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If nothing else is blooming in late winter, then a Flaming Katy enchants with beautiful and decorative flowers on the windowsill. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is considered easy to care for, but the plant may not flower. Especially when the first flowers have faded, it can be difficult to get a second flower. Nevertheless, the plant should not be disposed of under any circumstances, because with a little patience and the right care, it can flower again.
observe the rest period
Many hobby gardeners assume that the Madagascar bell is only an annual plant and dispose of it after the first flowering. But the Kalanchoe definitely blooms over several years, if given the right care. A resting phase is very important for this, so that the flower can unfold again. Since the Flaming Katy belongs to the short-day plants, it needs a lot of darkness to form new buds again. The right preparation before the start of the rest phase is particularly important here. Attention should be paid to the following:
- cut off faded flowers
- leave the flowering stem on the plant
- this is where the new buds form in winter
So if you remove all faded flowers with the entire flowering stem in summer, because this is so common with many other plants, you will have to wait a long time for new buds, despite the dormant phase in winter. Because if all flowering shoots on the Kalanchoe are removed, no new flowers will appear, even despite the resting phase.
time
The right timing for the dormant phase is important so that Kalanchoe blossfeldiana blooms again from February. A Flaming Katy usually shows its flowers until July. After that, all the flowers have faded. However, the dormant phase does not begin until a little later in the year. The right time for this is therefore as follows:
- start the rest phase in November
- this should last about six weeks
- End the Christmas/New Year rest phase again
After this phase, the buds for the new flowers are formed again on the existing flowering shoots from February.
Correct location
The location during a resting phase is also important for the multiple flowering of the Kalanchoe. On this it must be especially in the evening early dark and only in the morning late again bright will. This long darkness in the night needs a Flaming Katy so that it can find the rest for the formation of new buds and flowers. So the ideal location during the rest period should look like this:
- only little light
- also avoid too much artificial light
- a windowsill on a north window is ideal
- not over a heater
- stairwell or bedroom
- put in the dark from 6 p.m. in the evening until 9 a.m. in the morning
- alternatively transfer buckets or boxes
- spend in a closet or windowless room in the evening
Optimum temperatures
During the dormant phase, the right temperatures must also prevail at the chosen location so that the Flaming Katy starts blooming again next February. So the temperatures for the Kalanchoe should look like this:
- until the beginning of the rest phase 20° to 23° Celsius
- in the rest phase a maximum of 15° Celsius
- slowly warm up again after the rest phase
If it is too warm during the dormant period, new buds will not form and Flaming Katie will not bloom that year. But this is not a sign to dispose of the plant completely, it is always worth trying again next winter.
watering and fertilizing
If the Flaming Katy is in the resting phase, then fertilizing should be stopped completely. Fertilization is reduced immediately after the last blossoms have fallen, and from October there is no fertilization at all. So the following should be done during the rest period:
- water moderately
- Let the soil dry in between
- Avoid waterlogging
- Start fertilizing at the end of December
- pour more again
extend flowering time
If the decorative flowers appear on the Kalanchoe from February to June, then the flowering period can also be extended. For this purpose, the individual small flowers are snapped off immediately after they have faded. The flowering period can be extended into July or even August. The flowering shoots must remain on the plant so that new flowers can show up and other existing buds can open. Of course, it is also important to proceed correctly:
- fertilize regularly
- Use liquid fertilizer from the trade
- pay attention to manufacturer information
- water moderately
- keep moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- bright location
- avoid direct sunlight
In the warm summer months, a Flaming Käthchen can also be placed on a balcony or terrace in a place that is protected from rain, wind and too much sun. However, the plant should be brought back inside before the first frost.
