Encouraging Flaming Katy to Bloom Indoors
As indoor gardeners, we all love when our plants bloom, and it’s no different when it comes to the beautiful florist’s kalanchoe, also known as flaming Katy or Christmas kalanchoe. Despite the term “force” often used to describe prompting plants to rebloom, we can’t truly compel them to do anything.
However, with some care, attention, and patience, we can strongly encourage the reblooming of a variety like K. blossfeldiana – a perfect candidate for this practice due to its showy clusters of colorful flowers. The process may just provide you with a vibrant bloom cycle to brighten up your home decor repeatedly.
In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of how to encourage your flaming Katy to bloom indoors, step by step, with all the necessary tips and tricks to get it right. Here’s everything you’ll learn:
What You’ll Learn
- The Outdoor Experience
- Timing Is Everything
- How to Force Kalanchoe to Rebloom Indoors
The Outdoor Experience
If you live in mild climates within USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12 where winters are not too harsh, you may have the luxury of growing your flaming Katy outdoors year-round. In these areas, favorable light conditions can lead to the plant reblooming on its own.
With about six weeks of low natural light, receiving less than 10 hours of sunlight per day, the plant will prepare itself for blooming. Usually, the shorter days and longer nights in late fall and winter trigger this blooming process.
However, in some areas such as Hawaii, the natural day length might not decrease enough between October and March to stimulate the plant’s bloom formation due to the continuous sunlight. In such cases, your best bet is to grow them in containers that you can bring indoors to create artificial short-day conditions essential for bud development.
For gardeners outside the Zones 10 to 12 range, overwintering the plant indoors or growing it as a houseplant is the way to go. To successfully force reblooming, you’ll have to recreate the shorter day lengths indoors, even if the plants spent most of the spring and summer outdoors.
Stay tuned to discover the specifics of creating such conditions in the upcoming sections.
Timing Is Everything
Starting the process of encouraging your flaming Katy to rebloom indoors in early fall, just after the initial burst of blooms and when the days are starting to shorten, is the most optimal approach.
During this approximately 12-week cycle, the plants will need at least six weeks of low light to develop the flower buds and further bloom. For accurate results, ensure the plants receive 14 to 16 hours of darkness each day to observe the buds forming.
The optimal time to initiate this process is around early October, aligning with the days naturally offering 10 hours or less of sunlight, so the efforts to create artificial darkness indoors become easier. This strategy sets you up to witness the flowers bloom around early January.
Starting this process earlier in the fall ensures the blossoms grace your indoor space during the darkest winter days. With ample time for bloom development, you might even have the chance to force blooming twice in one year if you provide sufficient rest periods for the plants.
Keep in mind that this reblooming process is not a one-and-done; it requires dedication and patience to see the effort pay off more than once.
How to Force Kalanchoe to Rebloom Indoors
When you come across a vibrant flaming Katy in full bloom during early winter or receive one as a gift donning colorful blooms at that time, you’re in for a treat. Ideally, these plants should continue to bloom for up to two months, depending on their flowering state when you acquired them.
Maintaining nighttime temperatures between 45 and 65°F and daytime temperatures between 50 and 70°F is crucial for the plants to thrive during the initial bloom period. In terms of light requirements, they’ll grow happily anywhere from low to bright light, and watering when the soil feels dry to the touch is essential.
Once the initial bloom cycle ends, you have the choice to either compost the plant or transition it to a succulent houseplant to continue enjoying the foliage. For those fancying the idea of repeated blooms, there are a few extra steps involved in preparing your plant for the following winter’s blooming cycle.
After the fading blooms are pruned away and the plant receives a light trim, upgrading it to a larger container with fast-draining succulent and cacti potting soil is advisable for the next phase of growth. Providing ample light indoors, be it through a south-facing window or artificial grow lights, is essential before the outdoor transition in the spring.
As the warmer weather approaches, an outdoor move for the plants entails careful acclimatization to the light and temperature conditions, ensuring they’re protected from harsh afternoon sunlight. Monitoring the temperature and exposure time as you transition them outdoors gradually will keep your plants happy and ready to thrive during the growing season.
To prep the plants for reblooming, a 12-week transition indoors before the desired bloom period in the fall is recommended for creating the right winter dormancy conditions. Utilizing unheated basements or garages can offer suitable temperature conditions, in addition to ensuring the darkness requirements are met for bud development.
Maintaining a careful balance of light and darkness, providing moderate humidity levels and adjusting watering norms, will gradually nudge your flaming Katy towards another blooming cycle. Once the buds have formed, return to usual watering practices, and you’ll be looking forward to an eight-week long bloom display.
With the bloom cycle complete and flowers fully opened, transition your plants back to their optimal light conditions indoors to relish in the hard-earned, vibrant blooms.
Kalanchoe Flowers for Christmases to Come
For those fascinated with home gardening, encouraging your flaming Katy to force rebloom is akin to unwrapping a perpetual gift. Whether you commit to the reblooming process each year or choose to enjoy the lush greenery of the succulent foliage without the blooms, flaming Katy has something to offer throughout the year.
By opting to follow the outlined steps and dedicating time to create the perfect conditions for reblooming, you can transform your plant into a year-round blooming delight, perfect for brightening up those dark winter days.
Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts, experiences, and tips in the comments section if you’ve attempted this process yourself. And feel free to voice any questions or concerns you might have about encouraging flaming Katy to rebloom indoors.
If expanding your indoor plant collection is on your wish list, explore more succulent options in our comprehensive guides:
- How to Grow and Care for Christmas Cactus
- How to Grow and Care for Crassula Succulents
- How to Grow and Care for String of Hearts
Remember, the key to successful reblooming lies in patience, attention to detail, and creating the perfect conditions for your kalanchoe to thrive indoors.
By incorporating a conversational tone, detailed information, and actionable steps, you can transform a simple tutorial into a comprehensive guide that educates and engages readers looking to enhance their indoor gardening experience. Happy blooming!
