There is nothing like Kalanchoe plants to brighten up a room and add a touch of class to your home. They are easy to maintain, but they do need some TLC from time to time.
When it comes to Kalanchoe plants, pruning is one of the best things you can do to keep them looking their best. But what’s the best time of year to prune them?
Pruning may appear to be a simple task to those with more experience, but it can be challenging for those just starting out. The art of pruning requires a thorough understanding of many techniques.
It isn’t as simple as removing the foliage or stalks. One must have knowledge of the plant in order to determine where and how much to prune.
Pruning: Why is it necessary?
To maintain a garden’s plant health, pruning is a must. It makes way for new growth by getting rid of old, rotting wood. There are several reasons why trimming is important.
There are a few advantages to pruning. Pruning indoor succulents help maintain compact growth and lush foliage. It aids in the eradication of pests, stimulates increased development, and helps to preserve the plant’s organic form. You must continue to prune your plant on a regular basis to keep it in good condition and ensure its continued vitality.
Pruning your Kalanchoe plant requires protective gloves and sharp gardening scissors. Plants benefit from being pruned during and soon following their flowering periods. Its flowers, stalks and leaves all need to be pruned. Plant root pruning is an optional extra while repotting.
In this article, we’ll show you how to prune your Kalanchoe plant from start to finish, including what tools to use, when to trim, and how to cut back different sections.
Kalanchoe Pruning Essentials
Make sure you have the right equipment before attempting to trim your Kalanchoe plant. You should equip yourself with a pair of clean gardening gloves and a pair of sharp scissors or gardening shears.
A clean pair of gloves should be used to protect your hands and prevent any contamination of your plant. The scissors or shears you use to prune your plant should be equally sharp.
When pruning, it’s important to have a cleaning solution on hand to disinfect your shears or scissors and gloves between cuts.
It’s important to disinfect your instruments to stop the spread of disease and other problems that might affect your plant. Cleaning supplies can be sterilized using 70% isopropyl alcohol or a diluted bleach solution.
Just combine one tablespoon of bleach with two cups of water, and you have a bleach solution you can use at home. This solution may be used to clean instruments by dipping them or wiping them down. Once you have cleaned your instruments, you may either dry them or set them aside to dry.
The Best Time to Prune Kalanchoes
Indoor kalanchoe plants often start flowering towards the end of winter and continue blooming until the end of April. In contrast to most houseplants, Kalanchoes tend to flower throughout the winter and early spring, when the days are shorter.
Your Kalanchoe has to be maintained in complete darkness during the winter months before it will flower. When your Kalanchoe first shows signs of blooming, it’s time to give it a little trim. Also, when the flowering period is through, you should trim your plant.
What You Need to Know About Pruning Kalanchoes
There are specific periods throughout the year when you should do certain types of pruning on your Kalanchoe plant. It follows that you should know how to trim your plant prior to and following the flowering phase.
A Guide to Pruning Your Kalanchoe During Bloom Season
You can begin cutting down your Kalanchoe plant after the winter season has ended. Up to the end of spring, when the flowering season ends, this should be done. Pruning at this point in time is generally done to foster new development in your plant by eliminating older flowers.
If your plant’s blossoms are dead or wilting, it may not be able to flourish. That’s why pruning is so important; it stimulates new growth. With your shears, cut off any dead blossoms, or just pluck them off with your fingertips.
In order to prepare for pruning, you must first remove any and all damaged, diseased, or wilting flowers before proceeding. Stalks should be trimmed above the node from where the second leaf will emerge for best results. Reducing the height of the flower stems requires the use of shears.
By removing damaged or discolored stalks, you can assist promote plant development and branching throughout the flowering time.
Once the stalks have been taken out, you may check for harmed leaves on your Kalanchoe plant.
Leaves that have become a dismal shade of brown or yellow must be raked away without delay. Leaves that are damaged or dry should be removed as well. To get rid of the leaves, snip them off at the very bottom, where the stem joins the branches.
Pruning Care of Your Kalanchoe After Blooming
Pruning your Kalanchoe after its blooming time ends is as crucial as watering and feeding it during its active development phase. The flowers should start dropping off on their own as the season winds down. If you want to get the most out of your pruning efforts after they begin to fall, you need to adjust accordingly.
If you prune your Kalanchoe after it blooms, you may ensure that it continues to thrive for years to come.
If you prune your Kalanchoe now, it will have more energy stored up for the winter. When the following growing season arrives, this stored vitality may be put to use to foster fresh development.
It is now time to prune your Kalanchoe by cutting each stem to about a third of its original size. Your plant’s next development cycle will be greatly aided by the removal of the branches.
Now is also the time to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged leaves, stems, shoots, or flowers from your plant so that it may enter its dormant phase in good health.
When you’re done pruning, your plant has to go into full sun. Kalanchoe plants benefit from being repotted at the end of their flowering cycle for maximum growth the following year.
If you want your plant to thrive after being repotted, you shouldn’t do it when it’s in its dormant phase. Your plant should be repotted about a month before its blooming season ends.
Plant Pruning Tips for Kalanchoes
Your Kalanchoe should only be pruned when absolutely required and never when it is in bloom. Too much pruning can be harmful to a plant. Pruning too much might harm your plant.
Furthermore, Kalanchoe pruning should only be done to eliminate diseased, discolored, or otherwise unhealthy growth. If you prune your Kalanchoe for cosmetic reasons, you risk killing it.
Take your time when chopping your Kalanchoe. When the plant is trimmed properly, it suffers less stress and has a better chance of bouncing back soon from the ordeal. Kalanchoes can easily be harmed by careless trimming.
It’s best to refrain from drastic trimming during the active growth phase, as doing so might deprive your plant of vital nutrients. There will be less foliage to absorb light from the sun.
Always use sharp instruments to avoid accidentally killing your plant. Any kind of blunt shears or scissors can kill your plant. Before and after pruning, you should also sanitize your instruments to avoid spreading any diseases.
Conclusion
Kalanchoes are low-maintenance plants that benefit from little pruning throughout their flowering period. Your plant’s development will begin to slow or stop around the end of spring, marking the beginning of this period that begins at the end of winter.
To get your plant ready for the next bloom cycle, you may need to do some pruning once the growing season is through.