Kalanchoe blooming: planting and care at home, its pros and cons

Kalanchoe blooming is an unpretentious plant that fits perfectly into any interior. At the same time, culture does not always please its owners with multi-colored paints. Sometimes the plant does not bloom at all. Achieving lush and abundant flowering is easy. At the same time, it is important to create suitable conditions for this. Planting and caring for flowering Kalanchoe at home have a number of features.

Description of the plant

Kalanchoe is a culture from the Tolstyankov family. This genus includes over 200 species. They are represented by succulents, shrubs and herbaceous perennials.Under natural conditions, this culture grows in the tropics of America, Australia, Asia. Leaves vary from species to species. Usually they are quite thick. There are also sessile leaves or with petioles. They may be strongly or slightly dissected.

During the flowering period, umbrellas are formed on the bushes, which include flowers of different shades - yellow, purple, white, red. At home, you can grow different types of this crop. Of the flowering ornamental varieties, the following are worth highlighting:

Blossfeld - has high decorative properties. The plant forms compact bushes. During the flowering period, spectacular inflorescences in the form of umbrellas appear on them. The most popular variety series is Kalanchoe Kalandiva. It is characterized by double flowers.
Degremona - has healing properties. The juice from the fleshy leaves of the plant is used to combat the common cold and to heal wounds. This culture belongs to the bryophyllums. This term is called viviparous Kalanchoe, which breed by children.
Cirrus - also has healing properties. The oval leaves of the culture are covered with a pattern of veins. This makes them look like feathers. The name of the plant is connected with this.
Mangina - is a decorative bryophyllum that has long shoots. This flower grows in the form of an ampel bush. During the flowering period, the plant produces red flowers in the form of bells.
Tubular is a rather interesting bryophyllum that has narrow leaves tucked inward. A large number of children are formed along their edges.
Dissected - this flower is also called "deer horns" . It is characterized by long shoots that have narrow dissected leaves. In appearance, they look like deer antlers.

There are also a large number of other types of such flowers - felt, paniculate and others. However, these plants are planted much less frequently. At the same time, any flower can be grown at home. This requires following a number of rules.

Nuances of care and cultivation

To make a plant look attractive, it needs to be properly cared for. It is important to take into account certain features.

Light selection

Under natural conditions, many types of Kalanchoe grow in open, well-lit areas. Therefore, at home, plants should also be kept in bright light. However, from excess sun, the leaves can become reddish. Therefore, the light should be slightly diffused.

In the shade, the culture will also survive, but it will be strongly stretched. At the same time, the upper leaves will become less bright and turn pale, and the lower ones will begin to crumble altogether. Flowering in this case may not begin at all. So, when choosing a place for Kalanchoe, you should take into account the recommendations of experienced flower growers:

In spring and summer, place a flower on the windowsills that are located on the southwest or southeast side.
In autumn, move the pot to the south window and keep it there until spring. If necessary, in cloudy weather, additional lighting can be provided. For this, it is recommended to use phytolamps.

Temperature

Kalanchoe develops well at a temperature of +15-24 degrees. In winter, it needs to be moved away from the battery. The fact is that an excess amount of heat will lead to a loss of decorativeness of the plant. The buds of the culture are laid at the parameters of +15-18 degrees.

How and when to water

Watering the plant is required moderately throughout the summer. The surface of the soil should dry out between waterings. In winter, the earth can almost dry out, but you still need to water the culture. It is important to control the appearance of fleshy leaves. If they become lethargic and dull, the amount of moisture should be reduced. If the foliage wilts noticeably, watering should be increased.

Spraying

The crop doesn't need spraying. It develops well at standard air humidity. At the same time, in the heat, the bush can be additionally moistened.This will favorably affect the plant. The flower has fleshy leaf plates. Sometimes their surface is covered with fluff. Because the evaporation of moisture is extremely slow.

Should I fertilize

It is recommended to feed the flower with mineral preparations and organic matter. Such funds should be alternated. Fertilization is recommended moderately. This is especially true when using nitrogen preparations.

At the dormant stage, the number of top dressings should be reduced to a minimum. Otherwise, Kalanchoe will begin to grow green mass, which will lead to flowering problems. After the appearance of buds on a flower, it is worth starting to add potassium and phosphorus. During the flowering period, the culture should be fed with compounds for cacti.

Pruning requirements

Kalanchoe is a fast growing flower. During the year, the plant greatly increases in size and loses shape. After flowering, the plant sheds the lower leaves.Therefore, at this stage, deep pruning is required. On young flowers, you need to pinch the leaves. Kalanchoe with developed roots should be cut almost completely.

Blossom

In order for the plant to bloom magnificently, the length of daylight hours in spring and summer should not exceed 10-12 hours. However, the lighting must be quite bright. Also, flowers can be cut and placed in a vase with water. They can stay there for quite some time. After flowering, part of the shoots can be cut off. This will help improve the shape of the bush. If required, cut stems can be rooted.

Sometimes Kalanchoe doesn't bloom. This may be due to the following factors:

Violation of the lighting regime. In nature, this culture grows in a tropical climate. There daylight hours throughout the year lasts 12 hours. In the temperate zone, its duration does not exceed 5-6 hours. Therefore, in winter and autumn, it is important to provide the plant with additional illumination.
Violation of the temperature regime. In order for the plant to bloom, it needs a temperature of + 16-18 degrees. To do this, in winter you need to put the flower in a cool place. An insulated loggia is perfect for this.
Unsuitable ground. For growing a culture, a self-made or ready-made substrate for succulents is suitable. It can be neutral or slightly acidic. To achieve abundant flowering of the plant, it needs to be additionally fed.
Irrigation violation. In spring and summer, the soil is moistened twice a week. In autumn and winter, 1 watering every 7 days is enough. It is recommended to spray the culture only in the heat. If the flower sheds leaves, it means that the soil is dry.

How to transplant a plant

The plant is recommended to be transplanted only with a strong growth of the bush, which becomes cramped in the pot.To do this, you need to take a new container, pour crushed brick or expanded clay on the bottom. These materials perform the functions of drainage and prevent stagnation of moisture. Then the pot needs to be half filled with the prepared substrate. To prepare it, you need to mix peat, sand, soddy soil and hardwood in the ratio 1:1:4:2.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionIf you can’t make the soil yourself, you can buy a ready-made substrate for succulents. Carefully place a young bush in the ground, sprinkle with the remnants of the earth and water well.

How to breed

The following methods can be used to propagate Kalanchoe:

Cuttings. It is best to harvest planting material in spring or summer. At the same time, cuttings cut and planted in autumn will also give good results.For propagation of the plant, it is recommended to use cut tops. However, if necessary, a long stem can also be divided into parts. Such fragments are likely to take root.
With the help of leaves. Rooting leaves is recommended in the summer. To do this, they must be carefully cut from a he althy shoot. At the same time, it is important to take into account that it will take longer to wait for a full-fledged plant from a leaf than from a cutting.
With the help of children. Many types of Kalanchoe form children on the side of the plate. At first, it seems that small leaves have appeared there. However, over time, they turn into small rosettes and grow their roots. At this stage, the children can be separated and rooted.

Sometimes the plant is propagated by seed. In this case, the grains are recommended to be planted at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring. To do this, take a container and fill it with a leafy substrate. After that, it is required to evenly distribute the seeds on the surface and press them with your finger into the substrate.It is not required to fill the soil with soil mixture.

The container should be covered with glass and a sheet of paper. In this case, landings are required to be systematically ventilated in the morning and evening. Of no small importance is the observance of the correct temperature regime at the level of + 16-20 degrees. It is also recommended to water the plants in time with warm water, making sure that the soil does not dry out completely.

After the appearance of sprouts, the cover from the container must be removed. When the seedlings are 20-30 days old, they dive into larger containers. Another transplant is needed after the formation of the third or fourth leaf plate. It is recommended to provide a full drainage layer at the bottom of the pots.

For planting seedlings, you need to use a special substrate. It should consist of turf, sand and peat. These components are mixed in a ratio of 2:1:4. After adapting the transplanted seedlings to a new place, they need to pinch the top. This will make the bush more branchy and lush.

The next transplant is carried out when the plant becomes cramped in the pot. At this stage, it is recommended to use soil based on humus, sand, hardwood and compost. For the first time, the flowering of a young bush will begin next year.

Pros and cons of Kalanchoe

The main benefits of this culture include the following:

easy care;
beautiful flowering;
tolerant to heat and drought.

At the same time, the flower has some disadvantages. The main disadvantages of the plant include the following:

lack of moisture resistance;
risk of not blooming;
probability of pulling a bush.

Possible pests and their control

Sometimes the bushes are covered with insects that absorb their juices. As a result, plants become weak, start to get sick and may even die. In addition, there is a possibility of damage to nearby bushes. That is why it is so important to detect and destroy parasites in a timely manner.

To deal with the problem, you can use insecticides or acaricides. To do this, you need to make a working solution in accordance with the instructions and spray the flower. Usually there is a need for several treatments, which are carried out at a certain interval.

Most often Kalanchoe suffers from attacks of such pests:

Aphids are small black or green insects that settle on the underside of leaves and absorb all their juices. In this case, the foliage becomes covered with a sticky coating, turns yellow and fades. Parasites usually start in waterlogged soil.
Ticks are small pests that are invisible to the naked eye. At the same time, a thin web appears on the bushes. Parasites usually actively breed in rooms with dry air.
Scale insects - these insects are characterized by a strong shell. They firmly stick to the stems and leaves and resemble brown tubercles. It is impossible to cope with scale insects with the help of drugs. They need to be removed manually.
Mealybug - starts in wet soil and absorbs plant juices. This parasite leads to the spread of black mold. The affected culture is covered with a white coating on the veins.

Cultivation of Kalanchoe has a number of characteristic features. In order for the culture to grow normally and bloom luxuriantly, it needs to be properly looked after. At the same time, it is important to correctly choose a place for a flower, water it in a timely manner and add nutrients.