This plant can be seen in many houses and apartments of Russian indoor floriculture lovers. Kalanchoe does not require complex care, but the plant requires moderate watering, periodic feeding and pruning. The plant not only blooms lushly and often, which makes its owners very happy, but is also a good assistant in treatment various diseases nasopharynx, ears and skin.
To ensure that the flower does not stretch out, but has a neat round shape, it must be trimmed in time. Despite the fact that many people have this in their homes medicinal type plants, decorative types in no way inferior to him in popularity. Lush and variegated flowering, green stems and luscious foliage throughout the year make them spectacular decorations any home.
Today there are more than 200 species of this plant. Some of them are suitable for indoor floriculture. The most popular are Kalanchoe single-flowered and pinnate, as well as Kalanchoe Degremont and Blossfeld. Original inhabitants of the tropics, Kalanchoe of all types tolerate drought equally well and high humidity. Plants practically do not need fertilizers and are resistant to diseases and pests.
In this article we will talk about how to properly prune Kalanchoe at home, why such a procedure is needed and how to carry it out so as not to harm the plant.
As already mentioned, caring for the plant is not difficult, but certain rules must be followed when growing Kalanchoe. This determines how comfortable the plant will feel in your home and how it will develop.
Temperature
The optimal temperature for flowering Kalanchoe in summer is considered to be in the range from +23 °C to +29 °C. The plant will tolerate higher temperatures, but in this case, if it blooms, the frequency of watering should be increased, otherwise the buds may dry out.
Surprisingly, this tropical plant tolerates well low temperatures. In autumn and winter, when the temperature rises slightly above +10 °C, it can be set to Fresh air.
Lighting
You can place Kalanchoe anywhere in the room where the sun's rays reach. The plant feels most comfortable in partial shade or in diffused light. Direct sunlight is dangerous between 11:00 and 15:00 from March to September.
Watering Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is a succulent, in other words, it is a plant that can accumulate moisture in its leaves. Thanks to this, it can survive drought. Excessive watering is harmful for Kalanchoe. Water this indoor plant in such a way that the water wets the earthen ball, and excess water must be drained. On hot days summer days increase the frequency of watering (not forgetting about excess water). In winter, it is enough to moisten the soil no more than twice a week.
Humidity
This is not the most important indicator for the normal development of Kalanchoe. This is explained by the fact that the plant retains moisture in its leaves. That is why drought is not a problem for this flower. You just need to make sure that when watering, water does not get on the leaves, as this can cause plant disease.
Top dressing
Once a month, Kalanchoe should be fertilized with compounds intended for succulents. This is necessary for the plant to flower regularly. Experienced flower growers It is recommended to use half the dose indicated on the packaging of nutritional mixtures. In winter, the plant is in a dormant period, so it does not need feeding.
Is Kalanchoe pruning necessary?
Yes, I need it. Moreover, this the most important condition proper care. Pruning Kalanchoe at home involves removing excess flowers and leaves. This procedure will help to form beautiful plant. Flower growers believe that a small compact bush looks much more attractive than a long and unkempt stem. And for lush flowering Pruning Kalanchoe is simply necessary.
When removing excess shoots, juice accumulates in the stem, which after the procedure is distributed among the remaining branches. The flower becomes succulent, the plant becomes more resistant to drying out. It should be noted that there are three types of pruning Kalanchoe:
- initial;
- preventive;
- after flowering.
Often, especially when placed in the sun, the flower outgrows. Therefore, many novice gardeners are interested in how to properly prune a Kalanchoe if it has become elongated, so as not to injure the plant. If a long and not very beautiful top has grown, you should simply cut it off. Constantly watch for escapes. When they start to grow, pinch off two leaves from the top.
Pruning different types of Kalanchoe
Of the numerous types of Kalanchoe, only a few of them are common in indoor floriculture. The pruning technique is almost the same for all varieties, but for some varieties there are special rules that must be followed. The most common variety in our country is Kalanchoe Blossfeld. This variety is ideal for growing in room conditions. The plant has beautiful flowers of different shades.
This one can be cut at the root. In this state, the plant begins to actively develop, the bush becomes beautiful and lush. Varieties that bear white and yellow color, cut differently. But these varieties are quite rare in indoor floriculture. Such plants require special care. Pruning of these types of Kalanchoe should not be drastic. Removing too much foliage can harm the plant: it may not recover from such stress.
In order for the formation of Kalanchoe to be carried out correctly, you need to find out what variety is growing in your home. Remember that pruning is a necessary and painless procedure for the plant. If rotting has begun in the cut areas, treat them charcoal. To avoid such complications, use a tool that has been previously disinfected for pruning. It is strictly forbidden to pick off excess leaves with your hands. This pinching can weaken the plant.
Initial and preventive pruning
Once the plant has taken root in its new location, it requires initial pruning. On the shoots, you should cut off the top two leaves one at a time. Young shoots will soon grow at the pruning site.
Now it’s time to carry out preventive pruning of Kalanchoe (we posted the photo in this article). It can be done many times until the flower looks like a nice and compact bush. You don't have to wait for the leaves to grow. As soon as young shoots appear, the procedure can be carried out.
Flower pruning is stopped in late autumn. The next formation of the bush can begin in late spring or early summer. But if the flower has bloomed, pruning is prohibited.
Do I need to prune the plant after flowering?
Every year the lush cap of inflorescences and leaves becomes noticeably smaller. The exquisite beauty of Kalanchoe is losing its former splendor. But this is not a reason to abandon the plant. The flower simply signals that it needs pruning. It depends on the variety of Kalanchoe.
For example, the Blossfeld variety blooms until the end of May, and then enters a dormant period. After pruning and wound treatment, the plant is transferred to a cool place until spring.
For hybrid varieties, it is important not to overdo it and remove leaves and inflorescences to a minimum. Only shoots that have lost their former attractiveness are removed. Don't forget about cutting cuts. Kalanchoe is also pruned to renew its decorative forms.
A few words in conclusion
Kalanchoe is very beautiful flower. Connoisseurs indoor plants they love it for its attractive appearance during the flowering period, but also for its healing properties. As it became clear from the article, pruning Kalanchoe is an absolutely simple procedure. But it should be carried out regularly so that the bushes always have beautiful shape. If all the rules are followed, the flower looks amazing and actively develops.
Grow beautiful bush Kalanchoe is quite simple - for this it needs to create optimal conditions for growth so that the shoots do not stretch, and the leaves become large and healthy. And it will help to form the crown of the plant, giving it an attractive shape. correct pruning. This procedure is associated with some risk, so it is worth familiarizing yourself with the algorithm for performing it in advance, so as not to destroy the plant or disrupt its life rhythm.
What types of Kalanchoe require pruning?
Kalanchoe is a genus of tropical succulents, including decorative floral and decorative foliage species grown indoors. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, which reaches half a meter in height, has received wide recognition among gardeners. The decorative value of this plant lies in its abundant, long-lasting flowering. small flowers, collected in inflorescences. After flowering, the plant also looks quite attractive thanks to its fleshy glossy leaves. dark green. A dwarf variety of this species is Kalanchoe calandiva with racemose inflorescences.
Kalanchoe Degremona received popular name"living tree" due to its unique appearance for plants vegetative propagation- live birth. Along the edges of its leaf blades, small viable layers with roots and shoots are formed, which quickly take root in the ground after falling. This type of Kalanchoe is a typical succulent, has a colorful appearance thanks to the erect stem and fleshy, jagged gray-green leaves bordered by young seedlings. Like Kalanchoe Blossfeld, this species is also pruned to form a dense, branched bush.
How to form a bush?
Kalanchoe shoots (primarily we are talking about decorative flower varieties) reach a height of up to 50 cm, but the greatest decorative value is a dense, low bush without bare stems showing through between the leaves. To form such a bush, regular pruning is required from the first stages of the plant’s life. Kalanchoe pruning is carried out using the “pinching” technology - the tip of the shoot with two young leaves is cut off with a sharp knife or blade. It is not recommended to use scissors for this, since they compress the thickness of the fleshy stem, causing severe damage to it. The cuts quickly dry out and tighten. If rot begins to form on them, the affected surface should be treated with potassium permanganate or wood ash.
One of the advantages of Kalanchoe is fast and easy propagation by cuttings. All pruned shoots are suitable for producing daughter plants. If it was not possible to successfully form a bush, you can simply replace it by placing one of the cuttings in water for 1-2 weeks until the roots appear and planting the resulting plant instead of an unsuccessfully formed or too old one.
There are such types Kalanchoe trimmings at home:
- original;
- preventive;
- pruning after flowering.
Initial trimming
The secret of the attractive appearance of Kalanchoe lies in the correct formation of the aerial part immediately after the grafting of the cutting or germination of the seed. The first pinching is carried out when the plant produces 2-3 pairs of leaves. It is important to remove the apical bud of the plant, since it produces the substance auxin, which keeps the lateral buds dormant. When the top is removed, the lateral buds “wake up” and begin to grow actively, the Kalanchoe becomes branched.
Side shoots are also pinched, leaving several pairs of leaves. Consistent pruning results in the plant developing many branched stems. Such a bush should be fed and allowed to gain vegetative mass so that it will bloom in the future.
Initial pruning is the most important stage in the formation of the aboveground part of the Kalanchoe, without which the plant will have elongated shoots and an uneven crown. Next, preventive pruning is carried out on leaves that interfere with the expansion of growing flower stalks or that have lost their attractiveness due to improper care.
After flowering
Kalanchoe flowering lasts 4-6 months and stops gradually. Care after flowering involves removing the flower stalks, but before doing this you need to make sure that there are no unopened buds left on them. Peduncles are removed at the very base of the stem, leaving no petioles, which can become a source of spread of rot. The procedure should not be postponed; if the inflorescences are not removed in time, the Kalanchoe may not bloom next season.
Flowering exhausts the plant, so faded inflorescences are removed and the soil is replenished with minerals by adding fertilizer. The end of flowering is the right time to remove old shoots and pinch out young ones. The bush is cut to approximately 2/3 of its height, leaving a small part of the vegetative mass and forming a compact crown. Without pruning, Kalanchoe may not bloom, since new buds are formed only at the tops of young shoots. After this, the plant is transferred to a dark, cool place, providing it with peace and stopping watering. This “quarantine” should last 14-20 days, after which the Kalanchoe again activates growth and gains vegetative mass.
After flowering, Kalanchoe kalandiva is recommended to be cut off almost at the very root, leaving a few centimeters of the above-ground part. New shoots develop from buds located at the very bottom of the stem. Such pruning is mandatory, since this subspecies of Kalanchoe quickly grows after the inflorescences wither and sheds lower leaves, losing decorativeness.
Pinching the plant is not carried out in winter, so as not to accidentally remove the tips of the shoots, which will give rise to new inflorescences. With proper crown formation and good care, the Kalanchoe bush will bloom in mid-winter.
Kalanchoe grows in many houses and apartments. The plant does not require special care, but like everything else it needs watering, fertilizing and, of course, pruning. In this article we will look at how to prune Kalanchoe correctly so as not to harm the plant.
Pruning home Kalanchoe means removing excess leaves and flowers. This procedure will help shape the plant so that it looks beautiful. A small bush looks more original than a long stem.
In addition to decorative purposes, pruning is also necessary for lush flowering. When we remove excess shoots, juice accumulates in the stem, which is then evenly distributed among the remaining branches. Kalanchoe becomes juicy, and the plant's resistance to drying increases.
Note that there are three types of pinching:
- original;
- preventive;
- after flowering.
How and when each type of pinching is done, you will learn further. Sometimes, especially in sunny places, the flower may outgrow. Therefore, many gardeners are interested in how to prune Kalanchoe if it has become elongated. If it so happens that a long, ugly top has grown, you just need to cut it off. Try to constantly watch for escapes. As soon as they start to grow, you need to immediately pinch off two leaves from the top. Of course, the green inhabitant of your house can do without pruning, only then it will look ugly, and old shoots will interfere with the development of young shoots.
How to trim different species
Now we’ll figure out how to prune Kalanchoe different varieties. It is noteworthy that today about 200 varieties of this flower are known. However, only a few can be grown at home. For almost all varieties, pruning instructions are the same, but for some individual representatives there are special rules.
The most common variety is . The variety is excellent for growing at home. The plant blooms with beautiful red flowers. This Kalanchoe can be pruned to the very root. In this state, the flower will begin to develop intensively, its bush will become lush.
Species that bear flowers of yellow and white, you need to pinch differently. True, such varieties can rarely be found in homes. They need special care. It is necessary to form such a bush correctly. If you remove a lot of foliage, you can cause irreparable damage to the green space.
To perform pinching correctly, it is important to find out what variety you have. However, it is worth remembering that pruning is a necessary procedure and painless for the plant. If rotting has begun in the cut areas, you need to treat these areas with charcoal. To avoid such troubles, it is necessary to disinfect pruning tools. Under no circumstances should you tear off excess leaves with your hands; such actions can weaken your green friend.
Initial and preventative sample
Initial pruning means that as soon as the plant has taken root after transplantation, it is immediately pinched. How to pinch Kalanchoe correctly - more on that below. On the shoots you need to cut off the top two leaves one by one. Young shoots with leaves will grow in the place where the pruning occurred.
Now they carry out preventive pruning. It is repeated from time to time until the Kalanchoe looks like a nice and neat bush. Don't wait for the leaves to grow. As soon as the young ones appear, the procedure can already be carried out.
In late autumn, when winter is just around the corner, they stop pruning the flower. The bush can be formed again in late spring. But if the flower begins to bloom, pruning is prohibited.
Before you start picking, identify the type of Kalanchoe, as each type is pruned differently. If the flower is overgrown, remove the top without any remorse. To get a dense bush as a result, watch the growth of shoots. As soon as a young shoot appears, pinch off two leaves - in this place you will eventually see two shoots.
Let them grow until the third leaves appear, and pick at this level. Next, let the next pair grow to the third leaf, and pinch again. And so on until you get a beautiful spherical bush.
Pruning after flowering
Pruning Kalanchoe at home after flowering is simply necessary.
During the preventive procedure, leaves and flowers are removed. The leaves are cut as usual, one at a time, the outer two. Now let's talk about how to prune Kalanchoe correctly after flowering. The step-by-step procedure is as follows: first of all, you need to carefully examine the flower to find out whether all the flowers have faded; peduncles should be removed right to the base, otherwise the plant may begin to rot.
Every time the plant blooms lush color, you should carefully remove every single peduncle. Then pruning is carried out. It is better to carry it out early in the morning; in extreme cases, you need to finish it before noon. Thanks to this simple procedure, the formation of new stems that are ready to bloom is stimulated.
When pruning of the Kalanchoe after flowering is completed, the greenery requires rest. There is less of it at this time
Optimal summer temperature for flowering Kalanchoe - in the range from 23 to 29 degrees. A higher temperature is acceptable, but it will not hurt to increase the frequency of watering, since if there are flowers, they may dry out.
Although plant - tropical, it tolerates low temperatures well. In winter and autumn, at temperatures above 10 degrees, it is quite possible to expose it to fresh air.
However, given the harsh climate of many areas of our country, during the cold season it will be safer indoors, away from sudden frosts and freezing winds.
After frostbite, only the root may remain alive. You will have to cut off almost everything except the root, and then wait for a miracle to happen and shoots to appear.
Lighting
Indoor kalanchoe plant quite unpretentious in care, including regarding lighting. It can be placed almost anywhere in the room that receives direct sunlight. Favorable conditions include both partial shade and diffused light.
Straight sunlight most part of time safe and even recommended, How best option lighting. Direct rays are dangerous from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from March to September.
The fact is that the leaves contain a lot of moisture and therefore can get burned from intense lighting. These burns can cause growth to stop. At the very solar time During the day, bright but diffused light is recommended.
If sufficient lighting, the leaves should have a reddish outline. Otherwise, when there is not enough light, the stems stretch and the leaves noticeably turn pale.
Watering Kalanchoe
How often water the Kalanchoe at home?
Kalanchoe - succulent, that is, it is able to accumulate moisture and in this way survive drought. You don’t have to worry too much if you forgot about watering once.
And here excessive watering is harmful. You need to water so that the water completely wets the ground, and drain off the excess.
In hot weather, you can increase the frequency of watering, but still monitor excess water.
In winter, twice a week will be enough.
Excessive watering leads to rotting of the roots, the formation of mold and fungi.
The bay is detected by the following signs:
- The leaves turn pale and wither.
- appear on the leaves dark spots with yellow edges.
- The earth doesn't dry out.
The danger of flooding primarily lies in the fact that all negative processes occur at the bottom of the pot (out of sight), and the consequences appear very late, when a rescue operation may no longer help.
Before starting a life-saving operation, you should find out reasons for the gulf so as not to make the same mistake after recovery.
The reasons for the flood may be the following:
- the plant was not transplanted from purchased soil, which was too moisture-intensive;
- the soil in the new pot turned out to be unsuitable;
- excessive frequency of watering;
- the pot is in a too dark and humid place;
- no drainage;
- The pot is too spacious.
How to save:
Air humidity
in summer no need for spraying, and in winter it is even dangerous.
To rid the leaves of dust, as well as to prevent some diseases and pests, it is recommended to wipe them with a damp cloth.
Fertilizers
No need for heavy feeding– it is enough to fertilize every month.
There are no special requirements for fertilizers. Use regular fertilizers for succulents and cacti.
Excessive fertilizing is even harmful, and in winter it is completely dangerous to fertilize.
Trimming
Pruning is necessary for flowering. How undercut Kalanchoe? Moreover, it should be drastic - the peduncle should be removed as low as possible to prevent rotting of the remaining part.
Flowering greatly weakens the plant, therefore, all tarnished and dried parts should be cut off immediately upon detection.
Photo
How to prune Kalanchoe:
How to pinch Kalanchoe: 
Care after purchase
For indoor flowers, and especially for decorative Kalanchoe very important good care at home. First landing(transplantation) Kalanchoe requires special attention. Immediately after purchase, the plant should be transplanted into another pot with new soil.
Most likely, it has long outgrown its old pot, but remained in it for economic reasons. The soil should be changed, since it is unknown what its composition is. For cultivation, pots with a diameter of 9 to 18 cm are used.
The most common sizes are 12-15 cm. The pot should not be too large, as this can cause flooding and death. But a pot that is too small will not be so critical.
The worst that can happen is the plant will not bloom.
Transfer
Kalanchoe grows very quickly and therefore it is very important to replant it in a timely manner.
It is advisable to do this at least once a year, at the end of March.
Every new pot should be 2-3 cm in diameter larger than the previous one.
Replanting must be done very carefully so as not to damage the fragile stems and leaves.
The optimal soil composition should include turf soil, leaf soil and sand in equal proportions.
How to properly care for blooming Kalanchoe at home?
Keeping a Kalanchoe alive is quite easy, but in order for it to bloom as often and as long as possible, additional knowledge and effort will be required.
Flowering conditions
Flowering begins in November and ends in March, when the dormant period begins.
Conditions for keeping Kalanchoe For abundant flowering:
- Water moderately and correctly - moisten the soil no more than once a week. Do not wet leaves and flowers. Make sure there is no excess liquid.
- Proper lighting. That is, provide good access to the sun, but do not leave it in direct rays for too long. A normalized light regime is very important for flowering.
In winter, daylight hours should be extended by artificial lighting up to 12 hours, and in summer shorten with a canopy or moving to a dark corner.
- Protect from cold and drafts.
- Fertilize only from June to November no more than 1-2 times a month.
- Trim old leaves and flower stalks.
Pruning Kalanchoe blooming
Is it necessary and possible to prune Kalanchoe? Appearance pests or diseases sometimes forces pruning during flowering.
The process is quite simple - you just need to cut off the diseased areas at the junction with the healthy ones.
How to prune Kalanchoe after flowering?
Flowering greatly weakens the plant.
In order for it to bloom in the future, it needs to have a period of rest.
How to trim correctly decorative kalanchoe at home? For this:
- all flower stalks are cut off;
- the pot is moved to the shade with coolness;
- not watered for 1.5 months.
After a period of rest plant returned to the old place and with early summer fertilize.
How to form a crown?
Formation of Kalanchoe– it’s a simple and lengthy matter.
How to form Kalanchoe? All that is required is to pinch off the tips of the shoots as they grow.
How to form a Kalanchoe flower if it has stretched out? Shoots that are too elongated need to be plucked off more radically, while sprinkling the cuts with ash or charcoal. Thus, volume will gradually appear.
How to pinch Kalanchoe?
So, is it necessary? pinching Kalanchoe? Many owners often complain that their Kalanchoe does not bloom again.
They don’t even realize that the lack of variegated buds may be just the least of many problems.
If some owners take a close look at their plant, they may notice thinning shoots. This means that minerals are poorly supplied to this area.
And this can lead to the shoots drying out entirely. It is to solve this problem that we need pinching Kalanchoe.
Weak shoots can be plucked off anything: fingers, scissors, etc. It is advisable to do this slowly and carefully so as not to pinch off excess.
But even if this happens, the wound can be easily healed, sprinkling it with ash or charcoal.
Planting and care in the garden
Few people know that Kalanchoe can be kept not only indoors, but also in the garden. However, growing (reproduction) at home much easier than open ground.
How to care for Kalanchoe flower on open ground? The plant cannot withstand temperatures below zero. The soil must be neutral or slightly acidic in composition with a nutrient layer thickness of at least 12 cm.
The seedlings must have a height of at least 10–12 cm and about 6 developed leaves. Before planting, you should fertilize the area rotted manure, superphosphate and potassium salt.
After engraftment, in July and August need feeding in the form of nitrogen fertilizers. The distance between plants is approximately 30 cm, and the row spacing is 50 cm.
Before flowering you need to loosen the soil at least 5 – 6 times.
What to do if it doesn't grow?
In such a situation, the owner should ensure that he follows all recommendations for Kalanchoe care.
It's also possible Kalanchoe does not grow due to existing diseases and pests.
They get rid of diseases and pests by pruning the affected areas and treating them with insecticides.
Useful video
A little about how to properly care for Kalanchoe:
Pruning and pinching are not burdensome, but very important activities for the formation of a flower bush. If you trim the Kalanchoe correctly and on time, this will not only help it acquire a beautiful shape, but will also improve its health and rejuvenate it.
Basic methods of plant formation
Pruning Kalanchoe pursues, first of all, the goal of giving the bush a neat shape, and also creates a more favorable conditions development and growth. The juice accumulated inside the plant spreads evenly along the stems and foliage. As a result, the plant takes on a healthier, “juicier” appearance, and its resistance to diseases and attacks by insect pests increases.
The decorative purpose of pruning is also important. With the exception of a couple of species - pinnate and Degrimona - the flower is grown as compact and attractive, lush and beautiful flowering plant. Almost all of its varieties are characterized by rapid growth of shoots. Pruning and pinching prevent the stems from branching chaotically and help to form Kalanchoe with a neat round shape, pleasing to the eye.
The purpose of the pruning and pinching procedures is:
Before pruning or pinching, you should accurately determine the variety of the crop - Kalandiva or the Blossfeld variety tolerate even intensive pruning, but rare hybrids that bloom in yellow, pink, and white are much more sensitive to it. An incorrectly carried out procedure can destroy them, so more often they are treated only by carefully pinching the top.
Trimming
This procedure comes in three types:
- initial - carried out immediately after young plant took root and began to grow;
- preventive - helps to form a beautiful shape, and also contributes to the health of the flower by removing diseased and old shoots;
- after flowering - this frees the bush from withered peduncles, which become “provocateurs” of stem rotting. In addition, such pruning helps to obtain lush flowering next year.
When cutting a flower, simple but mandatory rules must be followed. They help even a novice florist to carry out the procedure in the least painful and safe way. maximum benefit for a plant.
Pinching
The procedure means pinching off the ends of the flower shoots as they grow. This helps the bush grow densely and forms its neat shape.
The resulting cuttings after pinching are good for plant propagation - they quickly and easily take root in water or moist soil.
Features of the pruning procedure
The rules for pruning Kalanchoe at home differ for different varieties. In particular, Kalanchoe Blossfeld (has bright red flowering) tolerates the removal of not only leaves, but also side shoots in any quantity. Even the bare “stump” of a flower will sprout new shoots and gradually become covered with young foliage. Kalandiva also “favorably” refers to radical pruning of Kalanchoe.
For work use sharp knife, scissors, previously disinfected with alcohol.
Pruning is done in the morning or evening to avoid direct sunlight hitting the plant. After the procedure, choose a place for the flower that is illuminated, but without direct exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation, so that the Kalanchoe does not begin to grow rapidly, losing its acquired shape.
Hybrid varieties, as indicated above, are not pruned. They just need to be pinched correctly.
Dates
The procedure of pruning and pinching is not carried out in late autumn and winter, when the flower “retires”. It is resumed at the end of spring, even before the Kalanchoe buds are laid.
Thus, formative and preventative pruning is carried out for the last time in November if the flower is on the windowsill near the south window, or a little later if it is located on the west or east.
First and subsequent preventive pruning
The first pruning for a young Kalanchoe is carried out immediately after its growth begins: one or two upper leaves on each shoot are removed. Gradually, new shoots will appear in the pinched areas. Subsequently, 1-3 leaves are also cut off from them. From spring to late autumn you can create a dense crown in this way. indoor flower attractive, neat shape.
If at the end of May the Kalanchoe still does not show signs of preparation for flowering, and is only “fatten”, increasing the green mass, remove 2-4 upper leaf plates on each shoot. This stimulates not only its growth in breadth, but also the laying of new flower stalks.
To prevent the development of rot, carefully inspect the plant and remove all damaged stems and leaf blades. In addition, without preventive pruning, Kalanchoe sheds its old lower leaves as it grows, exposing the trunk. Pinching the corresponding shoots will force them to branch, creating an even density of the bush.
Preventive pruning of Kalanchoe is also carried out only from spring until the end of autumn (maximum - the beginning of winter). After the first shaping procedure, the flower is not placed in the sun to avoid active growth of shoots.
How to prune Kalanchoe after flowering
This procedure is carried out only after flowering has completely finished. Its main goal is not only to maintain the shape of the Kalanchoe bush, but also to free it from flower stalks. There is no need to pull - it is important to prevent the petals from drying out and crumbling, and the flower stalks from withering. To prevent the plant from starting to rot, pinch them all and as close to their base as possible. This will stimulate the appearance of new stems ready for flowering next year. At the same time, you can “trim” the Kalanchoe bush, removing excess leaves. Work is carried out in the morning, reducing the lighting intensity.
Having completed pruning the Kalanchoe after flowering, you need to give the plant a rest for one to one and a half months, since the process of formation of buds and flowers greatly weakens it. During the “sleep period,” watering is reduced and placed in a dark, cool place. This is also important for abundant flowering in the coming season.
Subtleties of the procedure for different types
The molding methods described above are suitable for “ordinary” Kalanchoes that bloom with red flowers. For rare hybrids with white, yellow or pink flowering, they are too radical: active pinching can not only provoke a painful state of the flower, but also destroy it.
Hybrid varieties are pinched in a smaller volume, each time treating the remaining wounds on the stems with crushed activated carbon or wood ash.
How to pinch Kalanchoe
Step by step order procedure will help to carry it out correctly:
- as soon as the Kalanchoe shoots begin to grow, the top two leaves are plucked off;
- after two new shoots appear at the pinching site, they are allowed to grow until the third pair of leaves appears and at this level they are pinched again.
This is repeated constantly until a bush of the required shape is formed.
Too elongated, thinned shoots can be pinched more radically - with big amount leaves. Experienced gardeners carry out the procedure with their fingers, but for beginners it is more correct to pinch the plant with scissors or another disinfected sharp instrument. To prevent infection or bacteria, sections should be sprinkled with crushed activated carbon or dusted with ash.
Pinching Kalanchoe is not recommended until flowering is complete.
Competent and timely shaping will ensure rich and long flowering next season, make Kalanchoe a highly decorative and attractive flower, and strengthen its health and endurance.