What's the use of the oasis in potting Poinsettias? It seems a wee bit on teh cruel side?

For most people Poinsettias die right after Christmas because of the oasis in which the plant was set.

What's the use of the oasis in potting Poinsettias? It seems a wee bit on teh cruel side?
They start the poinsettia cuttings in the oasis, or foam. It holds the water and keeps the cuttings moist, and then when they pot it, the oasis goes along. This helps keep them from having to be watered so often. in the greenhouses. If you want to keep your poinsettia after Christmas, take it out of the pot and gently break away as much of the oasis as possible, with minimal disturbance of the roots, and repot it in fresh potting soil, then just grow it on as a house plant.
Reply:I don't know what you mean by the plant being in an oasis. I think you chose the wrong word.



Do you mean the quality of soil from the store is very poor, the pot is too small for having a small bush in it?



If you think that is cruel, take a look at your Christmas tree. It took probably 10 years to grow to that size and people cut it down, toss it up in their living room for a month, and then throw it out to die.



It all has to do with our materialistic society. Anything we get amuses us for 10 minutes and then we throw it away to waste. I don't know anyone who has actually planted their Christmas poinsetta in their garden in the spring, or bothered keeping it over a month after Christmas. Maybe it has to do with them being entirely green all the time. You have to "force" them to get the red petals you see on the holiday plants.