When Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Forms Flower Buds and How to Fix a Plant That Won't Bloom

Kalanchoe is a flagship flower of winter, but Kalanchoe is neither drought-tolerant nor heat-tolerant. Its blooming period is very long; under natural conditions it blooms from December to April or May of the following year. When does Kalanchoe form flower buds? What should you do if it won't bloom?

1. When does Kalanchoe form flower buds?

In early winter, around November, some have already grown flower buds, while others show no sign of activity yet. Under the same care conditions, whether Kalanchoe produces flower buds early or late is related to the following factors:

1. Variety

This year I grew quite a few colors, but so far, those that have produced flower buds are mostly the large red double-petaled ones, with a small number of rose-red single-petaled and double-petaled ones.

2. Old branches and thick, sturdy branches produce flower buds earlier

This year, because my interests shifted, I did not tend to several pots of Kalanchoe that had bloomed last year, and unexpectedly these pots grew flower buds early. On the contrary, the ones I carefully tended still showed no activity at all. In addition, among cuttings taken at the same time, those with larger branches and side branches have already produced flower buds, while the small, weak ones have not.

3. Light

One pot of Kalanchoe was placed on the living room floor and I forgot to move it out. A few days later, although the plant was still small, it actually had two small flower buds.

4. Soil

Many sources say that loose, breathable soil is very important, but I really have not found this to be true. Last year and this year, the Kalanchoe I planted in soil dug from a wheat field all grew very well. On the contrary, the ones grown in premium soil are still struggling to grow!

2. What should you do if Kalanchoe won't bloom?

Because of its long blooming period and ease of care, Kalanchoe is a flower accepted by households. But with improper care, it can also fail to grow or fail to bloom. There are mainly three situations in which Kalanchoe won't bloom.

1. Overapplication of nitrogen fertilizer

The three main elements plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. All three are very important to plant growth and are indispensable. Nitrogen mainly promotes leaf growth, potassium fertilizer can make stems thick and sturdy, and phosphorus fertilizer promotes flower bud differentiation. If nitrogen fertilizer is overapplied and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are lacking, Kalanchoe will grow vegetatively too vigorously, with stems and leaves growing leggy, flower buds unable to differentiate, and naturally it will not bloom. So when fertilizing, pay attention to balancing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. By October or November, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote flower bud differentiation. At the same time, apply Yehong Shiguang home flower fertilizer, which efficiently releases phosphorus and potassium, promotes blooming and extends the blooming period.

2. Lack of light

Kalanchoe is a short-day plant and needs 8-10 hours of light per day to bloom. If it is kept in a shaded environment for a long time without the stimulus of light, flower buds cannot differentiate and it will not bloom, and the stems and leaves of Kalanchoe will grow leggy with elongated internodes. So in winter it should be placed on a south-facing balcony or windowsill with ample light.

3. Lack of pruning

When Kalanchoe only grows taller without blooming, it is because vegetative growth is too vigorous to shift into reproductive growth, so it cannot bloom. We need to control vegetative growth. Therefore, during the growth of Kalanchoe, it needs proper pinching and topping to suppress apical dominance, promote side bud growth, and let it produce flowering branches. But pruning is not recommended now, because flower buds may already be present and pruning might accidentally cut them off. It is recommended to first increase light and apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. If it can bloom, prune after blooming.