Buying kalanchoe plants for your home is a great idea. They’re succulents that are easy to take care of for just about anybody.
You should be able to enjoy these plants no matter what your experience level is like. It isn’t necessary to be a plant expert to have a good time with these plants.
However, it’s notable that some people do encounter issues. For example, you might have some trouble getting the kalanchoe plant to flower.
Why is the kalanchoe not flowering? Is it because you’re doing something wrong?
Keep reading to learn about reasons why kalanchoe plants will stop flowering. Once you’ve read the information, you’ll have a much better idea of what to do.
1 – Not Enough Light
The most common reason why kalanchoe plants won’t flower has to do with the light level in your home. Simply put, you likely don’t have the plant in a room that gets sufficient light.
Kalanchoe plants need a lot of sunlight to thrive. They’re plants that require bright sunlight to grow strong and stay healthy.
As such, you’ll need to find an appropriate spot in your home for the kalanchoe plant. Putting the plant in a low-light environment simply won’t do.
When the plant is kept in a room with very little light, it’ll have a hard time growing. It’ll even wind up dying eventually if you don’t give it enough light.
These plants grow in unusual ways when they don’t get enough light. The plant will start to grow taller as it reaches out to try to find sunlight.
This gives the plant a leggy appearance that isn’t going to be nearly as visually appealing. Thankfully, you can avoid this issue by putting the plant in the right environment.
Best Sunlight Situation for Kalanchoe Plants
Finding the best sunlight situation for kalanchoe plants will be easy. Simply put the plants in a room that gets bright sunlight and all should be well.
There is a bit more to consider than that, but it simply involves protecting the plant. Kalanchoe plants don’t do well when you expose them to direct sunlight.
Direct sunlight is too harsh for these plants and it’ll cause them to become scorched. You might notice brown spots on the plant and it’ll look far less healthy than it should.
Luckily, protecting the plant is as easy as putting it in a better spot. Place it somewhere that will allow it to receive indirect sunlight.
When the sunlight is bright and indirect it’ll put the plant in the best position to grow. You should see the kalanchoe plant flower if it’s getting enough sunlight, too.
To get the best results, you want the kalanchoe to have some time without light as well. The plant should have fourteen hours where it isn’t exposed to sunlight since this will coax the blooms to form.
It needs bright sun during much of the day and then time in a low-light environment during the rest of the day. Getting things right should be simple in a home since you can close the curtains after a certain number of hours have passed.
This is likely going to be enough to solve your problem. If the flowering issue isn’t related to sunlight, there could be something else going on.
2 – You Need to Prune the Plant
When the plant stops flowering it might be due to not having sufficient energy. Does the plant have many dead leaves and blooms?
You’re supposed to take the time to prune your plant every so often. This gives the plant the ability to focus its energy on new growth.
The presence of dead blooms and leaves will be detrimental. If you grab your pruning shears and cut away dead portions of the plant, it’ll have a much easier time flowering.
You might simply need to do this so the plant will have enough energy to do what it needs to do to bloom. This won’t take a lot of effort and the results will be very good.
Plus, it’s going to make your plant look much more presentable overall. You should always remember to prune your kalanchoe plants when necessary so they will have an easier time blooming.
3 – Soil Issues
Have you considered whether the soil is good enough for the kalanchoe plant? Sometimes these plants will encounter issues when placed in soil that isn’t quite right.
For instance, putting these plants in soil that is high in phosphorus will often lead to zinc deficiency. You need to put kalanchoe plants in soil that has a pH balance between 6.0 and 6.5.
Perhaps the plant is deficient due to a lack of nutrients. The soil might not have enough nutrients to allow the plant to grow as well as it should.
In this situation, the plant isn’t blooming because it doesn’t have enough energy. Light is a factor, but the nutrients that the plant gets from the soil will also play a role.
You might need to amend the soil to turn things around. Ideally, you should plant kalanchoe plants in soil that is a mixture of perlite and peat moss.
It’s important for the soil to have good aeration and it should drain well. If you do things right, you should be more likely to see the plant bloom.
4 – You Might Need Fertilizer
It might be beneficial to give the plant fertilizer to help it grow. If it has been struggling to get enough nutrients, a bit of fertilizer will be great.
You should use a well-balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 products. If you want to use fertilizer, just don’t use it too often or it’ll wind up being detrimental.
It’s fine to give your kalanchoe plant fertilizer in moderation. You can fertilize the plant once per month during the spring and summer months.
Never fertilize these plants during the winter. Most enthusiasts stop fertilizing kalanchoe plants just as the autumn begins.
5 – Watering Issues
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that watering issues can keep these plants from flowering. Kalanchoe plants are a bit sensitive when it comes to watering.
Specifically, it’s easy to water these plants too much. If you water them more than you’re supposed to, the plants will wind up dying.
It’s common for overwatered kalanchoe plants to develop mushy leaves. These leaves will be very weak and you might even notice that the plant will start to smell bad.
This is a good reason why you need to pay close attention when watering these plants. Never water them more often than you’re supposed to.
You’re meant to check the soil each time before you water these plants. Touch the soil with your fingers to see if the top two inches are completely dry.
Water the plant thoroughly from the base if the conditions are right. Otherwise, you need to wait.
Failing to water the plant often enough can keep it from flowering, too. This is why you need to pay attention to the plant and check the soil every so often.
When keeping these plants indoors, you’ll usually wind up watering them every two or three weeks. Just remember to check the soil to avoid over-watering complications.
6 – Diseases and Pests
Diseases and pests can stress these plants and keep them from flowering. They can make it so the plant won’t grow well and the plant could even wind up dying.
Most of the diseases that these plants deal with are bacterial or fungal in nature. Often, watering the plant too much will create an environment where fungi and bacteria can thrive.
You want to avoid this so it’s crucial to pay attention when watering the plant. If the plant gets root rot, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to save it.
Common pests can stress the plant and make the leaves turn yellow or brown. Spider mites, scale, and mealybugs will be the pests to look out for when caring for kalanchoe plants.
You might need to treat the plant using insecticidal soap to get rid of pests. Some choose to protect their plants proactively by using neem oil.
Final Thoughts
You should feel like you know why these plants will stop flowering now. The most likely situation involves improper lighting conditions.
The plant could be getting too much light or it could be getting not enough light. Kalanchoe plants require bright sunlight to be able to thrive.
However, they need a resting period so the blooms will form. You need to give these plants fourteen hours each day where they aren’t exposed to light.
It’s as simple as closing the curtain after the plant has received enough sunlight for the day. You’ll get used to doing this without it being an issue.
Sometimes problems with soil can cause these plants not to bloom. It could be nutrient-deficient or it might need a bit of fertilizer.
Pests and diseases stress the plant and keep it from flowering. You can also kill the plant by watering it too much or too little.
Keep all of this in mind and make whatever changes are necessary. This should allow you to see your kalanchoe plant bloom and you’ll have an easier time caring for the plant moving forward.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.