Kalanchoe is a plant loved by many people because it is beautiful and useful. And if you want to see such a flower on your windowsill, you need to know some features of growing and caring for them.
Kalanchoe pinnate: description of a useful plant
Kalanchoe pinnate also has the name medicinal, blooming, homely - it is a perennial flower from the family of thick leaves.
Approximately 200 varieties. Originally grew up in Madagascar, today it grows in most tropical regions of America, Asia, and Africa. But also Kalanchoe is grown as a home flower because of its medicinal and decorative qualities.
Other plants also have medicinal properties, such as medunitsa, rosemary, lakonos, savory, silverweed, white, wild rosemary, marsh, peppermint, anise, and fatty meat.It has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and wound-healing effect.
Did you know? Plant sap is used to treat flu.
Conditions for growing cirrus kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is a plant that does not require special conditions of detention. Just need careful loosening of the soil, so as not to damage the roots, watering, monthly top dressing with the prevailing nitrogen in the fertilizer or use a top dressing for cacti.
Optimum temperature and humidity
The flower loves moisture and is thermophilic, because of this, the temperature when it is grown should in no case be less than 10 ° C, otherwise the plant may become ill.
In winter, the optimum temperature can be from 16 to 18 ° C, and in summer - from 18 to 22 ° C, and sharp drops are not allowed.
But still it can withstand temperatures above 30 ° C and dry air in the apartment.
Important! The plant is afraid of directional heat, so it should be located away from heating devices. Water in the winter 2 or 1 time per month.
What kind of lighting do you need for feathery Kalanchoe?
Kalanchoe, blooming on the windowsill, you need good lighting, but you should beware of the midday sun. It is better to place a flower on the western or eastern window. After flowering, it should be in the shade for two months.
Important! Putting the plant in complete darkness is not worth it - it can lead to its death.
Soil for growing Kalanchoe pinnate
What soil is needed for Kalanchoe and in which pot to plant is the important questions, the answers to which will help you grow a healthy and beautiful plant. The soil necessary for a flower has neutral or weak acidity, consists of three components - it is sand (preferably river), humus and leaf soil, it is worth mixing in equal proportions. But you can buy the right mixture on the market or in the store.
It is recommended to add slightly crushed birch coals and brick dust to the soil - this will keep moisture for a long time. At the bottom there must be a drainage of expanded clay, pebbles, etc. There must be a gap between the pot and the tray that will not allow water to stagnate.
Important! The flower does not tolerate stagnant water - this leads to rotting of the roots.
How to plant Kalanchoe pinnate, flower reproduction
For breeding this flower does not need to make special efforts. There are two ways of reproduction of Kalanchoe pinnate: seeds and vegetatively.
Seed method
Seeds start sowing from February to April. Soil mixture for seeds can be taken that is suitable for cacti or succulents, but you must add the sand yourself.
Sown seeds need to be covered with a transparent film. Temperature condition should be within 21 ° С.
It is possible to transplant sprouts into small pots after they have 5 or 6 leaves.
Vegetative method
For the plant Kalanchoe pinnate vegetative planting method is the easiest. It is only necessary to put the sheet on the ground with the inner side and then sprinkle with a thin layer of sand (up to 2 cm).
After that, the sand must be moistened, best by spraying. As in the case of the seed method, the sprout should be transplanted after the appearance of 5 or 6 leaves.
Other types of Kalanchoe, such as Degremona, Kalandiva and Blossfeld, can also be your home decoration.
Features in the care of cirrus Kalanchoe at home
Kalanchoe pinnate does not require very painstaking care at home. It should be placed on bright window sills, the optimum temperature is approximately 22 ° C in the summer and about 16 ° C in the winter. It blooms, as a rule, in spring and summer, but it can also cause flowering in winter.
For this, it is necessary to increase the amount of light and keep the temperature at 16 ° C. For a neat crown after flowering you need to prune or pinch the shoots.
Watering plants
In the summer, Kalanchoe should be watered abundantly, but not often, the soil should dry out to avoid rot on the roots. Watering in autumn and winter is reduced to 1-2 times per month.
With a lack of moisture, the leaves begin to fall off, but if there is a lot of moisture, root rotting begins and flowering disappears. For watering a flower using separated water at room temperature.
Did you know? Plant juice improves eyesight.
Soil care
The flower requires annual replacement of soil, it is best to change it in spring. Important is the temperature of the soil. If the soil is overcooled, then the roots of the plant poorly absorb water, which causes rotting and death of the plant. In order to avoid this, bad stands of temperature are necessary, they can be made of wood, foam, cardboard, etc. The temperature of the soil, suitable for the plant, ranges from 10 to 18 ° C.
Feeding of feathery Kalanchoe
Top dressing for the flower are cactus and succulent fertilizers. During the flowering period, it should be fertilized regularly, and in winter it is strictly prohibited, except for the disease of the plant. The best time for fertilizer - is it spring or summer. The number of dressings should be less than indicated on the package, the root system should not be overloaded with additives.
All about transplanting Kalanchoe pinnate
For young Kalanchoe feathery transplanting is needed every year, as the flower grows very quickly. Older plants are transplanted in the event that the pot becomes small. It is best to replant at the end of spring, but you can not do it during the flowering period. Starting a transplant, the flower is removed from the pot, then it is necessary to assess the condition of the roots. Because of the strong sensitivity to moisture, its root system could mold or rot. If this happens, the affected roots are required. need to remove. Then we pour drainage into a new pot and sprinkle it with earth. Only after that we place a flower there and fall asleep with soil, the ground level should be 1-2 cm below the edges of the pot. The adaptation process in a plant lasts about a week.
Important! After transplantation, the plant does not need to be watered.As we have seen, Kalanchoe not picky in growing, and the presence of this flower house will help in the treatment of various diseases due to its beneficial properties.