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The widespread use of Kalanchoe as a culture began in the late 80s of the last century, when they first received flashy terry hybrids, known today as Kalanchoe Kalandiva. With all the variety of existing subspecies of Kalanchoe, these potted plants amazed and continue to amaze with their appearance.
On a bright green rosette of glossy leaves, it is as if an air cap of white, pink, yellow or red flowers lies. And if you consider that Kalanchoe does not require special care and is positioned as a long-flowering plant, interest in the culture has exceeded all expectations.
But already the first flower growers who decorated their houses with such “eternal bouquets” were disappointed. When the last buds are wilted, the new ones did not want to form either in a month, in six months, or in a year. For many gardeners, the question of why Kalanchoe does not bloom and grows up remains unresolved. The compact bush grew out of shape, the lower part of the shoots became bare, hardened, and the tops were decorated with a small rosette of crushed leaves.
As a result, the glory of a “disposable” plant was fixed in Europe for Kalanchoe, and in America and the southern regions of the world, the flowering varieties of this culture can be more often seen in gardens than on window sills.
Why Kalanchoe does not bloom at home? What kind of care and maintenance conditions are required for the plant to make lush inflorescences reappear on it, while the bush itself remains just as compact and attractive?
Why does Kalanchoe grow up but does not bloom?
Yet you shouldn’t throw away a faded bush or grow unattractive thickets on the window in the hope that the plant will come to its senses and give buds. What to do if Kalanchoe does not bloom? There are several reasons why it’s impossible to wait for flowers from Kalanchoe:
- First of all, this is a lack of information about the plant and the assurances of the sellers that no special care for the pot culture is required.
- The plant may lack light, which leads to the stretching of shoots and lack of strength for the formation of inflorescences.
- Kalanchoe cannot lay flower buds, as it is exposed to light for more than 12 hours a day.
Indeed, Kalanchoe is one of the most unassuming plants. But in order to achieve flowering at home, care for Kalanchoe will not need the most ordinary.
As you can always see flowering bushes in shops, one gets the impression of the eternal flowering of culture. In fact, the suppliers of flowers before they are sent to the trading networks of the appearance of buds are sought by forcing. A rather small plant with a modest root system is planted in a transporting pot, the soil in which contains nutrients and fertilizers for only a couple of months. Then Kalanchoe from 14 to 42 days, depending on the type and variety, is in a short, about 10 hours, daylight hours, which forces the bushes to plant flower buds.
Getting into the home conditions, such a plant with moderate watering, good lighting and a suitable temperature, giving all the strength, blooms due to the nutrient residues in the pot. Therefore, buying a flowering bush and wanting to see its spectacular inflorescences again, will have to help him accumulate strength, and then again make Kalanchoe blossom at home.
Home care for Kalanchoe after flowering
When faded flower stalks appear on the Kalanchoe bush, they are removed. And in the spring, after complete cessation of flowering, the frequency and amount of watering is slightly reduced, since root rotting due to the increased soil moisture is the most common cause of kalanchoe dying at home. When watering, it is better to focus on the slightly dried up topsoil, and in the warm season - on the condition and elasticity of the leaves.
If necessary, at the same time, Kalanchoe can be transplanted. A signal that the pot is insufficient for the plant is an earthy lump completely covered with roots. It should be remembered that Kalanchoe feels better in ceramic dishes with a diameter of 12 to 18 cm and does not relate too well to the neighborhood with other cultures, except for succulents. If desired, you can plant two or three kindred kalanchoe with different shades of a flower in one container, which only enhances the decorative composition, but does not complicate the care of it.
To make Kalanchoe home at home, you can arrange a short daylight hours for several plants in one pot.
For transplanting Kalanchoe, both ready-made soil for succulents and soil for flowering ornamental crops with the addition of a small amount of sand will be suitable. If desired, the soil mixture can be made independently from:
- 2 parts of humus;
- 2 pieces of turf land;
- 2 pieces of coarse sand;
- 1 part shredded charcoal;
- 1 part crushed brick chips.
To reduce the acidity of the soil, lime flour is added to it. The rest period, when the Kalanchoe does not bloom and grows up, restoring strength, continues from spring to mid-autumn.
How to make Kalanchoe blossom at home?
After the inflorescence withers until the end of August, the Kalanchoe requires additional dressings, which are best carried out twice a month, using ready-made mixtures for succulents.
Before starting a set of flower buds, it is important to reduce the amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer in order to limit the growth of shoots and foliage by redirecting forces to the formation of buds.
A month after the end of flowering, the Kalanchoe is pruned:
- on young bushes that have not had time to grow, pinching the most active growth points;
- on adult plants with lignified shoots, cutting them to the height required for a compact crown.
This measure will allow not only to prevent the Kalanchoe from being pulled out, but before blossoming to increase the number of shoots, at the tops of which the buds are formed. The natural formation of buds in Kalanchoe starts when the length of the day begins to decrease. In the middle lane, it happens from October to mid-March.
At the same time, during the period of rest, when the plant gives new shoots, it increases the green mass and lays buds for future flowering, the kalanchoe will be comfortable at a temperature:
- 18–20 ° C at night;
- 22–27 ° C in the afternoon.
If the temperature drops below minimum values at night or if the room gets hotter than 24 ° C, there should be a delay in bud formation.
Drafts and exposure to cold affect the plant extremely negatively. Therefore, you should not put Kalanchoe, as close to the heating devices, and near the vents or balcony doors.
Duration and intensity of illumination for Kalanchoe
One of the most important factors in the care of Kalanchoe at home before flowering is adequate lighting:
- In the period of rest, care for kalanchoe at home before flowering is adequate lighting:
- While in peace, after the flowering of kalanchoe in the home conditions before flowering is adequate lighting:
- While in peace, Kalanchoe has enough lighting:
- While in peace, after the flowering of kalanchoe in the home conditions before flowering is adequate lighting: