Madagascar native - Kalanchoe flower, belonging to the genus of succulents, has long taken root on the windowsills of Russian apartments. It has a beautiful and plentiful color, and is also famous for its healing properties in the common cold and other respiratory diseases. The whole variety of Kalanchoe species must be considered when caring for it. It is absolutely uncomplicated and includes watering, maintaining the optimum temperature and top dressing. Obligatory care procedures include trimming.
Causes of Kalanchoe Pruning
One of the features of Kalanchoe is the rapid growth of shoots. If you do not care about the flower, it begins to stretch, the bush takes on a completely imperfect shape.
Kalanchoe - a popular and beautiful flower
In addition to forming a nice-looking classic rounded crown, pruning Kalanchoe necessary for the following reasons:
- updating and rejuvenating old, already unattractive shoots, dropping the lower leaves;
- stimulation of new growth as a result of uniform distribution of vegetable juice in all parts of the plant;
- getting rid of insect pests and other parasites after the initial processing of the flower;
- giving the foliage strength and some fleshiness, as well as excellent prevention of various plant diseases.
Cropped shoots of Kalanchoe
Note! Before carrying out the procedure, it is necessary to determine the variety of Kalanchoe, since some of them (for example, hybrid species with flowers of bright red, yellow or white, Kalanchoe Blossfeld) are difficult to tolerate pruning of shoots, they only need to be slightly stopped from above.
When can I crop?
The question of the correct timing of trimming Kalanchoe is very important, because the health of a green pet largely depends on this. Flower growers categorically forbid the operation in the winter, because, starting in November, the flower enters a state of hibernation - rest. It is necessary to catch a segment from the end of winter to the beginning of flowering of Kalanchoe, which occurs in late spring. In no case should you touch a flowering plant, even if you just need to cut the crown a little. The plant may lose its stems and become ill. Have to wait until the moment of flowering.
The best time of day for pruning is early morning or evening after sunset; closer to noon, the procedure is not recommended.
After transplanting, the plant cannot be pruned; it is necessary to give it time to adapt, about half a month. You should also wait 10-15 days after the pests on the diseased or affected flower are completely destroyed.
Additional Information. For the operation, you need to use a disinfected stationery knife (or garden pruner), tearing leaves and shoots by hand can provoke flower diseases and its rapid withering.
Stationery knife - the best tool for trimming Kalanchoe
Is it possible to trim in spring
The best period to prune the overgrown Kalanchoe bush is mid-spring. The end of March, the whole of April and the beginning of May are perfect for different types of pruning. However, it is very important to ensure that the plant at this time no longer begins to throw peduncles and bloom. When a new bush is planted, its stem and apex actively stretch upwards, so it is necessary to pinch it slightly, without waiting for full foliage to grow. This operation will give Kalanchoe a pleasant "round" look.
Trimming Types
Kalanchoe can be circumcised for various purposes and intensity level.
Initial
Its content consists in immediately after planting the flower in a new place after transplantation, cut off (pinch) a couple of the top leaves right on the top of each shoot. After a short time, new shoots with foliage will appear on this place.
Important! This type of pruning is one of the answers to the question of how to form a beautiful crown of Kalanchoe, which will be distributed evenly throughout the plant.
Initial pinching of the apex
Spend it a month after the awakening of sap flow. After pruning and until new shoots appear, it is not recommended to put a flower pot on the illuminated side of the window, as excess sunlight will provoke a new stretching of the shoots and the loss of the desired crown shape.
Preventative
When the plant has already taken root enough, pruning should be done periodically to maintain a pleasant appearance of the crown of the flower. You can repeat until it reaches the desired shape. The procedure can be performed as soon as young leaves appear.
How to prophylactically prune Kalanchoe? The ugly and weak top is mercilessly cut off, each new shoot growing from the sinuses of the leaves is pinched when a couple or three of the upper leaves appear. At the same time, all the spoiled foliage and broken shoots are cut off - this helps protect the plant from rot damage.
Note! Do not be afraid that your favorite flower hurts when pruning. This plant is very hardy, it will painlessly and easily survive the most radical pruning.
The last preventive pruning of the year is carried out at the end of November, while it is advisable to keep the pot with the plant on the south window. In winter, the recommended air temperature near the flower is 10-15 degrees.
In order to prophylactically rejuvenate Kalanchoe, the old dead parts are gradually removed, cut shoots from the top (no more than 10 cm in length) are used as propagation cuttings - placed in a glass with water, they easily release roots.
The process of cutting cuttings
After flowering
Do not forget about such an event, as pruning Kalanchoe after flowering, it is also called cleansing pruning. First of all, you need to carefully examine the "green pet" for faded buds.
Note! All wilted flower stalks should be removed completely, "under the root", otherwise rot may spread, which will destroy the plant.
The second stage is the trimming of two or three extreme leaves on each stem. Circumcision is recommended in the morning, before the onset of midday heat. Due to the timely removal of faded parts of Kalanchoe, new young shoots and peduncles appear. After the procedure, the plant must be left alone for a while.
Home pruning
Every amateur grower can cope with the care of Kalanchoe at home during flowering and pruning. It is only necessary to correctly determine the variety of the flower and follow the relevant rules. For example, hybrid species of home Kalanchoe are too whimsical and tender, so you need to prune them with great care. For example, Kalanchoe Degremono - a memorable plant with lush gray-green foliage and young shoots, you also need to periodically visit with scissors or pruners.
Bush formation
Properly performed pruning allows you to create a beautiful bush that pleases the eye with its neat shapes. The same procedure creates favorable conditions for its further active growth and abundant flowering. Due to the removal of excess shoots and foliage, the vegetable juice is evenly distributed throughout the flower, which makes it healthier, “juicier” and more resistant to diseases and damage by fungi and insect pests. Kalanchoe becomes strong, resilient and aesthetically very enjoyable.
Note! When forming a bush, you must constantly monitor the emergence of new shoots and remove them in a timely manner.
After a dive, a pair of leaves from each stem or circumcision of the whole top of the overgrown flower, the plant comes to its senses in a month and a half. Ultimately, the result of all efforts should be a nice spherical Kalanchoe bush.
Lush flowering pruning
For most flower growers, in addition to the shape of the plant, its abundant flowering is important. Normally, the plant pleases the owners with its flowers throughout the late spring. However, if the growth of green mass continues without ejection of peduncles, it is worthwhile to carry out a special pruning, which activates the formation of buds and their fast flowering. In addition, the abundance of light contributes to lush flowering (after all, buds on the Kalanchoe are formed only during daylight hours under heavy lighting). The main rule of this procedure is to prevent the pedicels from drying out completely. They must be plucked immediately after the flower withers. Then, instead of the cropped parts of the flower, new buds will appear, as well as shoots with foliage.
Bush Kalanchoe after pruning trimmings must have a rest under the following conditions:
- watering no more than once every couple of weeks;
- the location of the pot with the plant in a dark place in the complete absence of direct sunlight;
- cool air - no higher than 16 degrees.
Lush flowering Kalanchoe
As it follows, having rested, Kalanchoe should begin to grow actively and throw out lush blooms.
Kalanchoe has become one of the most popular indoor plants in recent years, more than two hundred of its varieties are known, but only a couple of them are adapted to home conditions. In addition to medicinal properties, it has high decorative qualities, above all, rich color. Caring for this flower is quite simple, one of the important care procedures is the periodic pruning of extra leaves and shoots. Advice on how to prune Kalanchoe to form a bush or get lush flowering competently and efficiently can be obtained from flower growers.
