Almost every house that has indoor plants has a Kalanchoe. Such popularity is justified by its extraordinary healing properties. There are other popular names - a home doctor or ginseng. There are up to 200 species of Kalanchoe, but at home they grow about 20. The home doctor is unpretentious in care, able to tolerate both drought and high humidity. In addition, the multiplication of Kalanchoe also does not cause much trouble.
The period for the breeding of Kalanchoe
Before propagating Kalanchoe, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the flower. It is characterized by thickened fibrous roots, fleshy stems, juicy leaves. The arrangement of leaves on the stem is spiral. The shape and surface of each species is different: with a smooth edge, cirrus or dentate. It differs in the size of the sheet plate. The flowers are small, four-petalled. Flower stalks themselves are formed mainly at the top of the plant, less often in the leaf sinus.
Kalanchoe - a medicinal plant at home
There are several ways to propagate Kalanchoe. All of them come down to two types - vegetative and seed. The breeding period is determined by the selected method:
- plant seeds are sown in the soil at the end of winter;
- the vegetative method can be applied regardless of the season;
- children on brood buds appear throughout the year, so their rooting can be performed even in the winter season;
- cuttings, leaf planting material or layering is best harvested in the spring.
Important! It is not recommended to use flowering Kalanchoe for reproduction. The winter period, when the flower is at rest, is also excluded.
The breeding period of Kalanchoe depends on the method of breeding
How to properly breed Kalanchoe, so that in the future the plant develops correctly and does not undergo various kinds of diseases:
- Kalanchoe cuttings are performed with a sharp knife. It is pre-wiped with alcohol or heated on a fire, which reduces the likelihood of infection of the plant with bacteria and fungi;
- the stalk is selected up to 10 cm long. The shoot must be very young. Its rooting will be faster;
- the shoots are first dried for two days to avoid decay of the base of the stem;
- when propagating by leaf plates, make sure that the leaves are planted in the ground in a horizontal position;
- for root germination use only boiled water, the replacement of which is carried out every two days;
- planting is preferably done in ceramic pots. In plastic containers, the processes take root worse;
- carefully watered so that water does not fall on the plant, and in small doses.
Kalanchoe: reproduction by various options
Before propagating Kalanchoe, choose the appropriate method. Florists often use the vegetative method, namely by cuttings. This is one of the effective ways, since the plant takes root and develops faster. Harvesting cuttings is made during spring pruning. From one adult flower for pruning, you can get up to 10-15 processes.
The next method, which does not create problems for lovers of indoor plants, is reproduction by children. They spontaneously root in the ground next to the mother plant. It remains only to carry out a transfer to a new tank. The only drawback is that a plant developed from children for a long time develops. On average, it takes about two years to get a full-fledged plant.
More laborious is the reproduction of the leaf. For this purpose, sheet plates are selected that do not form children. To grow an adult plant from such material will not work quickly.
For your information! The most lengthy and time-consuming process of breeding Kalanchoe is considered to be from seeds. At home, it is almost never used, since there are simpler ways.
Leaf
One of the common ways to get young Kalanchoe plants is to use leafy cuttings. It can be used at home all year round. Before propagating the Kalanchoe leaf, it is necessary to prepare the material. To do this, select a well-developed leaf on an adult plant and carefully cut it with a sharp knife. The best material is medium sized sheets.
Cut leaves are planted in a container filled with a moist substrate. Moisturization is carried out through a solution of root and water. Dilute 1 g of powder in 1 l of water. Soil condition is constantly monitored, preventing drying out. The substrate itself is prepared from river sand and peat in a ratio of 10: 1.
The sheet is buried in the soil by about 1-1.5 cm. The capacity is installed in the house in such a place that natural light is provided as much as possible.
Many amateur gardeners first grow leaves in the water. For this, the container is covered with a transparent lid so that the liquid does not evaporate. Roots appear after 12-15 days. For the propagation of Kalanchoe in this way, even fallen leaves are suitable. The main thing is that they are not completely dried up.
Important! The optimal period for propagation by leafy cuttings from the end of May until mid-June.
Cuttings
Another popular way to obtain young plants at home is the propagation of Kalanchoe by cuttings. It is carried out in any period, not paying attention to the time of year.
Cuttings are obtained during pruning of an adult plant after flowering has ended. During the growing season, the stems of the flower are stretched, so they must be cut. The material is well suited for propagation by cuttings.
Cuttings are chosen young with the presence of at least six leaves
After the cuttings are cut, it is necessary to cut off the lower pair of leaves and leave the shoots for two days for drying. Step-by-step instructions tell you how to choose the right cuttings and how to root the Kalanchoe:
- Before cutting Kalanchoe, shoots with a length of 6 to 9 cm are selected. Those shoots that are cut from the tops of the plant develop better. The ideal form of cuttings is the leaves are even, and the distance between the nodes is small.
- After drying, the stalk is placed in water, the temperature of which should correspond to 20-25 ° C. After the appearance of roots, they are planted in a substrate.
- A prepared process can be immediately planted in a prepared soil. In this case, the cut place on the handle is sprinkled with crushed charcoal a little. The soil is deepened by approximately 2 cm. With systematic watering, roots will appear after a week.
- The soil for Kalanchoe should not be acidic. For its preparation using a mixture of turf land, sheet soil and river sand in a ratio of 4: 2: 1. It is advisable to add a little humus.
- After rooting of the processes, after about two weeks, they begin to produce pinching, whereby a bush form is formed.
You can germinate cuttings in water at room temperature
Seeds
The most time-consuming method is the propagation of Kalanchoe by seeds. At home, it is impractical to use. It is suitable for large quantities of seedlings. Seeds are purchased in specialized stores.
They are sown in light soil around the end of winter. The substrate is first steamed well to get rid of bacteria, rot and mold. Then placed in containers and smooth the surface well.
The seeds are very small, so they are sown in two ways:
- on a slightly moistened surface make small furrows in which seeds are placed in increments of 3-4 cm;
- seeds are evenly distributed on the surface and sprinkled with a little soil. Then the soil is moistened.
Note! After the seeds are sown, the container is covered with transparent glass to ensure a greenhouse effect. Daily glass is removed for ventilation.
As the Kalanchoe sprouts mature, they are stopped twice
Prior to seed germination, the temperature in the container is maintained within the range of 16-18 ° C. Seedlings should be expected in about a month. Until the sprouts reach sizes suitable for planting in a separate container, they are dived twice.
Propagation by offspring
Offspring are processes that sprout in the ground from the roots of the mother plant. Over time, the offspring separate from the adult flower, forming their own root system.
To use them for propagation, it is necessary to choose shoots that have grown in length 1/3 or ½ of the height of the mother plant. They are separated by means of a knife and transplanted into a prepared container with a substrate. Thanks to the processes, the new Kalanchoe bush grows very quickly.
Siblings are separated from the mother plant and planted in a separate container
Bush division
One of the easiest ways to breed Kalanchoe is to divide the mother plant. To do this, the flower is removed from the pot and divided into several parts. Carry out this procedure carefully so as not to damage the roots. Then each part must be planted in a separate pot, suitable in size, filling it with fresh soil.
Features of the multiplication of Kalanchoe of various species
Before you start breeding Kalanchoe, you need to take into account the fact that some species have their own characteristics in the process of reproduction:
- Degremon. Cirrus and tubular flowers breed well in children;
- Kalanchoe Kalandiva suitable propagation by cuttings. This is the best way for Magnin, Blossfeld;
- all kinds of plants that have a fleshy green mass propagate by petal cuttings;
- separation by offspring is suitable only for Blossfeld;
- panicled species of Kalanchoe are best propagated by the kidneys;
- seed type of reproduction is used for cirrus and felt species of flowers.
Further flower care
During planting, the plant experiences extreme stress. It takes time for it to begin to develop fully. During this period, proper care of the flower plays a huge role. It begins at the stage of selection of capacity and soil.
Pot preparation
You need to choose a container made of clay, and small sizes. A hole must be made at the bottom of the pot. Before planting, the tank is treated with boiling water, placed for 2 hours in hot water. Then, drainage is poured to the bottom, which is used as coarse sand, expanded clay or clay shards.
Soil selection
The substrate for planting Kalanchoe is sold in specialized flower shops, but the soil is not difficult to prepare yourself. To do this, you need turf, sheet land, peat and sand in a ratio of 4: 2: 1: 1. You can add a little mullein. To increase the friability of the soil, perlite or crushed charcoal from birch is added to the resulting mixture.
Before filling the soil at the bottom of the pot spread drainage
Lighting
Young Kalanchoe plants do not like bright lighting. Therefore, you need to place them in the house in a place where direct sunlight does not fall. In the summer, this should be a slightly shaded place, but natural light should fall on the plant for at least 12 hours. In winter, the duration of the light should not be less than 8 hours.
Important! By the appearance of the plant, you can determine whether it receives enough light. If the stems become elongated, and the color of the leaves fades, then the Kalanchoe does not have enough light.
Temperature
For the proper development of young plants provide the optimum temperature for them. In spring and summer, Kalanchoe feels comfortable at temperatures from 18 ° C to 30 ° C, and in autumn and winter from 15 ° C to 20 ° C. A flower can easily survive a short-term drop in temperature or a slight draft. But at rates below 10 ° C, the plant may suffer and die.
Humidity and watering
For Kalanchoe optimal average humidity. In winter, spraying plants is not recommended. On hot summer days, spraying the green mass is allowed, but immediately after this procedure, all the leaves are wiped with a soft and damp cloth. An exception is those subspecies for which the casting is lowered by its location. They are not recommended for spraying.
Watering is done as the soil dries. The usual mode in the summer is twice a week, and in winter much less often.
Excessive watering of Kalanchoe may cause root decay.
Top dressing
For feeding use a special fertilizer for succulents. In summer, the plant is fed twice a month. In winter, when the flowers are at rest, they do not need to be fertilized.
The fertilizer process is combined with watering. First, Kalanchoe is watered with a small amount of clean water, and then the necessary portion of fertilizer. The proportions of the preparation of the solution are indicated in the instructions on the packaging of the product.
Topping
As the young shoots grow, periodic pinching is carried out. This procedure is necessary for the correct formation of the bush and getting rid of the tops, which, with the extension of the stem, begin to fade and lose their attractiveness. Pinching is performed using sharp scissors. Slices are treated with crushed activated carbon.
By pinching the plant, a beautiful shape of the bush is formed
Knowing how Kalanchoe propagates, at home you can get chic bushes of this medicinal flower. Everything is really easy and simple, the main thing is to choose the appropriate method for this or that kind.
