How to Care for a Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Plant

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana also commonly known as Florist Kalanchoe, Christmas kalanchoe, Flaming Katy, and Madagascar widow’s thrill. Normally sold during Chinese New Year Season as a Holiday Plant here in Malaysia.

I must say these are such a beauty that most gardener's find it hard to resist from purchasing them. They have these beautiful blooms - sprays of colors that last for weeks - just like cut flowers - these tiny rosette like blooms are so dandy.

They are without fragrance however they do come with various colors almost similar with the color tones of roses. 

Few factor I must mentioned about this plant growing them in lowland hot climate. They may survive and able to grow nicely with beautiful foliage - but once the flowers with their blooms are over - you may not able to see them back into their former glory once again.

Often many people buy them for their beautiful flowers and treat them like cut flower plants. Once the flowers are done - they are usually tossed away. And so I do somehow consider them as like one time plant: BATA plants - Buy And Throw Away Plants - Usually when the flowers are spend and the plant is already withered away.

These can usually last almost 2-3 months if given proper care - in keeping the blooms long lasting.

These are my tips to Care for the plant.

WATERING & MEDIUM:

Kalanchoe is a Succulent Plant and therefore the first and foremost - must be very careful with watering. Overwatering can easily kill them in within a week or two.

Do check the Medium (usually these come from Cameron Highlands) and they are always planted using Cocopeat - and so, only water them only at the rootbase and not the whole plant - once a week.

The Best would be placing a sauce and water it from downward - letting the plant soaked downside up - rather than pouring the water into the pot. Once the soaking takes place within the day - do not water within a week or check and see if the cocopeat is almost dry. 

The Best Condition is to keeping the medium Moist to Slightly Dry - Too Wet for more than few days may cause the root ball to rot and the plant will slowly wither away. At Times - the Plant will tolerate over watering once or twice in a month but if it is going to be on a daily basis - it will definitely succumb to root rot and the whole thing will rot away.

Also - Never Water the Flowers from the Top - Some people may think that it is a good idea to mist them - I would refrain that as it may cause the flowers to have burned marks on them.

Rather only allow water to be poured only at the rootball area and never at the flowers. The foliages however are hardy and they can be occasionally get wet but never the flowers.

LIGHT:

The ideal light will be bright indirect sunlight but most of the time - these were purchased to fashion indoor condition like cut-flowers as they are normally kept until the blooms are over.

Once they are done and the plant usually tossed away but if you intend to continue to keep the plant for their foliage:

These are the tips:

How to Grow Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Plant - Once it Finished Blooming:

1) Trim off all the spend flowers off - usually they will be dried off stalk dangling at the crown.

2) Remove all the soil medium from the pot - usually it will be fully cocopeat. Roughly break off the root ball and chucks of cocopeat will fall off - if they still wet, it will be like fibrous.

Mix 50% sand with (50% existing cocopeat) mix well and feel the texture of the medium as it should be fast draining medium

3) Cut or remove plant-let shoots and plant them separately - normally there will be 3 or more plants planted together in compact in this small pot. Separating them give them good room for the roots to regrow and establish itself.

4) After about few months when the plant had fully grown - place the plant in total darkness gradually in a month's time. Also do place in a cool place and with good flowering fertilizer for it to shock bloom. It need to shock bloom - one of the ways it to reduce the day light hours it gets.

Eventually you will notice the flower buds will form and from hence-forth a new cycle begins.

PEST:

Been a Kalanchoe - it is also a magnet for pest like whiteflies, snails & slugs - therefore care is also needed as they can do considerable damage if not attend to them immediately.