How to trim Kalanchoe at home. Care and pruning of Kalanchoe - how to do it and what is necessary for flowering? Removing shoots after flowering

Kalanchoe is a plant that can be seen in many apartments. And there is an explanation for this: almost all of its varieties are unpretentious and are capable of having a healing effect on the body. However, even the most picky flower needs. This includes fertilizing, loosening the soil, and pruning. Pruning is a simple process, but in order not to harm the flower, you need to know how to prune Kalanchoe, namely the sequence of the procedure and the best time for this.

What is pruning Kalanchoe at home and why is it needed?

Pruning Kalanchoe is the removal of excess leaves or flower stalks. It is necessary to give the flower a neat round shape. Growing in the form of a small bush, the plant looks more original than a long thin stem stretching upward with chaotic branches.

In addition to decorative purposes, pruning Kalanchoe at home is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for the life of the plant. The accumulated juice inside the flower is distributed evenly among the shoots, filling the leaves. The plant becomes succulent and more resistant to drying out and wilting.

There are three types of pruning Kalanchoe:

1. initial;
2. preventive;
3. after flowering.

To trim the flower, it is better to use a sharp table knife or a stationery blade. Pulling off leaves by hand can harm the plant and cause it to wilt.

How to prune Kalanchoe depending on the type of flower

Depending on the type, the pruning rules differ. Today, more than 200 varieties of the plant are known, however, only a few can grow at home. The most common variety is Blossfeld, which blooms with bright red flowers. Trimming its excess leaves can be done in unlimited quantities. Even if you cut off all the adventitious branches and leaves, leaving only a “stump,” this flower will again be covered with thick leaves after a while.

The situation is more complicated with varieties of Kalanchoe that bloom with white and yellow flowers. Such varieties are quite rare and whimsical. Excessive removal of leaves can have detrimental consequences for the plant. Before pinching rare species of Kalanchoe, it is necessary to accurately determine its variety.

As a rule, proper pruning of Kalanchoe occurs painlessly for the flower. However, if a wound forms on the stem in the form of rotting, it is necessary to sprinkle the area with a small amount of wood ash.

Initial and preventive pruning

A young plant must be pinched almost immediately as soon as it has taken root and begins to grow. On each shoot of Kalanchoe it is necessary to cut off one or two top leaves. This is the initial trimming of the flower. Further, as necessary, preventive pruning will take place: new shoots will appear at the site of splitting off, on which leaves will form. This procedure must be repeated until the plant takes on a neat round or bushy shape.

If you have any questions, you can watch a video on how to prune Kalanchoe at any stage of its growth.

In winter, in particular after November, it is advisable to stop pruning. It will be possible to resume the procedure in late spring, however, at this time the flower may bloom, and then pruning will be contraindicated.

Preventative pruning can be carried out immediately when new leaves form on the shoots. You don't have to wait for them to grow up.

During the initial formation of the flower, you should not keep it in a heavily lit room. In bright light, the plant quickly grows, causing it to overgrow.

Pruning Kalanchoe after flowering

After flowering, pruning of Kalanchoe is done not only to remove excess leaves, but also to free the flower from peduncles. Leaves are removed as with regular pruning: one or two outer ones on the stems.

Before pruning a Kalanchoe after flowering, you need to make sure that all its flowers have completely faded. The flower stalks must be removed at the very base so that the plant does not begin to rot. They must be removed, every single one, after each flowering of the plant.

This procedure stimulates new growth of stems ready for flowering. After pruning the Kalanchoe after flowering, the plant needs a period of rest. This is the time to reduce watering and ensure there is no direct sunlight. The time it takes for the flower to come to its senses again is approximately 20 - 40 days.

It is better to trim leaves and flower stalks in the morning, preferably before noon.

Timely pruning of Kalanchoe will ensure a lush and rich bush with regular flowering. Proper pruning is the health of the flower.

PHOTO 1. First of all, determine the type of your Kalanchoe, since different varieties have different pruning habits. The common Kalanchoe Blossfeld, which blooms with red flowers, can be picked without restrictions. Even if you leave only one stump, after a while it will sprout and curl.

PHOTO 2. Be more careful when caring for rare hybrids with yellow, pink, white flowers; they may even die as a result of improper pruning.


PHOTO 3. If the plant has overgrown (this often happens in sunny places), has lost its compact shape, and an ugly, frail top has formed, remove it. After each flowering, be sure to cut off all flower stalks.


PHOTO 4. This will also give the plant a decorative look. Remember: after cutting off the top, the Kalanchoe will begin to grow to the sides and will no longer stretch upward.


PHOTO 5. To form buds, place the plant on a dark windowsill (you can even cover the flower with a bucket or box at night) and keep it practically without watering for a whole month. Then move it to a bright place and start watering; such a change in regime has a beneficial effect on the Kalanchoe, and it will almost certainly bloom.


PHOTO 6. In order for Kalanchoe to grow as a dense bush, carefully observe the shoots. As soon as they start to grow, pinch off the top two leaves. After a while, two shoots will appear at the pinching site; let them grow until the third pair of leaves appears, and cut them off at this level. Wait for two more shoots and a third pair of leaves to appear, then pinch again. Do this until a neat, dense bush of a rounded (or required) shape is formed.


PHOTO 7. Trim the Kalanchoe shoots for the last time in November (on the south window) or in winter (on the west or east window). Please note that in winter it is advisable to keep Kalanchoe in a cool place, the optimal temperature is 10-15C.

PHOTO 8. Kalanchoe can be propagated or simply renewed by cuttings. To do this, cut young shoots from 10 to 15 cm long with a sharp blade or knife. Remove the leaves from the bottom of the cutting and dry it for 1-2 days.

PHOTO 9. Prepare a place for the flower in a pot with a mixture of sand and wet peat. Place the cutting at a depth of about 5 cm, and press the soil around well. Do not cover the cutting with plastic or a jar, or spray it with water. Just water it moderately and keep it at a temperature of 20-25 C.

In general, the plant is quite unpretentious, it is not very difficult to care for, so it is well suited for buying as a gift. At home, Kalanchoe, as a rule, does not grow more than half a meter in height. You can find out how to care for Kalanchoe so that it blooms.

The plant tolerates short periods of drought quite easily., but excessive watering is dangerous for it. When watering, you should make sure that the soil is soaked to its full depth, but there should not be excess moisture. It is worth choosing a frequency of watering so that the soil has time to dry out. In summer, watering should be frequent, in winter - once every two weeks.

Reference! Kalanchoe loves bright light, and in winter it needs an additional light source. It is better to keep Kalanchoe at a temperature no higher than +25 and no lower than +12 degrees, and in hot weather, Kalanchoe must be watered daily.

What is this procedure?

“Pruning” refers to the removal of faded buds and excess leaves. Pruning is necessary to give the plant a beautiful shape, succulent leaves and create favorable conditions for plant life. As a result of pruning, the juice accumulated inside the Kalanchoe is more evenly distributed throughout the plant and the flower becomes resistant to drying out and wilting.

Pruning rules depend on the type of plant:

• Kalanchoe Blossfeld, a plant that blooms with red flowers, tolerates the pruning process very calmly.
• With other species (most often with plants that have white and yellow flowers), you need to be extremely careful: if you prune incorrectly or remove too many leaves, it will be detrimental to these types of Kalanchoe.

If you damage the stem while pruning, you should immediately sprinkle the cut with wood ash.

Advice! To trim Kalanchoe, it is better to use scissors with a sharp blade to avoid unnecessary damage.

How and when?

In winter (more precisely, after November), it is strictly not recommended to prune Kalanchoe, since the plant is dormant. You can start in late spring, but at this time the plant can already bloom. You cannot prune a flowering plant! If the Kalanchoe has bloomed, the procedure should be postponed until the end of flowering (?).

It is better to prune the plant in the morning (before lunch). After pruning, you need to give the plant a rest; it is not recommended to water it after the procedure.

There are several types of pruning:

• As soon as the plant gets into your home, you need to pinch it to form a crown and set the correct direction of growth. To do this, you need to remove two or three outer leaves on each branch. After this, new shoots will begin to grow.

  Until you achieve the desired result, the Kalanchoe should not be allowed to come into contact with direct sunlight. Sunlight will cause the plant to grow quickly, and therefore the flower may become too elongated.

• From this moment on, you need to periodically carry out preventive pruning in order to create a beautiful shape, and this must be done until the desired result is achieved. There is no need to wait for young shoots to grow. You can start pruning (cut off the branches) and shape the Kalanchoe as soon as new leaves appear.

How to do this after flowering?

Pruning Kalanchoes after flowering is also called cleansing pruning. Before performing cleansing pruning, be sure to make sure that the plant has completely finished blooming.

1. In this case, the leaves are pruned in the same way as during preventative pruning: two or three outer leaves on the stems.
2. After this, remove the faded buds (peduncles). The buds are removed at the very base. It is necessary to remove every single flower stalk so that the plant does not begin to rot.

Important! Pruning after flowering is necessary not only to return the plant to its beautiful appearance, but also to “free” it from dried buds.

How to take care in the future?

After pruning is completed, the plant should be allowed to rest.. At this time, it is necessary to reduce watering and remove the plant away from direct sunlight, that is, do not keep it on the window during the sunniest time of the day; a table near the window is much better suited, especially if the window is curtained with transparent tulle. The time it takes for the plant to fully recover after the pruning procedure is about a month (from 20 to 40 days).

So, if you follow all the rules (it is also advisable to consult with more experienced flower growers), you can grow a beautiful flower in your home and provide it with comfortable conditions for further reproduction.

Video on the topic

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Kalanchoe is a beautiful and unpretentious representative of succulents that will decorate any windowsill. However, like any other plant, this flower requires basic care: watering, temperature conditions, fertilizing and pruning. The latter helps to form an aesthetically attractive bush, the stems of which will be compact and the foliage will be lush.

In order not to harm the Kalanchoe, you need to know not only the optimal timing of pruning, but also the features of its implementation.

Kalanchoe can easily do without pruning, but in this case its decorative effect is lost. Over time, the shoots begin to stretch out and become exposed near the trunk, and the old branches do not allow the young ones to develop normally. Pruning has the following goals:

• Maintains a beautiful and harmonious shape of the bush. Often the top of a Kalanchoe, stretching towards the sunlight, disrupts the correct proportions of the plant, so it must be “taken down” periodically;
• Gives the bush a rest after a long flowering. During pruning, all dried inflorescences are removed, which draw vital juices from the plant;
• Rejuvenates the bush and allows the variety to propagate. From an adult elongated bush, when removing shoots, you can get good planting material in the form of cuttings, which will quickly turn into compact flowering Kalanchoe;
• Creates favorable conditions for development. After pruning, the juice that has accumulated inside the flower is distributed evenly over all shoots, nourishing them. As a result, the bush becomes more resistant to wilting and drying out;
• Helps prevent diseases. Removing dried and damaged branches is a kind of prevention, thanks to which the Kalanchoe will not get sick.

What types of Kalanchoe require pruning?

About 200 different types of Kalanchoe are known in floriculture, but only a few of them are grown at home. Although in general pruning is performed the same for all varieties, specific points should be highlighted.

The most common inhabitant of the windowsill, Kalanchoe Blossfeld, can be identified by the bright red inflorescences that adorn the compact bright green bush.

This is a very hardy plant that will easily survive the most radical pruning. That is why, if the plant begins to stretch out greatly, you can completely cut off the top, leaving a small stump. Soon, new shoots will begin to appear at the site of the “operation”, and the Kalanchoe will bush bushfully and beautifully.

Yellow-flowered and white-flowered Kalanchoe hybrids are more whimsical and therefore require careful pruning. They do not tolerate excessive leaf removal and may die if not handled correctly.

Kalanchoe Degremona is a rather colorful plant that looks unusual thanks to its erect stem and grey-green foliage surrounded by young cuttings. This type also requires formative pruning, the implementation of which depends on the aesthetic preferences of the grower.

Pruning Kalanchoe: features and timing

Initial pruning helps to form a young bush, so it is advisable to do it immediately after the shoot has taken root and adapted to new conditions. To do this, a simple manipulation is enough - on each of the Kalanchoe shoots, carefully remove 1-2 top leaves.

As for preventative pruning, it should be carried out after the formation of new leaves on the stems. The specificity of this procedure lies in the possibility of removing shoots almost all year round, with the exception of the winter period. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the branches after the formation of the 3rd pair of true leaves.

The last stage of formative pruning of Kalanchoe is carried out in November for plants growing on southern windowsills, or throughout December for bushes whose pots are located on the east or west side.

After pruning at home in the initial stages of bush growth, it is better not to place the Kalanchoe on a windowsill with a lot of light - it must be shaded. Bright lighting provokes rapid growth of shoots, as a result of which they stretch out again and nullify all the efforts of the grower to form the plant.

Specifics of pruning after flowering

Pruning Kalanchoe will help rid the plant of excess leaves and dried flower stalks, thereby accumulating strength for lush budding.

If you trim the inflorescences at the root, you can guarantee the health of the bush and prevent rotting. For preventive purposes, the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed activated charcoal or charcoal.

If desired, you can shorten the shoots, giving the bush the desired shape, or pinch the tops, as during the initial pruning (about 2/3 of the height of the stems is removed). After flowering, it is better to give Kalanchoe a rest by organizing a rest period for 1 month. The bush is shaded, and watering is kept to a minimum (once every 14 days).

Pruning Kalanchoe step by step

Correctly prune Kalanchoe according to the following scheme:

1. Using a disinfected sharp knife or blade, remove the top 2 leaves (see photo).
2. After the length of the young shoots reaches a centimeter (3 pairs of leaves), their tops are pinched.
3. Subsequent shoots are pruned in the same way until the shape of the bush acquires the desired decorative effect.

It is not recommended to use scissors to trim Kalanchoe - they severely damage the fleshy tissues of the flower, as a result of which the cutting areas take a long time or even begin to rot.

Kalanchoe is a succulent that can be found much more often than others at home. This popularity is given to it not only by its excellent aesthetic characteristics, but also by the healing properties of its juice. In addition, Kalanchoe is quite unpretentious and, subject to simple care rules, develops well and blooms with beautiful, bright inflorescences.

One of the most important conditions for the full development of a flower is its correct pruning and pinching, without which it is unlikely that it will be possible to obtain a beautiful, lush crown of the plant. This will be discussed below.

What you need to know about pruning and pinching

First of all, it is worth saying that some varieties of Kalanchoe do not need pinching. They independently support a neat, compact crown. The most popular of these varieties is Kalanchoe Degremona or “doctor”. This species will tolerate pinching quite well, but it does not need it at all, since after pinching, lateral branching is not activated. This Kalanchoe sends out shoots between pairs of its leaves, thus maintaining the shape of the flower.

Kalanchoe varieties that bloom with yellow and white inflorescences are more whimsical. When pruning them, you should observe moderation, since excessive removal of leaves causes a painful reaction of the flower - its growth is greatly inhibited and may even die.

And yet, most varieties require regular and timely crown care. If this is not done, the flower stretches out and becomes untidy, besides, it loses the incentive to develop and may even stop blooming. At the same time, for example, the Blossfeld variety of Kalanchoe survives almost any pruning - it can be shortened to the ground, and soon it will recover, and become more active and decorative than before.

Simple rules for cutting and pinching

If the plant is provided with optimal conditions, it develops very quickly. Young shoots begin to stretch, and the leaves become smaller and, if no action is taken, eventually begin to dry out at the tips. In such a situation, the plant does not have enough strength for the normal development of all its green mass, which means that flowering may not be expected. This behavior of the flower clearly indicates that intervention is required:

• Weakened, elongated shoots must be pinched, and yellowing shoots must be cut off completely;
• The rapidly growing top, if it is a young flower, needs to be pinched, but if the plant is an adult, it should be cut off with a sharp knife. There is no need to be afraid of injuring the plant - Kalanchoe easily tolerates this procedure, soon recovers and produces lateral shoots. If you are cutting a large area, it will be better to treat the cut areas with charcoal powder or ash. This will make recovery much easier for the plant;
• After trimming the tops, diseased shoots, and pinching the young shoots, their growth must be constantly monitored, pinching the ends from time to time.

As a rule, if the described procedures are carried out correctly, the bush retains a neat, compact shape for a long time, but still, it is necessary to constantly inspect it and, if necessary, carry out corrective pruning.

How to pinch Kalanchoe for the first time

Kalanchoe, regardless of its variety, needs to be pinched immediately after planting. All shoots without exception are subject to pinching - no more than a couple of outer leaves are left on each of them, the rest are removed.

The next pinching is carried out as the young shoots grow and leaves form. Its principle is the same as with the first pinching. This procedure is very important for the formation of the correct shape of the flower crown, so the young plant requires especially careful care. Pinching is carried out regularly, until the moment when you get the correct, branched shape of the flower.

Sanitary pruning of Kalanchoe after flowering

After flowering ends, you need to remove the flower stalks along with the faded leaves. They are removed completely, and the leaves are removed as with normal pruning. This will save the flower strength and allow it to develop more fully and quickly.

When removing flower stalks, you need to make sure that they are cut off at their very base, otherwise they may begin to rot.

Immediately after such pruning, Kalanchoe requires a period of rest - rest. It is placed in a shaded place and watering is greatly reduced. The flower must remain in such conditions for at least 25–40 days, otherwise you are unlikely to wait for the next flowering.

The best time to trim a flower is the first half of the day.

In winter, starting from December, pruning is extremely undesirable; it is better to wait until spring.

If it is necessary to form the crown of Kalanchoe, shoots can be pinched and even removed without waiting for their development.

During the initial pruning, it is worthwhile to provide the plant with moderate lighting for a while, otherwise it will very actively grow green mass and pinching will have to be done almost constantly.

The last spring pinching is allowed no later than March and only if the flower has not yet formed peduncles, otherwise you risk interrupting the process of bud formation.

Preparing for flowering

In order for the Kalanchoe to bloom profusely and in a timely manner, in addition to pruning and pinching, it is necessary to provide it with proper lighting during the laying of flower buds. This happens in winter, when the daylight hours are short, as is usual for the plant. The artificial light of the room is also taken into account, therefore, in order for the buds to form normally, the pot with Kalanchoe must be shaded after 17.00. It's best to just cover it with a plastic bucket. If this is not done, the Kalanchoe is unlikely to bloom.