The Kalanchoe is considered a very uncomplicated plant that doesn't take offense at any mistakes in care. That's why it is increasingly being cultivated as a colorful splash of color on balconies or terraces. But what happens to the pretty succulents in winter? Can the plants that come from Madagascar also remain outdoors in our latitudes?
Is the Kalanchoe hardy?
The Kalanchoe is very easy to care for as a houseplant. However, it is not a winter-hardy plant and should therefore be brought indoors when temperatures are below 15 degrees. In order to stimulate flower formation, it needs short days of a maximum of 8 to 9 hours of daylight during overwintering.
The Kalanchoe loves the warmth
Summers are getting hotter and temperatures of over thirty degrees are no longer uncommon here. This is just right for the Kalanchoe, as it is one of those plants that likes to be warm. As soon as the thermometer drops below fifteen degrees at night, you should bring them into the house quickly, because the frugal Kalanchoe is not hardy.
How do you overwinter?
Wintering is easy as long as you follow the following tips:
- Keep the Kalanchoe at room temperature; the temperature in the house should not fall below 15 degrees.
- A room that is not lit in the evening hours is ideal.
- Keep the pot ball moderately moist, do not fertilize at all.
The short days stimulate flower formation
The Kalanchoe is one of the short-day plants. This means that flowering specimens such as the Flaming Käthchen may not be exposed to daylight for more than eight to nine hours over several weeks. If this is not done, the flowers will not bloom.
If the Kalanchoe is in a room with artificial light, it should be darkened artificially:
- Cut a cardboard box so that the succulent is completely covered.
- Put over the plant every day around 6 p.m. and first
- take it off again the next morning around eight o'clock.
There are also said to be owners who simply store the pretty plant in a closet overnight. As we all know, necessity is the mother of invention and in this case leads to guaranteed flowering success.
Tip
You can easily plant the Kalanchoe in a flower bed, dig it up again in the fall and keep it indoors in a flower pot until the next gardening season. The undemanding succulents are also ideal for planting easy-care grave bowls.
