How to Grow Kalanchoe? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods

Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), also known as “Christmas kalanchoe”, is very popular in China because of the symbolic meaning of its name, and for this reason it is widely grown by farmers. However, growing kalanchoe is a rather particular undertaking, and farmers often give up because the results are unsatisfactory. So how should kalanchoe be grown to achieve a full, bursting pot? Come and learn about it with me below.

1. Targeted soil selection

The root system of kalanchoe consists of one main root accompanied by several fine roots, so it has relatively high requirements for soil aeration. Generally, soil with a heavy clay texture cannot keep kalanchoe alive, so it is best to mix the soil yourself. First choose the soil to be used for planting, then stir and mix it with some organic manure, and compost it for about 2 weeks. Then prepare about one third fine sand and mix it in evenly, and then transplant it to the greenhouse base. One week before planting, turn the soil again to check how permeable it is; if the clay content is relatively high, continue adding river sand.

2. Lighting in stages

There is also a particular way to handle lighting. To make lighting convenient, the greenhouse should be transparent. The daily lighting time is from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., then the midday sun should be shaded, and after 2:30 p.m. the shading boards can be removed to continue lighting. Farmers must ensure that sunlight falls relatively evenly inside the greenhouse; otherwise, letting a certain spot receive light for too long or be exposed to strong light will cause poor development of the kalanchoe.

3. Reasonable fertilization

Kalanchoe has relatively poor absorption capacity, and since composting was already carried out when the soil was first mixed, there is no need to add much fertilizer until it is later transplanted into pots for sale. In the early stage after seedlings emerge, topdressing should be controlled to once every 2 weeks, while during the flowering period it should be controlled to about every 10 days. If you want the flowers to grow luxuriantly, it is advisable to add a certain amount of potassium fertilizer during the flowering period, so that farmers can sell them at a better price.

4. Reasonable watering

Pay attention to the amount when watering; many farmers have experienced root rot caused by overwatering. In the early stage after seedlings emerge, watering should be controlled to once a week, and during the flowering period it should be controlled to about every 7-10 days, basically keeping the soil moisture at a level where you can feel a slight dampness when touching the soil layer with your hand. In summer, drip irrigation and spray irrigation should be used in combination, so that in the relatively hot summer the vividness of the flowers can be effectively maintained.

Plants grown in the above way will normally have good appearance, and everyone can use this as a reference. Ordinary flowers are generally rather fragile, and I hope farmers will keep this firmly in mind and inspect the greenhouse more often during flowering, so as to obtain better profits for themselves.