Why Are the Leaves of the Kalanchoe Turning Yellow?

Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is one of the easiest plants to grow, but some growers have trouble with the finer details. Some gardeners find their kalanchoe leaves turning yellow and do not know why, so here is a brief explanation of the causes of yellowing leaves in kalanchoe.

1. Natural metabolism

The leaves at the base of the kalanchoe will naturally turn yellow and dry up, so it is normal for a few leaves at the bottom to wither and yellow.

2. Most of the kalanchoe's leaves turn yellow, as shown in the picture below:

This situation is abnormal. Growers should first clean all the withered and yellow leaves out of the pot, and remove the leaves that have already turned badly yellow, then check whether the potting soil is too wet or too dry. This situation is usually caused by extreme lack of watering, or by waterlogging. In addition, double-petaled kalanchoe differs from single-petaled kalanchoe: double-petaled plants easily show signs of aging, so one pot of flowers cannot be kept for many years. You should get into the habit of continually propagating new seedlings; the propagation method is very simple, just use stem cuttings.

What to Do When Kalanchoe Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions for Yellowing Leaves in Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is a plant with an auspicious meaning, and it has extremely high ornamental value and symbolic blessing significance, making it deeply loved by many gardeners. But if kalanchoe is not cultivated properly, yellowing leaves may appear. Do you know any methods for preventing and treating yellowing leaves in kalanchoe? Let's learn about them together with the editor.

1. Caused by too much watering

Yellowing of kalanchoe leaves caused by long-term watering: we all know that kalanchoe generally does not need much water. Too much water causes problems: the young leaves lose their firmness, while the old leaves show little change. The roots are relatively fine, and too much water will affect the respiration of the kalanchoe's roots, hindering their absorption of nutrients.

Solution:Watering must be restrained. Just water thoroughly once every 3 to 4 days and keep the potting soil slightly moist. What to do when kalanchoe leaves turn yellow: in winter at low temperatures and during the rainy season, watering must be controlled to avoid root rot. During the peak growing season, apply a dilute compound liquid fertilizer once every 2 to 3 weeks.

2. Caused by drought

If the owner has no time to care for the plant, drought can also cause kalanchoe leaves to turn yellow. Generally, if it is lack of water, the old leaves will wither, yellow and drop from the bottom upward, while the new leaves grow normally.

Solution:Attend to the plant diligently, understand the kalanchoe's growth cycle, and its watering habits at each stage. Increase watering appropriately.

3. Caused by too much light or too little light

Kalanchoe likes plenty of sunlight, but we know that the intense midday sun in summer can also scorch kalanchoe leaves and make them turn yellow. When kalanchoe lacks light for a long time, the chlorophyll in the leaves decreases, so the green color of the leaves gradually fades, showing signs of etiolation.
Solution:Apart from slight shading at midday in midsummer, it should be placed in a sunny spot the rest of the time. It needs at least 4 hours of direct light every day to grow vigorously. What to do when kalanchoe leaves turn yellow: although it can also grow in semi-shade, the stems will be thin, the leaves thin, and the flowers few and pale; if it is too shady, it easily drops leaves and produces no flowers. The most suitable temperature for kalanchoe to grow is 15°C to 25°C, and it can bloom in December. Amount and frequency.

The above is all the content I have learned today about kalanchoe. I hope gardeners will find it helpful after reading this article. If you want to learn more about kalanchoe, please keep following Duorou Huapu, and we will provide you with more related knowledge!

Causes and Solutions for Yellowing Leaves in Kalanchoe: Prevention and Treatment of Soft Leaves in Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe, just hearing its name sounds very auspicious, and in fact it got this name because its flowering period is very long. Kalanchoe is also a type of succulent plant, with thick, plump leaves that stay green all year round, but some gardeners find that the leaves of the kalanchoe they are caring for have started to turn yellow, greatly reducing its appearance. So what can be done?

Causes of yellowing leaves in kalanchoe

1. Improper fertilizing

If too much fertilizer is applied or the concentration is too high, the tips of the new leaves turn brown, and the old leaves become dry, scorched, yellow and drop off. What to do when kalanchoe leaves turn yellow: usually the leaf surface shows a glossy sheen where there is excess fertilizer, but most of it is uneven and bumpy.

2. Low temperature

In cold winter, if the indoor temperature is low, or if the plant is exposed to cold wind, the leaves will also turn yellow and drop. In addition, flowers harmed by pests and diseases can also cause yellow leaves to drop. But if in winter a small number of leaves at the lower part of the plant turn yellow and drop, that is normal metabolism.

3. Light alternating between strong and weak

Kalanchoe likes plenty of sunlight, but we know that the intense midday sun in summer can also scorch kalanchoe leaves and make them turn yellow. And when kalanchoe lacks light for a long time, the chlorophyll in the leaves decreases, so the green color of the leaves gradually fades, showing signs of etiolation.

4. Environment too dry

If the owner has no time to care for the plant, drought can also cause kalanchoe leaves to turn yellow. Generally, if it is lack of water, the old leaves will wither, yellow and drop from the bottom upward, while the new leaves grow normally.

5. Too much watering

Kalanchoe is a succulent plant and does not need much water. Too much watering instead causes the leaves to dehydrate: the young leaves lose their toughness and the old leaves stop growing. If too much water is given, causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the pot, it will affect the respiration of the kalanchoe's roots, hindering their absorption of nutrients.

Solutions for yellowing leaves in kalanchoe

1. Watering must be restrained

Just water thoroughly once every 3 to 4 days and keep the potting soil slightly moist. What to do when kalanchoe leaves turn yellow: in winter at low temperatures and during the rainy season, watering must be controlled to avoid root rot. During the peak growing season, apply a dilute compound liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks—3 weeks.

2. Fertilizing should be controlled

In fact, when gardeners fertilize they mostly do not know how much is appropriate, which leads to too much fertilizer and fertilizer burn. The best way to control fertilizing is to combine fertilizing with watering: water promptly after fertilizing, which both helps the plant absorb the fertilizer and dilutes the fertilizer, so it will not cause excessive fertilizer in one spot and result in fertilizer burn.

3. Let in light and shade at the right times

At midday in summer, shade appropriately; the rest of the time, normal light is fine. Make sure to provide at least 4 hours of light per day. Although kalanchoe can also grow in semi-shade, its stems and leaves will be rather weak, so keep the temperature between 15 and 25°C; in winter when light is weaker, you can supplement with artificial light as appropriate.

Prevention and treatment of soft leaves in kalanchoe

Once we have found the causes of soft leaves in kalanchoe, we can think of ways to prevent and treat it. According to the causes, we must first meet its light requirements: apart from appropriate shading in summer, it must be given plenty of light at other times to ensure the growing environment meets its need for sunlight.

During the kalanchoe's dormant period, light needs to be reduced; just 2 hours of light a day is enough, and the rest of the time it can be placed in a warm, shady spot, with bright indirect light being even better. In addition, watering should alternate between dry and wet; do not water too much or too little, and while ensuring adequate moisture, also guard against waterlogging. To deal with soft leaves, you must find the right cause, and then it can be solved well.

What to Do When Kalanchoe Does Not Bloom

1. Make sure the plant receives light evenly

In fact, the kalanchoe's light is very easy to control: place it in a sunny spot on the balcony, and just shade it appropriately in summer; at other times, normal light is fine, ensuring more than 4 hours of sunlight per day. To make the kalanchoe bloom evenly, you should frequently change the direction of the flower pot so the plant receives light evenly. On a balcony of a multi-story building, turn the pot 180 degrees every half month.

2. Replenish nutrients in time

From when the kalanchoe is brought indoors at Frost's Descent until October of the following year is exactly the period of late flower bud differentiation and full bloom, and also the time when it grows and stores nutrients, so its demand for fertilizer is very high. Therefore, apply a fish-based fertilizer mainly containing phosphorus and potassium once a week to support flower bud differentiation.

The kalanchoe's flowering period is long, and it is also the period for “showing results.” During this period, apply a dilute nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer or a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once a month, so that the later flowers do not become smaller and paler due to lack of fertilizer.

In summary, although kalanchoe is a relatively easy succulent plant to care for, if the care techniques are improper, it is still possible for the kalanchoe not to bloom and for its leaves to turn yellow, so everyone must pay attention to the amount of watering and temperature control!