There are different varieties of kalanchoe plant. What is great about this plant is that it has thick leaves and you can take care of it easily. This plant has its origin in Madagascar, Asia, and Africa. The plant was discovered by Robert Blossfeld who was a seed merchant from Germany. He brought this plant to Paris in 1972.
Nowadays, it has become a very famous plant not only because you can take care of it easily but also because it has a variety of colors. There are also different sizes and you can choose the variety of color and size of the kalanchoe plant that best suits you.
Below we are going to give you a small guide about this beautiful plant. We will talk about how you can plant it and ways to take care of it whether you are going to plant it in your garden or keep it in a pot. It is a wonderful plant that will make your house or garden look even more beautiful.
Benefits of Kalanchoe Plant
The Kalanchoe plant isn’t just a beautiful plant. This plant can be used in order to give you better health. You can make a tea to cleanse your organism and also it can treat stomatitis and even urinary infections.
It is even used in order to treat cancer. It has a particular organic compound that stops proliferation, the spread of cancer cells. You can also warm the leaves and place them at your back if you have any back pains and you will feel better immediately.
Furthermore, kalanchoe can take care of your feet. You can add hot water, the leaves and any other kind of herbs such as mint and place your feet for half an hour. You will feel the difference at once.
Finally, another use is to fight the wrinkles. Yes, you read well. You can prepare the tea and add honey. Apply it in your face for an hour. Your skin then will be moisture and the elasticity of your skin will be preserved and even become better. Just give it a try and you will see the results.
Details of Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe plants can be found in many colors. Some of them are yellow, red, pink, lavender, and white. The plant itself is about 6 to 12 inches tall. This plant has more than 100 varieties. It needs to have plenty of sunlight in order to grow but it also has the ability to grow during the winter. The zones that it grows best are from USDA zone 8 to 10.
Growing a Kalanchoe Plant in the Garden
If you are planning to plant your own kalanchoe in your garden you should have in mind the following things. The light that this plant gets should be maximum 2 hours exposure to the sunlight. The best would be to place it in a bright shade. You should water it once a week and it should be done thoroughly.
The best soil to plant it would be the organic one because it will grow better. You should use compost every spring and especially during the warm months you should use it twice. If you see any dead flowers trim them off. You should take them from the stem and all the way down to the foliage.
Kalanchoe Cuttings
If you are going to plant the kalanchoe plant in a pot and it is going to grow from cuttings, you should keep in mind the following tips. When the plant grows from cuttings it will give you the best flowers and its roots will grow very fast.
You should cut a 2 to 3 inches section from another kalanchoe and remove the leaves from the bottom. You should leave them to a dry and warm place until you see them form a callus on their end. What you should next is to plant it in pre-moistened perlite and peat up to the first leaves.
Wrap the pot in plastic so as the moisture to be conserved. You should keep it in a bright space close to a window where it will get indirect sunlight. Your kalanchoe plant will give you new roots in 21 days and it will be ready for transplant.
Light
Kalanchoe plant needs plenty of light but it shouldn’t be placed to look at the sun directly during the summer months. Otherwise, the leaves will be burnt. You can place it to direct sunlight during, spring, fall, and winter.
If you place it in a very hot and dry area there is a possibility that it might get spider mites. This plant produces more flowers when there isn’t a lot of light present. If you do want to place it in the light it should be maximum 2 hours of sunlight.
Water
When the time comes to water your kalanchoe plant, be careful because you shouldn’t overdo it. You have to leave some time for the soil to absorb the water. If you keep it in a pot then make sure that you empty the tray. If the weather is really hot then you should water it every two weeks.
Fertilizer
If you want to fertilize your kalanchoe plant you should do it every few weeks. An organic fertilizer would be a good option. The fertilizer could also have a liquid form. You should fertilize it the most during its growth period.
Choose one that will include nitrogen and dissolve it to ½. If you notice that the soil is quite dry water it and then fertilize it. You don’t want the roots to be burnt from a direct contact with the fertilizer when the soil is dry.
Temperature
If you keep it in a pot inside your house then you shouldn’t let the temperature fall below 40°. You shouldn’t place it close to drafts and cold weather. A warm temperature will keep your kalanchoe plant safe and the right temperature should be from 60° to 85°. If you want to keep it outdoors make sure that the weather is warm enough.
Soil
If you keep your kalanchoe in a pot then the best soil would be organic potting soil that is suitable for plants that you keep in your house. The potting mix should be well-drained when you plant it. Also, when you buy it, add sand too. The soil that you will buy can contain perlite, peat moss, and sand because it will drain quite well.
Pests and Diseases
What is great about the kalanchoe plant is that it is pest resistant. The most common pests that this can attract are Aphids, scales, and mites. There are different things that you can use if you realize that your plant has pests. You can use neem oil, insecticidal soap and the ‘green solution’.
Neem oil a non-toxic, organic product that you can use in order to remove unwanted pests. The insecticidal soap has potassium which you can spray on the pests, this soap works well when there is fungus too.
Finally, you can make your own green solution. You can mix water, mineral oil, biodegradable liquid soap, and alcohol. Spray the leaves first so as to see that there won’t be any damage and once you ensure that you can use it properly.
Kalanchoe plant has two known diseases, the fungus, and the powdery mildew. The leaves of this plant are prone to these two diseases. For the fungus, you can use the insecticidal soap that we mentioned before. The powdery mildew is a fungus type too.
It is a grayish and white substance that looks like a powder and can be seen on the leaves and on the stem of the plant. As a result, the plant will stop growing. If something like this happens then remove the dead leaves and move the plant to another area.
You can use a fungicide which you get in shops or you can make your own. Take a spraying bottle and put two tablespoons of mineral oil and a few spoons of baking soda then shake well and spray the plant.
Pots
Kalanchoe plants does well in pots because it’s a small plant. You will be able to find them in 4 and 6 inches. When you buy the pot from the shop, make sure that it has a tray because you need to empty the water and also the pot must have drip holes for the water to come out.
Propagation
The Propagation can be done with the use of the stem, by the leaf cuttings (which we mentioned earlier), and with the offsets. No matter which method you will use make sure that you will dry the stems because you don’t want the root to rot.
What is great about this plant is that it will always produce flowers. They will bloom for years if you take care of them properly. When you use the offsets place them in a small pot and keep them moist.
From what we saw is a plant that can be either planted in a garden or you can keep it in a pot. You will choose which one is the best place for you. What you should have in mind is that this plant needs only 2 hours of direct sunlight because if you leave it for more than that it will be destroyed.
Even though it doesn’t need extreme maintenance, like every other plant it needs basic care. It needs to be watered but as we always say don’t overdo it with the water because the plant and the roots will rot. If you keep it in a pot always empty the tray from the water.
If you follow all the tips that we mentioned above then you will have a healthy and beautiful kalanchoe plant. Before you buy your plant make sure that you know where you would like to place it and have a special place for it.
Apart from the beautiful colors that you can choose from you will have amazing blossoms that you will enjoy looking at. Don’t forget that you can buy pots of different colors and create a beautiful vision.
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