Now, just enjoy it in a sunny window until spring, when the caring time for this plant begins.

In spring, chop off those branches to 6 inches in length. I know this will hurt you more than it does the plant. Now wash your knife and wash your hands. That sap is poisen. Still in a sunny window.

When you are sure of no more frost,
(Yeah, right, if you live in Michigan!)
put it in a larger pot and set it outside in a sunny spot where there is some shade in the afternoon. If you think you'll have frost one night, bring it in again. Every 3 weeks, go out and pinch off the last inch of new growth. Stop doing this by August.

Bring it back inside before frost, and check for bugs that you don't want in your house. Put it in a sunny window again and just enjoy until October.

The first week in October, start giving the plant about 15 hours of total darkness each night. I found that a large box does the trick for me. At about supper time, I put it on the floor and cover it with the box, then in the morning, I put it back in the window. Don't water it as much as before it started sleeping under the box.

What is neat is seeing the color change gradually back to red. First you start seeing some bright red on the outer stems, then you start to see the leaves getting a little red on the veins. The process is interesting to young and old.