Can Kalanchoe Be Planted Outside? (Potential Issues to Consider)

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Kalanchoe plants are beautiful and many people love keeping them in their homes. They’ve become common sights in many North American living rooms.

This is a plant that is most commonly used as a houseplant. Is it possible to plant these outside if you want to?

There are a lot of factors that you need to consider before moving forward. You certainly don’t want to plant kalanchoe plants outdoors without putting some thought into things.

Keep reading to learn about whether kalanchoe plants can go outside. You’ll get a lot of information that will help you to decide whether planting these outdoors will be practical in your situation.

Kalanchoe Plants Do Better Indoors

For the most part, kalanchoe plants do a lot better when kept indoors. Depending on where you live, it might not be possible to plant kalanchoe plants outdoors.

Simply put, these plants cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures. If you live in a region of the world where it gets rather cold during the autumn and winter months, it’s unlikely that planting kalanchoe outdoors will be practical.

So you need to make sure that the plants will survive outdoors if you want to plant them outside. Otherwise, your plants might die as soon as the weather starts to get cold.

Check the USDA hardiness zone of the kalanchoe plant that you purchase. Then figure out which hardiness zone you currently live in.

This will tell you whether you’re able to plant kalanchoe plants outside or not. If it’s not possible, it’ll be best to simply keep them indoors.

Kalanchoe Plants Can Be Planted Outdoors in Warmer Climates

If you live somewhere that’s considered to be warmer, it might be fine to plant kalanchoe plants outside. It all depends on how cold it gets during the winter months.

Some parts of North America have mild or warm winters. If this describes your current region, then it could be perfectly fine to plant kalanchoe plants in the yard.

Note that there are different types of kalanchoe plants that you can purchase. Some are going to have different requirements than others.

Kalanchoe plants are native to tropical and subtropical climates. These plants generally do best when the temperature stays between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

They can tolerate slightly cooler temperatures than this. However, if the temperature dips below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, it’ll likely kill the plant.

These plants are very sensitive to cold weather. They can easily be killed by frost and this means that some regions of North America are bad for these plants.

Before you plant kalanchoe plants outside, research the USDA hardiness zone requirements. If your area doesn’t match up with the hardiness zone of the plant, you’ll still be able to use it as a houseplant.

Where to Plant Kalanchoe

So long as you live in an area where the temperature is appropriate for these plants, it’s easy to find a spot to plant them outdoors. Kalanchoe plants grow best when placed in full sun, but bright indirect sunlight will also work nicely.

Avoid planting the kalanchoe plants in a spot where they will be completely shaded. This will make it hard for the plants to grow and it’ll negatively impact the blooms.

You want to put these plants in the right type of soil, too. The best type of soil for these plants is a well-draining soil.

It’s not good when the soil doesn’t drain properly because it’ll be too easy to over-water the plants. Amend the soil if necessary to ensure that it drains properly.

So long as you do this, the kalanchoe plants should do well outdoors. Be sure not to water them more than you need to because these plants are drought tolerant.

Let the soil dry out properly between watering sessions. You might not need to water the plants if it’s raining enough outside.

Should You Fertilize Kalanchoe Plants?

Fertilizing kalanchoe plants can be done during the growing season. This might help the plants to grow stronger and produce more blooms.

Don’t fertilize the plants too often since too much can wind up being detrimental. You should fertilize the kalanchoe plants every two or three weeks during the summer.

It’s fine to use standard houseplant fertilizer for these plants. So long as you follow the instructions that come with the fertilizer, it should be a good experience.

Stop fertilizing these plants in the autumn. You should be able to enjoy these beautiful plants during the summer months before they start to fade.

Pest Issues

Pests can become a problem for these plants when you plant them outside. Sadly, it can be very annoying to deal with.

Mealybugs are among the most common pests that kalanchoe plants will encounter. Both mites and scale will also sometimes infest kalanchoe plants.

You might not notice these pests right away because they’re rather small. When it comes to mites, you might see the tiny webs that they leave behind on the plants.

It’s also common to see honeydew on leaves when you’re dealing with pest issues. Hopefully, you’ll catch the problem before the leaves have faded and become too torn.

If you notice these pests, they can be wiped away by dipping cotton swabs in rubbing alcohol. You then gently rub the leaves and other areas of the plants to get rid of the pests.

You can treat the plants with insecticides to deter pests if you’d like to. Many people prefer to avoid using such chemicals unless it’s truly necessary to do so.

One good natural option to look into is neem oil. Neem oil can protect plants from pests and it won’t harm the plants in any way.

This oil can be purchased at garden centers in department stores and it can be ordered online. It’s a handy product to have when you want to protect your plants from pests.

Problems with Overly Humid Conditions

Overly humid conditions can sometimes cause problems for these plants. Kalanchoe plants do well in humid environments since they are tropical or subtropical plants, but sometimes too much humidity will cause leaf spotting issues.

If the humidity is above 90%, it’ll be tough for the plant to thrive. So long as the humidity remains below 90%, it’ll be perfectly fine.

Should you live in a very humid part of the country, it’ll be best to keep these plants indoors. They do best when the humidity remains between 75% and 85%.

It’s a lot easier to keep the humidity in the right range when you keep these plants indoors. You might want to look up the average humidity percentage in your area before planting kalanchoe plants outdoors.

There Are Many Types of Kalanchoe Plants

It’s good to know that there are many types of kalanchoe plants. They’re all tropical plants, but some might be better for your area than others.

Most kalanchoe plants thrive in USDA zones 10 through 12. It will be beneficial to look at the different options to find that plant that appeals to you the most.

You might be able to find the perfect plant that will suit your yard. It can be fun to look at the different options just for aesthetic purposes.

Even though there are options, it’s not going to be possible to keep these plants outside if you live in a colder climate. You might just have to accept that and keep kalanchoe plants indoors.

You Could Keep Kalanchoe Plants Outdoors Only During the Summer

Many people choose to put kalanchoe plants outdoors only during the summer. You can keep them in their pots or planters and just move them when the weather is in the right range.

It might be fun for you to put these plants on your porch or deck when it’s nice outside. Once the weather starts to get cooler, you’ll be able to bring them back indoors.

This is easy enough to do and moving the plants won’t be a problem. For many, this is going to be more logical than planting kalanchoe plants directly in the ground.

If you think it’d be fun to move the plants outdoors during the spring and summer, it’ll be fine to do so. You might still need to monitor the temperature if you have a cold front move in, though.

Final Thoughts

You’ve learned a lot about kalanchoe plants now. It’s possible to plant kalanchoe plants outdoors if you live in the right area.

These plants come from tropical and subtropical areas. They prefer to be kept in warmer temperatures and they don’t tolerate cold weather well.

If it gets below 45 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter in your area, it’s not wise to plant the kalanchoe plants in the ground. Keep this in mind and make good decisions that are realistic for your area.

You can always move the plants outdoors during the summer. Keep them in the planters and just put them on your deck or porch when it’s appropriate to do so.

Otherwise, these are excellent houseplants that you’ll enjoy having in your home. They can add a lot of charm to your living room or office.

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