How to Grow Kalanchoe? Detailed Guide to Care Methods and Precautions
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is an ideal indoor flowering plant for winter and spring. It has a small, delicate plant body, a compact growth habit, emerald-green leaves, and dense flowers, carrying the meaning of great fortune and longevity, making it an ideal potted flower for gifting to relatives, friends, and elders. So what should we pay attention to when cultivating kalanchoe? Today let us introduce the cultivation methods for kalanchoe:
Cultivation Methods for Kalanchoe (Basic Knowledge)
1. Soil selection for kalanchoe cultivation:
Kalanchoe must not be grown in heavy, sticky soil, otherwise it will lead to poor growth, root rot, and leaf drop, and in severe cases cause the plant to die. The potting soil should be mixed with 4 parts leaf mold, 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts river sand, plus a small amount of bone meal. This type of growing medium is loose and fertile, has good drainage, and shows a slightly acidic reaction, which is beneficial to root development.
2. Fertilization methods for kalanchoe cultivation:
Kalanchoe must not be grown in heavy, sticky soil, otherwise it will lead to poor growth, root rot, and leaf drop, and in severe cases cause the plant to die. The potting soil should be mixed with 4 parts leaf mold, 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts river sand, plus a small amount of bone meal. This type of growing medium is loose and fertile, has good drainage, and shows a slightly acidic reaction, which is beneficial to root development.
During the peak growing season, apply a dilute compound liquid fertilizer once every 15 to 20 days to promote robust growth and abundant flowering. After flower buds form in November, apply 1 to 2 additional applications of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 0.5% superphosphate, which will result in more flowers, more vivid colors, and a longer flowering period.
3. Watering methods for kalanchoe cultivation:
Like other succulent flowers, kalanchoe contains a relatively large amount of water in its tissues and has strong drought tolerance, so it does not need large amounts of watering. During the growing period, it is enough to water thoroughly once every 2 to 3 days and keep the potting soil slightly moist. When temperatures are low in winter, watering must be controlled even more. If watered too much, drainage is poor, and the potting soil is too wet, root rot is likely to occur.
Although kalanchoe is fairly drought-tolerant, it must not lack water during the growing season; normally it can be watered once every 2 to 3 days. During the vegetative growth stage, the soil must be kept moist, with timely and appropriate watering. In summer, when kalanchoe is in an environment of high heat, strong sunlight, high evaporation, and dry air, it can be watered once every evening. In cold winter, when kalanchoe enters dormancy, watering should be controlled, or even withheld for a short period.
4. Light requirements for kalanchoe cultivation:
Kalanchoe likes ample sunlight, and when grown at home it should be placed in a spot with direct sunlight throughout the year. In the hot summer of the north, light intensity is high and can easily cause the leaves to turn yellow, so around midday it should be appropriately shaded, or placed in a semi-shaded spot indoors, but care should be taken to ventilate and cool it. If kalanchoe is grown with insufficient light for a long time, not only will the branches become thin and elongated and the leaves thin and small, affecting the beauty of the plant shape, but the number of flowers will also decrease, the flower colors will be less vivid, and a large number of leaves may drop, losing ornamental value.
5. Temperature requirements for kalanchoe cultivation:
The most suitable temperature for kalanchoe growth is 20 to 25°C. Above 30°C or below 10°C, growth clearly stops and the plant enters dormancy or semi-dormancy. In winter, if the temperature is below 10°C, it should be moved into a greenhouse to overwinter. If conditions allow, the indoor temperature can be kept at 16 to 20°C during the day and 10 to 15°C at night, so that kalanchoe can bloom at New Year's Day and Spring Festival.
In winter, room temperature must not be lower than 12°C; 15 to 18°C during the day and above 10°C at night is preferable. If the temperature drops to 6 to 8°C, the leaves turn red and the flowering period is delayed.
Pinching Methods for Kalanchoe Cultivation
In the early stage of vigorous growth, attention should be paid to timely pinching to promote more branching, so as to make the plant shape full and improve the ornamental effect. After the flowers fade, the spent flowers should be cut off promptly to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting the number of flowers in the next bloom. Generally, the pot is changed once every year in spring after the flowers fade. When changing the pot, be careful to add new growing medium.
Kalanchoe plants are short, compact in shape, with emerald-green leaves, vivid flower colors, clustered blooms, and an extremely long flowering period. Its blooming season coincides with New Year and Spring Festival. Grown in a small purple clay pot and placed on a windowsill or tea table, it offers both foliage and flowers to enjoy.
Precautions for Kalanchoe Cultivation
1. Kalanchoe is phototropic, so during the growing period attention should be paid to frequently changing the direction of the pot and adjusting the light so that the plant receives light evenly and the branches develop symmetrically in all directions. If the pot is not turned for a long time, the plant will grow leaning to one side, affecting the ornamental effect.
2. During the hot summer, appropriate shading is needed around midday, and ventilation and cooling must be ensured. If it cannot receive sufficient sunlight for a long time, the branches will become thin and weak, the flower colors will be dull, the flowers will wither, and the leaves will soften and drop, affecting the ornamental value.
3. The ambient temperature should be maintained above 12°C; if the temperature is too low, the leaf edges will turn red and flowering will be delayed.
4. Kalanchoe is a short-day flowering plant; flower bud differentiation can only occur at a temperature of 20°C and 8 hours of sunlight. After the flower buds have formed, according to the plant's light requirements for flowering, in summer let it receive scattered light before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. each day, avoid strong sunlight during the midday period, use a shade net to block 40% of the light, and place it under a fluorescent lamp at night as much as possible, so that it can continue to bloom in summer as well. During the growing period, in addition to shading in midsummer, a light transmission rate of 60% should be maintained, while in other seasons ample light should be given.
5. Kalanchoe is generally repotted once in September to October. The potting soil is mixed with peat, vermiculite, and garden soil in a ratio of 2:2:1. After repotting, gradually increase light and begin topdressing.
Propagation Methods for Kalanchoe Cultivation
Kalanchoe is mostly propagated by cuttings, and can also be propagated by sowing and tissue culture.
1. Cutting propagation: Kalanchoe has strong rooting ability, and cutting propagation is very easy to succeed with. The time is best in spring from March to May, and in late summer and early autumn from August to September; if a greenhouse is available, it can be done throughout the year. A suitable wooden box can be used as a cutting bed, and it must be strictly cleaned and disinfected before use. The substrate can be perlite, vermiculite, peat, etc., placed into the cutting bed for later use. Select slightly mature fleshy stems, cut 5 to 6 cm lengths, insert them into the cutting bed, water, then cover with plastic film, keep at 15 to 20°C; roots form in 15 to 18 days, and after one month they can be transplanted.
2. Seed propagation: Select varieties with basically the same plant shape, flower form, and flower color for artificial pollination. After the seeds are harvested, they can be sown in spring and autumn. The seedbed can be made from a wooden box; before use, soak and wash it with clean water, then soak and disinfect it in 0.1% potassium permanganate for 10 to 15 minutes. The substrate can be 4 parts leaf mold, 4 parts garden soil, plus 2 parts humus soil, fully mixed, piled to decompose, then dug open, sun-exposed, and sieved; before use, carry out high-temperature disinfection, put it into the sowing wooden box, compact the soil, scrape the surface level, evenly scatter the seeds in the seedbed, cover with fine soil just enough that the seeds can no longer be seen, and after sowing press lightly with a wooden board. Place the seedbed in a water trough until the entire substrate is penetrated with water. Then cover the top of the seedbed with plastic film and place it in a warm, shaded, ventilated place to wait for the seeds to germinate. After sowing, the soil should be kept moist, watered evenly, and the seeds must not be allowed to dehydrate. The seedbed temperature should be controlled at around 20°C. In the morning and evening, the film can be uncovered for a few minutes and then put back on, to allow ventilation. Generally, new shoots can grow in 12 to 15 days. At this point, remove the film and provide weak sunlight; after some time, light can be gradually increased. After true leaves appear, water with 0.05% potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote healthy growth of the seedlings. After 2 or 3 true leaves have grown, thinning can be carried out. Seedlings sown in spring can be transplanted in summer, and seedlings sown in autumn should be transplanted before winter and placed in a greenhouse for care.