How to grow Kalanchoe? Master these few points and it will bloom all year round

Kalanchoe symbolizes great fortune and prosperity, health and longevity. Keeping a pot of Kalanchoe at home is not only auspicious and festive, but also lush with green leaves and abundant flowers, a feast for the eyes.

Kalanchoe itself is a succulent plant from southern Africa, with many varieties and beautiful flower colors, and it always shines brilliantly at Christmas, New Year's Day, and Spring Festival. It has now become one of the best-selling potted flowers on the world flower market.

Kalanchoe potting soil

Kalanchoe likes loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil with good drainage. Many flower growers directly buy succulent potting mix, which is a fairly good choice. Kalanchoe fears waterlogging, so the potting soil must have good drainage; water-retentive materials like coconut coir should be used as little as possible. Some growers use sand directly, adding just a little organic fertilizer water when watering, and the results are very good.

Granular media commonly used in Kalanchoe soil mixes include: coarse and fine sand, coal cinder, perlite, and clay pebbles. Adding charcoal, coal cinder, foam, etc. to the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer also works well.

Daily care for Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe itself prefers a warm, humid environment with good sunlight, and fears both cold and heat. The most suitable temperature is 15 to 25 degrees, it should not exceed 30 degrees in summer, and should not drop below 10 degrees in winter.

During care, because it is drought-tolerant and prone to root rot, the watering principle is: do not water until dry, prefer dry over wet, and water thoroughly when you do; a ventilated environment is very important, and as long as conditions are not extreme, outdoor growing is a fairly good choice; light is an important guarantee for blooming, with 8 hours of short-day sunlight daily during the flowering period, buds can form within a month.

Fertilizing Kalanchoe depends on the potting soil situation. If the base fertilizer is sufficient, you can fertilize less or not at all; if the base fertilizer is insufficient and growth is weak, you need to apply light fertilizer more frequently. Applying more phosphorus fertilizer before flowering helps blooming, and applying more nitrogen fertilizer before cuttings helps the branches grow strong and ensures cutting success.

Kalanchoe's biggest taboos

Kalanchoe belongs to the succulent plants,The first biggest fear iswaterlogging and root rot,The second biggest fear issummer sunscorch and stuffy, unventilated conditions,The third biggest fear isfreezing below 5 degrees.

How to prune Kalanchoe

When a new seedling has grown for about a month, pinch off the growing tip to promote branching. When the branches and sprouts reach a certain height, pinch them too, so the plant shape becomes full and it blooms more.

Overwatering Kalanchoe causes leggy growth; such branches should be pruned promptly to encourage the branches to branch out and regrow.

After Kalanchoe blooms, cut off the spent flowers along with the pair of leaves below them, cutting above the axillary buds, which can promote new shoots and a second bloom.

Each year after the flowering period, before the high summer temperatures arrive, cut the Kalanchoe branches short, keeping about 3 cm of stem, and wait for branching and the next round of flower bud formation.

Starting in September, the plant is forming flower buds, so do not prune.

Kalanchoe cuttings

Taking cuttings is one of the important skills in Kalanchoe care. Plants over two years old will age, and their ability to produce flower buds declines, so it is best to propagate new plants from cuttings.

The best time for cuttings is after flowering in spring, in May and June, followed by August and September after the start of autumn. During these two periods, the temperature and plant condition are both favorable for cuttings to root.

Water propagation roots faster than soil propagation.

For selecting cuttings, choose a healthy stem tip about 8 cm long, cut at a 45-degree angle at a position less than 1 cm below a node, keep three or four leaves at the top, and remove the rest.

Before planting, the cuttings need to dry slightly, which prevents rot and makes rooting easier. If they have been soaked in rooting powder or disinfectant solution, it is also best to let them dry.

For water propagation, you can poke holes in foam, insert the cuttings into it, and place it in water. The water is best if it is mineral water, rainwater, or cooled boiled water. Roots will begin to form within a week in water.

For soil propagation, choose breathable sandy soil, keep the sand moist after planting, and place it in a ventilated spot with soft sunlight; roots will form in about two weeks.

Kalanchoe can also be propagated from leaves. Choose healthy leaves, let them dry in a shady spot, then insert them into sandy soil, misting to keep moist. They will root in about a month and sprout in about three months.

Common problems with Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe yellowing and dropping leaves

When Kalanchoe drops leaves, if old leaves drop, it is mostly due to lack of water or excessive water causing root rot; judge based on your usual watering and potting soil conditions.

When Kalanchoe leaves turn yellow, it is mostly due to too much water or improper lighting; control water appropriately and avoid direct strong sunlight.

When changing the care environment for a potted plant, there should be a transition; sudden environmental changes easily cause leaf drop and yellowing.

Kalanchoe not blooming

Sunlight:For a Kalanchoe plant with strong branches, giving a full 8 hours of light before flowering will naturally result in more blooms.

Nutrients:Not watering for too long, lack of light, lack of fertilizer, or excessive water causing leggy, weak growth will lead to no blooms or few blooms. Water appropriately and focus on phosphorus fertilizer before flowering to promote more flowers.

Branching:If seedlings are not pinched, they will not develop branches and leaves, and even if they bloom, there will be few flowers, so prune promptly.

Common pests and diseases of Kalanchoe

Powdery mildew, leaf spot, and black rotare the most common diseases of Kalanchoe.

For powdery mildew, spray with potassium permanganate solution, or mix sulfur powder with water into a paste and apply it to the affected stems and leaves.

For leaf spot, spray with carbendazim, chlorothalonil, or thiophanate-methyl diluted in water, and also drench the potting soil for control.

For black rot, promptly cut off the affected branches and leaves, spray with carbendazim or chlorothalonil solution, and at the same time promptly keep branches for cuttings.

Aphids and scale insectsare the most common insect pests of Kalanchoe.

For pests, you can spray with laundry detergent water; if severe, use insecticides, for example Baichongling for scale insects and omethoate for aphids.

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