poinsettia

how do i get last years poinsettia to flower again? it has thrived over the summer and has grown into a lush healthy plant but i dont know what to do to get those lovely red bracts back for christmas.

 

I'm not sure, but I think it might be too late for christmas now.
It needs short day treatment ie. it must not have more than about 8 hrs of daylight for a couple of months or so, to form the flower buds.
Its not always easy to achieve, unless you have a warm greenhouse. Artificial light will affect it, so in the house is not ideal.
Maybe someone else has managed it?

 

I once managed it, entirely by accident! The plant was in a badly lit spare bedroom, so no artificial light, for the summer and watered infrequntly, which they usually don't like. It looked healthy when I finally took notice of it and brought it dowmstairs. It produced a profusion of tiny red bracts over winter, very pretty, but much smaller than normal. I don't think it survived the next year, so maybe it was its' dying effort.

 

Yes it's a bit late now, they need long nights (12 hrs +) from about the end of September, temperature in the 60s F. draught free. What a nightmare to grow! You've done well to keep it healthy from last year. Buy a new one or better still, buy a Holly bush this year.