Kalanchoe is a genus of flowering plants consisting of around 125 species. These succulent plants bloom in late winter when other plants are mostly dead. These plants are hardy and can survive tough conditions.
However, it may turn leggy due to a lack of sunlight. The condition of the plant will improve when you start providing sufficient sunlight. If the leggy structure persists, you will have to prune your plant.
Now pruning is generally not a necessity for kalanchoe but it makes the plant bushier and helps to improve the health of the plant that makes it bloom for a longer period. Pruning stimulates new growth that is responsible for blooms in the coming season.
There is a lot of information out there but it would take you hours to draw out the useful information. That’s where this simple guide to pruning comes. We have compiled all the essential information into one easy-to-follow article. Read on to learn how to prune kalanchoe properly.
Essential Tips For Kalanchoe Care:
When to Prune?
Kalanchoe blooms in late winter and continues to bloom till mid-spring. The time to prune kalanchoe is after the withering of blooms. This should be around mid to late spring. But, they are also pruned throughout the growing season to remove dead and diseased branches and also to remove withering flowers.
Clean Shears:
Use a clean pair of shears to prune your kalanchoe. If kalanchoe is pruned with dirty and infected shears, there is a chance that the infection will be transferred to the plant. This can have disastrous effects on the plant and the plant can die. To avoid this, always use disinfected shears. A simple method to disinfect your pruning shears is to wipe with alcohol or to place the shears in a diluted bleach solution for some time.
Steps to Pruning Kalanchoe:
Kalanchoe can be pruned either during the growing season or after the fading of the blooms.
During the Season Pruning:
During the season, Kalanchoe can be pruned in the following steps:
1. Remove the withering flowers: How to Deadhead Kalanchoe?
Kalanchoe should be deadheaded as soon as their flowers start fading. Deadheading is the process of pruning off the dead or dying flowers of the plant. During the growth season, some flowers fade and others are blooming. To facilitate the blooming of new flowers, the old flowers should be pruned off. This focuses the attention of the plant towards new blooms rather than on producing seeds.
What then happens is that the plant will pool more resources towards making the healthy blooms healthier. You will have stronger and longer-lasting blooms as a result of this. Pruning is a proven technique to grow better-looking flowering plants.
2. Cutting Back:
Remove the flower shoots to the second or third leaf. This makes the plant bushier by promoting branching. Cut at a 45-degree angle. This will prevent your kalanchoe from rotting and will help them to regrow faster.
At the points where you cut back the branches, at least two more branches will sprout. This will make your the plant look bushier because it will be thicker.
3. Remove Dead and Diseased Stalks:
During a military mission, if a soldier gets sick or is not able to continue, would the other soldiers abandon the mission or continue the mission without him. Our kalanchoe is on a mission to provide us with new blooms for as long as they can.
Removing the dead and diseased branches or stalks from the plant helps to save the energy of the plant and redirect that energy towards producing new blooms. The dead and diseased branches can be identified by the discoloring of the branch. Sometimes, the infected branch and the leaves have spots that also help to identify the problem branches.
Aside from helping the plant focus its energies and resources on the healthier parts of the plant, removing dead and diseased stalks also prevents the sickness from spreading. If a part of your plant is dead due to a disease, the disease may spread towards other parts of the plant. This can be detrimental to the entire plant.
Pruning After Blooming:
When the blooms are all spent, know that it’s time to get serious. The major pruning of kalanchoe is done when the blooms have faded.
The following simple steps will help you in kalanchoe care:
1. How to Deadhead Kalanchoe After Blooming Season? This time, we will be deadheading all the flowers. Remove all the stalks with dead flowers at the end.
2. Remove all the branches back to one-third. This will help to shape the plant and encourage healthy growth next year. This can also be done during the growth period if the plant starts to become leggy.
3. Remove any overgrown stems that may be disturbing the shape of your plant.
4. Remove dead and diseased branches from your kalanchoe. They can be identified with a yellow color
- Repot after several years and cut any rotten roots.
There are two things you are trying to achieve when you prune your kalanchoe after blooming. You are preparing it for a new season of productive, healthy growth and you are shaping it into your preferred aesthetic shape.
How To Propagate Kalanchoe?
Kalanchoe can be propagated from leaf cuttings. Take about 4-5 inches of the leaf with a little part of the stem and leave it alone for a day or two. Then plant it in a pot with well-drained soil. The cutting will start to grow roots in about 3 weeks.
Make sure that sufficient water is available to the plant–neither too much nor too little. The soil should consistently be moist, but never wet as this can cause root rot. Also, avoid putting it into direct sunlight. You can transfer the plant to a bigger pot after the formation of roots.
Now you know how to prune kalanchoe as well as how to propagate kalanchoe. This should be enough to get you on the road to planting a healthier plant.
Kalanchoe Facts
The kalanchoe plant is a member of the stonecrop family. A majority of its around 120 species are native only to Madagascar and the tropical parts of Africa. Although, since it is easy to grow and take care of, even indoors, it has become available all over the world.
Technically speaking, the kalanchoe plant is a succulent. It does not need much overbearing care. They are carefree houseplants – mostly just needing direct or bright indirect sunlight for survival. Their water needs are also light. They just need to be watered when the soil around them is thoroughly dry.
Most kalanchoe is perennial, although a few species are annual. They are herbaceous, with thick leaves that are either waxy or hairy, depending on the species. These plants grow beautiful red, yellow, or orange flowers.
However, there are species that produce flowers that somehow differ from the ones mentioned above. These species are the ones commonly found in homes or in gardens. They are considered the most common species because they are the ones most available in shops or gardens.
Some of these more common species are appreciated for their unique looking foliage. Some of these species are known for their colorful flowers, they are known as florist’s kalanchoe. They are normally potted plants.
Conclusions:
Kalanchoe are hardy and can survive without much pruning, however, pruning helps to keep the plant blooming for a longer period. Kalanchoe requires sufficient sunlight and sometimes the plant can become leggy. Pruning the plant from the top can fix this situation.
Prune off the withering flowers to direct the energy of the plant towards new blooms rather than on seed formation. Cut off diseased branches during the blooming season to improve the health and better utilize plant’s nutrients. Cut off overgrown branches after the blooming season to shape the plant. Do these things regularly and you are good to go!
Kalanchoe needs proper pruning to encourage reblooming. Most people make the mistake of throwing their kalanchoe away after the first bloom as the plant can become weak and loopy. By following proper pruning methods enlisted in this ‘how to prune kalanchoe’ guide, you can stimulate your plant to give you more blooms.
Happy Gardening!
