The term kalancho actually refers to an entire genus with many species, but if you purchase what Winter Gardens sell as “kalanchoes” or “Calendiva,” you’ll be acquiring the most common species of kalanchoe: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. Although these natives of Madagascar produce small blossoms which many appreciate, their succulent foliage makes them quite beautiful year-round.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a photoperiodic plant. This means that it blooms in response to changes in daylength. As spring rolls around and the short days of winter give way to longer periods of daylight, the kalancho typically enters its bloom phase. But without the priming of short, winter days, the kalancho could not put on this display. We’ll come back to this.
Proper kalancho care requires an area of bright, indirect light. A western window in the summertime and a south-facing window in the winter will usually do the trick. Lots of light is good; but do beware of direct sunlight, which can burn leaf tips (Grant, 2021). Insufficiently-lit plants may become leggy.
Over-watering your kalancho can be just as (or more) destructive than negligent under-watering. Soak your plant from time to time, but never leave the plant sitting in a tray of water, and allow the soil to completely dry out before you water again.
Fertilization is important, but also quite simple. A monthly application of balanced fertilizer applied spring through summer will do you plant well.
Have you ever wondered if it was possible to get a kalancho to bloom on-demand? The neat thing is that this can actually be done to a large extent! Let me explain. As noted, kalanchoes are photoperiodic. God has made these little guys to bloom in response to changing daylength–so if we artificially change the length of the day, the plants will respond accordingly.
Try this. Keep your kalancho in complete darkness for 16 hours/day, and provide normal light for the remaining 8 hours. Keep up this treatment for about 6 weeks, then resume normal care. Due to the photoperiodic nature of your kalancho, you can expect to see a flush of buds and eventually blooms in response to this treatment!
So give them a try! And instead of pitching your plant after it has finished blooming, keep it around, take care of it, and watch how photoperiodism can be harnessed for a new flush of blooms!
Sources
Grant, B. L. (2021). Kalancho Care: Tips On How To Grow Kalancho Plants. Retrieved 8/23/21 from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/kalanchoe/growing-kalanchoe-plants.htm
How to Grow Flowering Kalanchoe (n.d.). Retrieved 8/23/21 from https://todayshomeowner.com/how-to-grow-flowering-kalanchoe/
How to Grow Kalanchoe (2021). Retrieved 8/23/21 from https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-kalanchoe/#care
VanZile, J. (2021). How to Grow and Care for Kalanchoe Indoors. Retrieved 8/23/21 from https://www.thespruce.com/growing-kalanchoe-plants-1902982