Flowering kalanchoe is a succulent, so it wants bright light, a gritty, fast draining mix, and watering only when the soil has dried most of the way through. To get it to bloom again, give it about six weeks of long, uninterrupted nights, roughly 14 hours of total darkness each night, with bright light during the day. Buds then form and open over the following weeks. Overwatering is the most common way kalanchoe dies. It is also toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach of pets.
Light
Kalanchoe needs a lot of light to stay compact and bloom well. A sunny south, east, or west window is ideal indoors. In weak light, the stems stretch, the leaves space out, and the plant leans toward the glass. Rotate the pot every week. In the warm months, a kalanchoe can go outdoors in bright shade or morning sun; bring it back in before nights drop below about 50°F.
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Water thoroughly when the top inch or two of mix is dry, letting the excess drain away completely, then wait until it dries again. In a cool room with short days, that may be only every two to three weeks. The thick leaves store water, so the plant handles a missed watering far better than soggy roots. Never let it sit in a saucer of water. Wrinkled leaves mean thirst; soft, translucent, or blackened stems mean too much water.
Soil and pots
Use a cactus and succulent mix, or blend regular potting mix with an equal amount of perlite or coarse grit. Unglazed clay pots with drainage holes dry faster than plastic and suit kalanchoe well. Gift plants often arrive in a decorative sleeve or a pot without drainage; remove the sleeve and repot into a draining pot after flowering if the mix stays wet.
Temperature and feeding
Kalanchoe is comfortable between about 60 and 80°F. Keep it away from cold drafts and frosty glass. Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength once a month while it is growing, and stop feeding while you are triggering new blooms and while it flowers.
How to make kalanchoe rebloom
Kalanchoe is a short day plant: it sets flower buds when nights are long. Many people get it to bloom again by following these steps after the first flowers fade.
- Clean up. Cut spent flower stalks back to the leaves, and pinch leggy stems to keep the plant compact.
- Grow it on. Give it bright light and normal care for a month or two so it builds energy.
- Start long nights. For about six weeks, give the plant 14 hours of complete darkness every night. Move it into a closet, cover it with a box, or keep it in a room where no lamps are switched on after dark. Even brief light from a lamp can interrupt bud set.
- Keep days bright. Bring it back into bright light each morning.
- Water lightly. Water a bit less during the dark treatment and do not fertilize.
Once you see small flower buds, return the plant to its normal spot. Plants kept in a spare room that only gets natural daylight often rebloom on their own as days shorten.
Common problems
- Leggy stems: too little light. Move it to a sunnier window and pinch back.
- Mushy stem base: root rot from overwatering. Take healthy stem cuttings and root them in dry mix.
- Powdery white patches: powdery mildew. Improve air flow and avoid wetting the leaves.
- Mealybugs: white, cottony clusters at leaf joints. Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab.
Safety: kalanchoe and pets
The ASPCA lists kalanchoe as toxic to dogs and cats. It contains compounds that can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and in rare cases abnormal heart rhythm. Place it on a high shelf away from pets and pick up fallen leaves and flowers. If a pet chews this plant, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For a child, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Bottom line
Bright light, gritty soil, and water only when it dries. For more flowers, give kalanchoe six weeks of 14 hour nights and keep it away from pets.
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