One of my favorite indoor plants are Kalanchoe flowers. Only a few varieties are suitable for home cultivation - Blossfeld, Peristy, Kalantiva, One-flowered and others. There are also medicinal varieties in the Kalanchoe flower. For example, Degremona is actively used to treat the common cold, disinfect and accelerate healing. Today we will tell you all about growing a Kalanchoe flower at home, the care of which will not take you much time and effort. We will also introduce you to the most popular varieties of this plant. In this article, you will learn about the features of the Kalanchoe flower, how to care for it and fight pests and diseases.
Description and types
The Kalanchoe home flower is a perennial plant that belongs to the Crassulaceae family. Asian countries, Australia and America are considered its homeland. Recently, they began to grow a Kalanchoe flower at home. This was made possible thanks to a very uncomplicated care that does not require frequent transplants and intensivetop dressing. To date, there are more than 200 varieties of this plant, but no more than 15 are the most popular.
- Blossfeld, or white Kalanchoe, as it is also called, came to us from Madagascar. In natural conditions, its dimensions can exceed one and a half meters in height. The dark green, succulent leaves are egg-shaped, and the color of the inflorescences in natural conditions is white. To date, breeders have bred a large number of varieties of this variety with pink, orange and yellow inflorescences. At home, the height of the plant reaches 30 centimeters.
- Mangina. A hybrid variety of Kalanchoe, which has the shape of leaves, like Blossfeld's, and the most delicate pink bell flowers. Many growers prefer this variety due to its long flowering and very pleasant appearance of the inflorescences.
- Felt Kalanchoe has another name because of its appearance - "cat's ears". The oblong leaves, covered with white pubescence, have brown notches along the edges. During the flowering period, the bush is covered with red-violet flowers.
- Kalandiva. One of the favorite varieties of Kalanchoe, blooming very beautifully. The diameter and height of the plant do not exceed thirty centimeters. And in a long flowering period (about six months), the bush is wrapped in red double flowers. Gardeners also note the unpretentiousness of this variety.
Growing conditions
The main conditions for a comfortable existence and active growth of Kalanchoe flowers are:
- Lighting. Since the plant is tropical, it does not require constant bright light. It will feel great in both light and shaded rooms. The best option is a window sill on the east or west side of the house. Kalanchoe needs active sunlight only in winter.
- Air temperature. Kalanchoe flowers are completely unpretentious in terms of temperature. When it starts to warm up outside (at least + 10 ° C), the plant can be taken out to the balcony. In room conditions, a favorable temperature is 23-25 ° C.
- Humidity. Due to the ability of the plant to store water in the leaves for a long time, a sufficiently low humidity in the room should be observed. Kalanchoe tolerates drought well and does not tolerate moisture on the leaves, so it does not need spraying at all.
In addition to creating comfortable conditions, proper care is important for the plant. The Kalanchoe flower needs moderate watering, infrequent fertilization and pruning. So, first things first.
Irrigation
Earth in a pot with Kalanchoe flowers should be intensively shed with water, but the excess should also be drained, because the soil should dry out between waterings. In winter, the plant is watered every two weeks; in hot summers, watering is much more frequent. However, it should be understood that excessive soil moisture can lead to the development of rot and fungal diseases, as well as damage to the roots. Kalanchoe does not need to be sprayed, especially in winter - this leads to excessive moisture. Quiteit is enough to wipe the leaves of the plant from dust with a damp soft cloth or sponge.
If only the lower leaves of the plant begin to dry out quickly, while the upper ones are in perfect order, then this indicates not insufficient watering, but a small volume of the flower pot.
Fertilizer
Top dressing is applied to the soil for growing Kalanchoe no more than once a month. Moreover, in winter, the plant does not need fertilizer at all. Use a complex fertilizer during the active growing season. And since Kalanchoe flowers do not like excessive feeding (they stop blooming), reduce the dosage of drugs by at least half.
Cutting
The best time to prune Kalanchoe is during its flowering period - it is at this moment that the plant becomes weaker. The peduncle is cut off at the very base, otherwise the remaining part may rot. Do not spare the plant - cut off all weak leaves, stems and flower stalks that look sickly. Only young and strongest, he althy shoots take root. In the summer, the upper shoots are pinched in order to activate the growth of the lateral ones. Otherwise, the plant will take on a sloppy look, begin to grow ugly.
Transfer
As mentioned above, Kalanchoe flowers do not require frequent replanting, but once a year it is necessary. In the case of already quite mature plants, it is completely permissible to simply pour some fresh soil into the pot. young kalanchoetransplanted at the end of March.
For transplantation use a pot, the diameter of which should be a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one. You need to take the plant out of the old pot very carefully, because due to its fragile roots and stems, it is quickly damaged. The composition of the soil in the new pot should include sand, leafy and soddy soil in equal proportions. A small amount of humus is acceptable.
Propagation by cuttings
The most popular and effective way to propagate Kalanchoe is cuttings. But this method is not suitable for all its varieties. For example, it is permissible to cut Mangina and Blossfeld. Cut off upper shoots serve as cuttings. The strongest and he althiest parts of the plant, covered with succulent leaves, are selected. The length of the cut handle must be at least 8 centimeters. And its landing in the ground is carried out in such a way that the lower leaves are on the surface. After the end of the rooting period, the plant should begin to pinch to get a lush and flowering bush.
Seed propagation
Felt and pinnate varieties of Kalanchoe flowers are propagated by seeds. These exotic plants are quite difficult to find for sale in adult form, so reproduction is carried out by collecting and planting seeds. This process is carried out in late winter or early spring. Seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil, which consists of a mixture of sand, humus and peat. After that, the seeds are covered with a film or glass and periodically moistened until germination,who are ready to transplant. The air temperature in the room where Kalanchoe is grown should not exceed twenty degrees.
Diseases
Like any other home plant, Kalanchoe flowers are susceptible to the negative effects of various diseases. In this section, we will tell you how to recognize them and prevent the death of the plant.
There are three aggressive viruses that, when a plant is affected, do not give it a chance to survive - the ring spice virus and the abnormal growth virus, as well as the virus that causes green petals. The first appears in light spots on the leaves, the second brightens the young leaves and makes the old ones coarse and ugly. Unfortunately, the only way to combat these diseases is to completely destroy the plant.
Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases of both garden plants and indoor plants. The Kalanchoe flower, as well as its leaves and stems, are covered with a white bloom that looks like flour. Biological fungicides - "Strobi", "Topaz" can save the plant.
Gray rot appears as translucent and soft leaf areas, and with high humidity, the plant may become covered with a gray bloom. To destroy this disease, reduce the humidity of the air and remove the affected parts of the plant, as well as wipe off excess dew. With a stronger infection, Kalanchoe flowers are treated with "Skor" or "Pure Flower" preparations.
Pests
Claw mites infect Kalanchoe flowers, causing harmcuttings and leaves of the plant - they harden, become covered with a brown scab and stop growing. Small white mites actively multiply and become clearly visible on the leaves of the plant. With a weak lesion, treatment with a soapy solution is sufficient, with a stronger one, fungicidal and insecticidal preparations, such as Fitoverma, Akarina, should be used.
The appearance of mites can be recognized by small yellow spots-droplets on parts of the plant. The next stage of infection will be discoloration and drying of the leaves. The main location of these insects is the lower part of the leaf, which they entangle with cobwebs. To avoid the appearance of these pests, you should keep the air in the room dry and warm, and also treat the plant with soapy water for prevention.
When Kalanchoe flowers are affected by aphids, it should be treated with tobacco dust or Iskra and Aktellik preparations. The damage consists in twisting and drying of the leaf, in some cases, aphid discharge appears at all.
Another pest of Kalanchoe is a worm. It leaves a whitish coating similar to wax on the veins of the plant. If treatment with mineral oil does not help, then the plant must be destroyed.
