The latest cultivation methods and precautions for Mother of Thousands

Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana) is a foliage plant with large, thick, succulent leaves, and it has a distinctive feature: its leaf edges are covered with tiny plantlets, just like a layer of lace that catches the eye. So below, Shuaishuai will tell everyone about the cultivation methods and precautions for Mother of Thousands!

1. Propagation methods

Mother of Thousands is usually propagated by cuttings, adventitious buds, and sowing. For cuttings, the best season for propagation is during May-June. Place the leaves on a sand bed, keep it moist, and within 1 week after insertion small plants can grow. Once they have grown, cut them off and move them into pots. For stem cuttings, cut 8-10 cm long top branches, let them dry slightly, then insert them into a sand bed. After 1 week they begin to root, and after 2 weeks they can be potted. Propagation by adventitious buds is even simpler: peel off the larger adventitious buds growing along the leaf edges and they can be directly potted.

2. Pruning requirements

When potting, a substrate can be made by mixing 3 parts leaf mold and 1 part sandy soil. Newly potted young seedlings should be pinched back to promote branching growth and remove apical dominance. For older plants with low ornamental value, the parts should be cut off and the plant should be shortened so it can grow new branches again. Repotting should be done every spring.

3. Water and fertilizer requirements

Normally, water only after the soil has dried out completely; there is no need to worry that it will dry to death. Do not fertilize too frequently, otherwise the plant will grow excessively, and the plant may rot because the fertilizer concentration is too high. In the growing season, fertilizing 1-2 times per month is enough. In midsummer, provide slight shade. Except in summer, it should be in full sun in other seasons, otherwise the color along the leaf edges will disappear. After autumn, water less. In winter, as long as the room temperature stays above 0°C, the plant can grow normally, and the potting soil should be kept moist.

4. Pest and disease control

Mother of Thousands is mainly harmed by gray mold, powdery mildew, and other problems; other pests and diseases are relatively few. It can be sprayed with a 1000-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. Pests include scale insects and aphids, which can be killed by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate.

The above are the cultivation methods and precautions for Mother of Thousands. When cultivating Mother of Thousands, the main thing to pay attention to is watering, because it can be considered a semi-succulent. Its leaves are thick and full of water, so do not water too much; there is no need to worry that it will die. In addition, this plant is very distinctive: its leaves have a layer of tiny plantlets like lace trim, so growing it at home is also an eye-catching sight!