high-potash tomato feed to encourage flower formation. You can move the pot outdoors to a sheltered spot away from strong winds and harsh midday sun if you like, which often helps the bulb strengthen. Morning sun or dappled shade works well.
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Autumn (September–November): In September, stop watering and feeding completely. The leaves will yellow and die back, which is normal and nothing to be alarmed about. Once the foliage has died down, cut it off and move the pot to a cool, dark place (around 13°C). The bulb needs at least 6-8 weeks of dormancy through October and November.
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Early Winter (December): Bring the pot back into a warm, bright spot (around 21°C to initiate growth) and start watering again. You should see a flower spike emerge within a few weeks, ready to flower again for the festive season.
The best tools for the job
Caring for these plants throughout the year is easier when you have the right tools to hand. Our indoor watering cans with precise spouts make watering your houseplants straightforward, mess-free, and genuinely satisfying.
The control you get from a well-designed watering can, delivering water exactly where it's needed without disturbing leaves or splashing compost, makes all the difference when you're nurturing plants through their various stages of growth and rest.
