Does your house look empty and dull after you clear away the holiday decorations? Then you need at least one kalanchoe plant! Like poinsettias, they are light sensitive, needing 16 to 18 hours of continuous darkness before they bloom. Long winter nights are perfect for coaxing them to bud and then burst into colorful bloom in January as the days start to get longer.
What is Kalanchoe?
Kalanchoes (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) are succulents that are native to the island of Madagascar. Their leaves are slightly thickened and waxy to conserve moisture in an arid environment. The plants can be grown outdoors in growing zones 10 through 12. They are very sensitive to the cold, preferring temperatures ranging from 60 to 85 degrees Farenheit. Grow them in partial shade. Full sunlight will burn their leaves.
In colder climates, kalanchoes can be grown as houseplants, either indoors entirely, or brought outdoors during the summers only. Indoors, grow them in indirect light.
With just a little care, you will be rewarded with years of vibrant four petal flowers in red, pink, white, yellow or orange. There are even double varieties available. My kalanchoe is nearly ten years old. It delights me every year with bright pink flowers.
How to Grow Kalanchoe
Outdoors, grow kalanchoe in partial shade. Indoors, grow them in indirect light, similar to African violets. If your plant gets long and spindly, it’s not getting enough light. Move it to a sunnier spot or provide artificial light. I grow my kalanchoe in a north facing window with my African violets.
Kalanchoe need well-drained soil. Soil that is too wet will cause the roots to rot. Only water when the top of the soil dries out. Fertilize monthly with any houseplant fertilizer.
After your plant finishes blooming, clip off the dead flower stalks and any other dead foliage. Allow it to rest, with no fertilizer, for a few months until it starts growing again. When you see new growth, you can resume fertilizing.
How to Make Kalanchoe Bloom
Kalanchoes are light sensitive. They need 16 to 18 hours of complete darkness to set their buds and then begin blooming. Grow them in a room that is dark at night, with no artificial light. A family room where you watch TV in the evenings is not suitable. A rarely used guest room would be a good spot.
I grow mine in my home office. Since I work from home, I leave my office between 5 pm and 6 pm each day. No lights are turned on in the room after I leave. The long hours of winter darkness are just what my plant needs. Each January, it bursts into bloom.
If you don’t have a room that is completely dark at night, you can put your plant in a windowless closet at night to provide the complete darkness that it needs. Just remember to take it out of the closet in the morning.
How to Grow Kalanchoe From Cuttings
It’s easy to root cuttings from your kalanchoe. Snip off a branch that is not flowering. Remove any leaves on the lower 2 inches. Make sure that there are at least 2 pairs of leaves left. Leave the cutting out for a few days to allow it to “callous” which means that the cut end will dry out. The callous protects the cutting by blocking disease from entering the plant. Once it has dried, you can dip it in rooting hormone if you have it and then gently push it into pre-moistened soil a pot. I moisten my soil before I plant my cuttings because I have discovered that if I water after I plant my cuttings, the soil and the cuttings will float away. Cover the pot with a plastic bag that has some slits cut into it. The plastic bag will provide a humid environment for your cutting, kind of like a mini greenhouse. Place the plastic covered pot on a windowsill with indirect light, checking the soil periodically to make sure that it remains moist. Use a mister to moisten the soil if it begins to dry out. Roots should start growing in 2 to 3 weeks. You will know that new roots are growing by the new leaves that are growing. Plants only produce new growth when they have roots. If they have no roots like a
cutting, they will put their energy into making roots rather than make new leaves.
How to Grow Kalanchoe From Seed
Kalanchoe can be grown from seed with a little care. In early spring, as the number of daylight hours are lengthening, start your seeds indoors. Moisten soil in a container and surface sow the seeds. Do not cover the seeds. They need sunlight to germinate. Put the container in a plastic bag to create a humid environment for the seeds. Germination should occur within 10 days. Within two months, the seedlings will be large enough to transplant either into a container or outdoors if you live in a warm climate.
It is important to keep in mind that the seeds should be sown when there is adequate sunlight. If you sow your seeds during the dark winter months, it will confuse the seedlings and they will not grow properly, if at all.
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