Keyword: Cactus and Succulents

Why do my house plants stop flowering after I bring them home? They are by a bright, sunny window. I bought Kalanchoe in 4 colors, and none flower any more.

 

Can you tell me if you feed the houseplants anything? Sometimes plants (indoors or outdoors) which are given a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen will produce a lot of leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Make certain that you are providing ideal conditions for growing Kalanchoe. According to Barbara Pleasant’s The Complete Houseplant Survival Guide (Storey, 2005), Kalanchoe grown indoors needs bright direct sunlight, and warm temperatures (70-90 degrees) from late spring to early fall. In fall and winter, it requires 50-70 degrees. It should not receive any fertilizer from late winter to early spring, and in winter, let soil dry out between light waterings. More importantly, Kalanchoe responds to changes in its exposure to light, which is referred to as photoperiodism. Pleasant says that “before a kalanchoe will make buds, it must be exposed to a series of long, sunny days followed by at least 2 weeks of short days, less than 12 hours long. This is easy enough to accomplish by placing plants outside in summer and then bringing them indoors in late fall, just before nighttime temperatures drop below about 40 degrees. After you bring the plant in, keep it in a room where no lights used at night. When brought into bloom naturally, kalanchoes flower in January and February. To speed up the schedule, cover the plants with a box for 14 hours each night for 14 consecutive days. Blooms will appear about 6 weeks later. Snip off bloom-bearing branches after the flowers fade.”