If your kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) develops this kind of leaf, cut it off, or it will affect growth and flowering

The leaves of the kalanchoe are broad, thick and fleshy, and very glossy green. Although they are not as attractive as the many bright flowers it produces, when grown as a potted plant they also affect its shape to a certain extent. And during normal care and management, if you come across this kind of leaf, you must cut it off in time, otherwise it will easily affect its normal growth and flowering. So, which leaves need to be cut off in time?

They are actually leaves that grow too broad and thick, because this kind of leaf not only takes up a great deal of nutrients, but also has a strong shading effect, easily affecting the photosynthesis of the leaves below it, which leads to poor growth. Moreover, large leaves also affect air circulation to a certain extent, especially the large leaves on the surface of the pot, which further affect the evaporation of water from the pot surface after watering, causing water to accumulate in the pot and leading to root rot.

Of course, its harm is not limited to this. It can even greatly inhibit the sprouting of new buds, thereby affecting the growth of side branches. And the kalanchoe flowers at the tips of side branches, so it also easily inhibits the growth of flowering branches and bud formation. This kind of leaf is also very likely to have a negative effect on the beauty of the potted plant's shape. So if your kalanchoe develops this kind of large leaf, be sure to cut it off early to avoid affecting the plant's normal growth and flowering.

But when pruning, you also need to pay attention to handling some small details. Although generally you can simply cut off the large leaves directly, you need to choose the right timing. It is best to wait until new buds and small leaves have grown at the lower part of the plant, so that after cutting off the large leaves it can still carry out photosynthesis. Of course, the newly grown buds and new leaves must be kept, and not cut off by mistake.

And before pruning, the scissors must be disinfected and sterilized in advance, in case harmful bacteria or pathogens on them cause infection of the wound during pruning, thereby damaging the plant's growth. And while pruning the large leaves, you also need to cut off the aged, yellowed or rotting leaves at the base of the plant. Even the leaves that have fallen onto the pot surface must be cleaned up, to avoid them rotting on the pot surface and breeding bacteria.

After pruning, do not rush to water and fertilize it, because the kalanchoe is a succulent plant, and after a wound forms it easily exudes sap. And if you water and fertilize at this time, the wound can easily become infected. So after pruning, you should place the pot in a bright, well-ventilated spot with plenty of light and let it be cared for there, so the wound can heal quickly. Then we water it normally, and at the same time strengthen fertilization management to promote the growth of new buds and new leaves.

And after this treatment, the kalanchoe is not only more beautiful and fresh in shape, but also seems relieved of a heavy burden, and the uptake pressure on the roots is further reduced. In this way the plant's growth will become more and more vigorous, with more and more sprouts and more flowering branches, so it is more conducive to flowering later. When the flowering season arrives, it will surely tend to produce a spectacular burst of blooms.