How to get the calanchoe flower to sprout?

The kalanchoe flower is showy

Image - Wikimedia / বাক্যবাগীশ

It often happens a lot, that we see a kalanchoe full of flowers in the store, we buy it, we take care of it... but the following year, for some reason, it does not bloom. And of course, at times like this, it is logical to wonder what care he received before we took him home, because it is possible that we are forgetting something; that is, that we are not giving him everything he needs.

But believe me when I tell you that sometimes in production nurseries, that is, in those places where only plants are propagated and nursed until they reach the desired size before being sold later in the stores, they make sure that they do not lack no important nutrients, nor are they cold, or anything. In other words: they "pamper" them a lot so that they are beautiful. But this has a drawback: it can weaken them a bit. Therefore, it is important to be patient, because getting your calanchoe to bloom again is not very complicated.

What does a kalanchoe need to bloom?

The flower of the calanchoe comes out in spring

Image – Flickr/Elias Rovielo

Now, for this it is necessary to know what the needs of the calanchoe. So let's review what kind of plant it is. And we are talking about a succulent, or to be more exact, a non-cactus succulent, or succulent. This already tells us a lot about her: it has succulent leaves because it uses them as a water reserve. And this is so because it lives in places where there can be long periods of drought. Does this mean you don't need water?

Well no. All this tells us is that, in case it doesn't rain for a few weeks, and as long as it's growing in the ground (and not in a pot), it will be able to withstand water scarcity thanks to the reserves you have in your body. Also, you have to know that it is a type of plant that needs a lot, a lot of light, even direct sun. That is why it does not adapt very well to living indoors, since at home there is usually not enough light for it.

Another thing that should not be missing if we want it to flourish is space.. Are you one of those who have their succulents in pots? Then you must remember to transplant them every time they need it, that is, every time the roots come out of their holes, or if they have been growing in the same container for a long time. To the kalanchoe too.

Why is it not blooming and what can I do to fix it?

Well, once we know that our plant needs sun, warmth and space to grow, we can get an idea of ​​what could be happening to it so that it does not flower. But even so, we could be forgetting other possible causes that are also very important. For this reason, we are now going to talk in more detail about why the calanchoe does not produce its flowers, and how we can solve it:

It is not the flowering season

Your kalanchoe may not bloom because it is simply not the time for it. Keep in mind that the vast majority of species of the genus do so in summer, and some in spring. But none will do so when temperatures are low, that is, when they remain below 18ºC. In this case, you don't have to do anything, just wait.

Is young

The calanchoe plant does not flower if it is young

Whether it is a plant whose seed has germinated recently, or if it is a cutting that has rooted that same year, the normal thing is that it does not bloom until it grows a little more. You have to be patient.

Lacks space

We have discussed this before, but how can we know for sure that the kalanchoe needs a slightly larger pot? The fastest way is to see if its roots come out of the holes in the container. But sometimes this can confuse us, since it could happen that it needs a transplant but nevertheless does not have any roots growing outside the pot. Therefore, I like to do the following:

  1. With one hand, I take the plant by the base of the stem, and with the other the pot.
  2. Then I pull the plant out, as if I wanted to get it out of the container.
  3. If I see that the earth bread does not crumble, that is, if it comes out whole, then I change the pot to the plant.

Need fertilizer

The subscriber is important to do, especially if your kalanchoe is in a pot. It has to be done because the soil is running out of nutrients, since the roots are absorbing them. Thus, if it has stopped blooming, it is possible that what you urgently need is to be paid for example with an ecological fertilizer for cacti and succulents (such as No products found.) following the manufacturer's instructions. But when should you do it? Well, in spring and summer, which is when the weather is good and the plant grows.

You are thirsty or choking

The calanchoe is a plant that supports drought, but wants nothing to do with waterlogging. When the soil remains wet for a long time, its root system has trouble breathing and, therefore, keeping the rest of the succulent alive. For this reason, it is necessary to make sure that said land has good drainage, and that, in addition, the frequency of irrigation is adequate.

Thus, if for example it were drying, we would see that the earth is very dry, that the leaves fold and that the stems "fall". Pests, such as cottony mealybugs, could also appear.

By contrast, if what happens is that he is drowning, the leaves will also look droopy, and the plant will look "sad". But not only that, but the soil will be very wet, and when we pick up the pot, we will notice that it is very heavy.

What to do in each case? In the first, we will take the pot and submerge it in water for a few minutes so that the substrate rehydrates. In the second instead, it is best to remove the plant from the container and carefully remove the soil to plant it again in another pot with a specific substrate for cacti and succulents such as this.

Thus, your calanchoe will be able to bloom again.


Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.