Are you wondering about how to propagate kalanchoe? If your answer is yes, then this article is written just for you. We will reveal all you need to know to enable you to propagate this succulent plant successfully. But before we get into all that, let us do a bit of Kalanchoe 101 in case you do not know this plant in detail.
Basic Knowledge about this Plant
A kalanchoe (plural kalanchoes) also known as widow’s-thrill is a succulent plant that is so beautiful which makes it a perfect houseplant. Apart from functioning in that capacity, it can also be planted in your backyard flower garden.
This plant thrives in a warm climate; hence, if you want it in your garden, ensure that you do not live in an area that has a cold climate. This is because it has its origin in Madagascar, Africa which is a tropical climate. Folks who grow this plant do so because of its foliage.
There are many types of kalanchoe that one can easily not recognize or feel they belong to the same family. However, they all possess the same characteristics of plush and well-shaped leaves with a lot of bright blossoms that come in different colors which include white, red, pink, yellow, and orange.
As we just mentioned, the different types of this plant may not allow one to recognize them as family plants. Some of them have colorful leaves such as the flapjack plant and the copper spoon plant. On the other hand, others possess amazing blooms; a good example is the Kalanchoe marnieriana. There are some whose foliage possesses a rough texture. Interestingly, one relative known as the Kalanchoe beharnsis is regarded as a small-sized tree.
Among the numerous types, the most know is the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. You can find it almost anywhere including supermarkets. Florists love to use this plant when arranging potted flowers.
While you can propagate this plant from its seed, easier ways of propagating kalanchoe is to make use of stem cuttings or to use the offsets. We are going to discuss how to propagate kalanchoe using stem cuttings. We have decided to focus on this because it is more complex compared to using offsets.
Propagating Using Cuttings
Despite this process being a tad bit complex, we believe it is something you can still handle once you get the hang of the process.
The following are the steps involved in this process:
- Selecting the appropriate kalanchoe
- Cutting
- Taking care of the new cuttings
- Placing the cuttings in either water or soil
Now that we have listed the steps, let’s explain them in detail…
1. Selecting the Appropriate Kalanchoe
Remember we said there are different types of kalanchoes, so you need to decide which one you want. Conduct thorough research to determine which one will look best in your home or garden. You can also confirm if it is suitable for the climate of the area you live in and if your garden soil will allow it to grow properly.
Apart from selecting what type you will use; you need to ensure that the plant is healthy and is free from any sort of disease or infestations. You must pay careful attention to this especially if you’ll be propagating the widow’s-thrill in your garden. Proper examination of the plant will protect your other garden plants from being infected.
2. Cutting
Once you have confirmed which plant you will be using, it is now time to make the cuttings. To do this, you will need either pruning shears or sharp scissors.
Make sure that the shears or scissors are cleaned using a bleach solution (dilute not concentrated) or alcohol whenever you switch to another plant. Doing this will prevent any kind of accidental disease spread.
To get the right cutting, avoid flower stalks. Instead, make your cut just above a stem or leaf node. Then, cut the stems into appropriate lengthy that have at least two pieces of leaves on them. This forms your new cuttings.
When cutting, do not cut the stem too short as some of the plant’s varieties cannot be propagated without the stem. When cutting, try to make it at least three inches; five inches should be the maximum.
3. Taking Care of the New Cuttings
After the cut has been made, you do not just put them into the soil. Instead, you have to care for them for a while to allow the formation of hard skin over the area the stem was cut.
You will need to keep the cuttings in an area where there is bright albeit indirect light. Leave the cuttings there until the end that was cut starts to look like it is scarred. In most cases, you will have to wait for about a week before the callus is fully formed. Hence, do not be in a haste to move them into the soil.
Allowing the formation of the callus can help in ensuring that the new cutting does not get any form of disease infection.
4. Placing the Cuttings in Either Water or Soil
The cuttings after the callus have formed can then be transferred and rooted either directly in the soil (flowerpot or garden), or water.
If you choose to root them in water (because it is optional), it means you want the roots to grow first before you put them into the soil. To do this, you need a transparent glass container that is filled halfway with water.
The cuttings are then placed into the water but ensure that it is the stem alone that is submerged and not the entire plant. Then place the container in bright but not direct light.
After the roots have grown, you can now place the cuttings into the soil. Remember that you can choose to skip putting the cuttings into the water first. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDRRL36RCeM to see the process we just discussed.
Conclusion
Widow’s-thrill is a beautiful plant that has versatile uses. Propagating it is also easy as we have shown which is why it is a very common and popular part of many flower arrangements.
