Okay... where do I start.....? First off is this, a lot of gardener's tip pages say that you can get Kalanchoe to produce buds in approx 6 weeks of 12-14 hour total darkness and 9-10 hours daylight routine, so if you want them to flower in time for Christmas, just count back about 6 weeks.... Don't you believe it..... at least I don't.
I've been at it for just over 6 weeks and I'm only JUST seeing what hopefully is appearing to be flower buds..... I think... hope... maybe.
This is a snapshot of me Yellow Kal which is for some reason the most gung-ho to flower at any given time.
Here are snaps from 2 of my other adult plants. I don't think my cutting will porduce anything this year but you never know, right? You can see what will hopefully become blooms right in the very center of the tip-top most leaves.
I though about whether I've been watering too frequently (doing so will make your Kals abort) and have recently pulled their watering back from every 7 days to every 10. In a dry house like mine, that would be a death sentience to any other green, leafy organism. I'll half to see how things progress for them with this new change.
Why am I so skeptical of the whole 'Flowering in only 6 weeks' business, you ask? Because back in August, It took nearly 6 weeks alone for the already fully formed buds of my yellow Kal to actually open. So, from my experience at least, I can only imagine how long it will take to get Kals to even start growing buds, let alone making them open!
Here. Remember this from about 3 Kalanchoe entries ago? Almost a month, people... My recommendation is this: Since Kalanchoe are regarded as long lasting blooms, I would rather have them bloom early than be late.
Now, as far as this whole 'total darkness' thing goes, most online guides say to put your Kals into a spare closet or cover them with a box or anything that will deprive them of any and all light.
This is because you are trying to make them think it's winter (Madagascar time) and make them go into their 6-week dormancy period. During which, they will halt their efforts of root and leaf production and work on making flowers in preparation for their 'spring time'.
Well, I don't have a total darkness closet to keep them in (except for a cold storage room and we all know how kals feel about cold) and just recently my Grow Light went bust so instead I have placed them all in a banana box (handy handles) and have been ferrying them around where ever they can get some sunlight.
As for the dark part of the equation, I found a pair of navy pillowcases and use them as covers. Trust me, it's pitch black under them.
Anyway, as stated earlier, you need to deprive them of all light, both natural or artificial (though whether they mean a grow-light or even the light from a 40watt bulb is seldom specified) for between 12 and 14 hours a DAY.
So, for me that means, if my plants are uncovered at 9:00 a.m. they get covered between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m.
IMO, I would err on more dark than light. Apparently if they sense any disturbance in routine light wise, they WILL know it!
Seems simple enough right?..... Technically yes and yet for some people it's more hassle than it's worth. As for me, I really don't mind because at the end of it all, I will hopefully be rewarded with some beautiful centerpieces for the dining room table come Christmas and New Years.
One final note before wrapping up is I seem to have made a new friend!
This is what I get for letting my Kals enjoy the last few nice days of fall out on my front porch. Granted we're all still dealing with the aphids from time to time but let's face it: If there's a natural way to do anything, then go for it! By all means little buddy, have all the Aphids you want!
Later! A.M.
No comments:
Post a Comment