How to Force Kalanchoe to Flower More | Kalanchoe Flowering Tricks and Tips
14.06.2023 - 01:09
/ balconygardenweb.com
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana or Florist Kalanchoe is one of the best flowering succulents that you can easily grow outdoors or indoors. The best part is, the blooms are long-lasting and won’t fade soon! So, if you have one and want to know How to Make Kalanchoe Flower way more than it does, read ahead!
Before answering this question, let’s remind you that when it comes to blooming, flowering kalanchoes are a lot like poinsettias, which means they arephotoperiodic, and their flowering depends on the day length.
While growing as a houseplant, kalanchoes can flower in late winter and spring. However, it may get obstructed when lighting increases. Generally, these plants bloom in their native climate from the autumn end and winter and up to spring, when the day length shortens. Some varieties even continue to display long-lasting flowers till summer.
The reason behind your non-flowering kalanchoe is the natural dormancy or hibernation they need. It’s inherent for them to lose their blossoms at some stage since they require some break to flower again.
Based on the time of year and length of the days, kalanchoes go into a dormancy period that makes you think that the plant won’t flower again, which is not true! The 6 weeks dormancy period can be provided artificially by adjusting the length of daylight by shortening it like winter.
The kalanchoe plants require at least 11-14 hours of darkness for straight 6-8 weeks to activate flowering again. Put it in a cabinet or closet overnight (from 6 PM to 8 AM), and cut down on watering and fertilizing at this time. After a few weeks, you will watch the arrival of colorful flowers. The flowering period can last up to 6 months!
Give it plenty of direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime,