Natural Dormancy
Kalanchoe plants can flower for a few months at a time, but it is natural for them to lose their flowers at some point because they need some rest to rebloom. Depending on the time of year and length of the days, they will go into this dormancy period. Typically, at the end of summer or early fall, they will lose their leaves and begin producing new buds. Once the days become longer in the late winter, early spring, the buds will bloom into gorgeous flowers. Don’t fret if your plant’s flowers die off. It will rebloom in time. Just be sure to give your plant enough light in the spring so it will begin to flower. A south or west window is ideal.
Old Blooms
If there are dead flowers left on a Kalanchoe plant then it might be wasting its energy trying to sustain a part of the plant that is already dead. By cutting or pinching away the dead flowers the plant will begin to use its energy to produce new buds, replacing the dead flowers.
Watering Issues
The Kalanchoe plant is quite low maintenance and should only be watered when the soil is fully dry. Don’t allow the plant to become so dry it begins to wilt. Wilting can greatly affect future flower production. Also be sure not to overwater the plant, as this can lead to issues like root rot. Check the soil regularly to see if it needs a drink! If the soil is 100% dry, you can water.
How to Trick Your Plant Into Flowering
If you don’t want to wait for spring you can encourage the Kalanchoe to bloom at any time of year. You can do this by controlling the amount of light the Kalanchoe gets, encouraging it to bud and bloom. Try placing the Kalanchoe in a dark closet for 12-14 hours per day and back into bright light for the remaining 10-12 hours. If this method is successful you will see buds in 6-8 weeks.
