Kalanchoe Care and Pruning Tips

Kalanchoe is a perennial succulent herbaceous plant and a rather well-known potted flower, so what exactly are the care methods and pruning precautions for kalanchoe?

1. Growth habits of kalanchoe

The Chinese scientific name of kalanchoe is Christmas kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), an evergreen perennial herbaceous succulent plant. Its flowering period is from January to April each year, and it has many varieties. Flower colors include crimson, peach red, orange red, yellow, orange yellow and white, etc.

Kalanchoe is native to Madagascar in Africa and likes to grow in a warm, slightly humid environment with plenty of sunlight. It is not a cold-tolerant plant. The suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C. In summer, attention should be paid to cooling and sun protection. If the temperature exceeds 30°C, the growth of kalanchoe will be affected.

Kalanchoe is a short-day plant and is relatively sensitive to photoperiod. For plants with good growth and development, giving short-day treatment (8-9 hours of light per day) for 3-4 weeks can produce flower buds and bloom.

2. Care methods and precautions for kalanchoe

1. Kalanchoe likes light and should be grown in a place with sufficient scattered light, avoiding direct strong light;

2. Choose a breathable flower pot and soil for planting; kalanchoe needs good air permeability;

3. During cultivation, attention should be paid to pest and disease control and pruning of flower branches, so that kalanchoe can grow better.

Among these, the main diseases are powdery mildew and leaf blight, which can be sprayed with a 600-fold dilution of 65% zineb wettable powder. The pests include scale insects and aphids, which harm leaves and tender shoots, and can be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate.

Two weeks after planting, Christmas kalanchoe is sprayed once with 0.2% daminozide, and sprayed again when the plant height reaches 12 cm. This can effectively control plant height and achieve the effect of a beautiful plant, green leaves and abundant flowers.

Pruning flower branches is generally done by pinching and topping during the vigorous growth period to control growth height. Branches should also be pruned before and after flowering and before winter, which can save excessive nutrient consumption.