How to Force Your Kalanchoe to Bloom Again— Even in a Shady Room

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Easy TipsInformation

Stressed because you can’t get your Kalanchoe to bloom? Worry not, learn the secrets to force your plant to do so even in a dark room!

Beautiful kalanchoe Plant

Straight from Madagascar, this hardy succulent brightens homes worldwide with its colorful blooms. The secret to getting those flowers lies in mimicking its natural rhythm — long nights, short days, and a bit of patience.


Understand the Needs of your Kalanchoe

Kalanchoes bloom when nights are long and days are short. So, to trigger flowers, your Flaming Katy needs a few essential things to bloom:

  • 6 to 8 hours of bright and indirect sunlight on a regular basis.
  • But right before the blooming season, ensure that your plant gets at least 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for 6 weeks straight.
  • Minimal watering and feeding during the dormancy phase to avoid unnecessary stress, nutrient overload, and interruption during the recharging period.

How to Bloom your Kalanchoe in Shady Room

1. Create an Artificial Night

Beautiful kalanchoe Plant 1

Darkness jump-starts the flowering cycle. Find a spot that stays dark for 12+ hours daily, or cover the plant with a box or blackout curtain. Also, keep this up for 6 weeks—even a sliver of light can ruin the plan.

2. Limit Watering and Stop Fertilizing

fertilize kalanchoe

During dormancy, water only when the soil is bone dry. You can use a sandy, well-drained mix like cactus soil. Skip fertilizer for now—it can cause salt buildup and damage the roots.

3. Make room for Little Light

kalanchoe in bright place

After 6 weeks, move your plant to a bright spot with indirect light or under full-spectrum LEDs for 12–14 hours daily. Avoid harsh afternoon sun to protect the leaves. If stems look leggy, increase light exposure.

4. Right Care

For blooming and reblooming, lighting plays a foundational role. But there are other things too that you need to take care of, like ensuring the potting mix is spot on! Kalanchoes love loose, loamy, and well-drained potting soil. This allows optimal root growth and prevents pooling of water, which can lead to problems like root rot.

Pro Tip: When in doubt, simply choose a succulent or cactus-friendly potting mix as they are pre-made to suit the substrate needs of your kalanchoe.

5. Water and Feed for Flowers

During blooming, water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Fertilize once a month in spring and summer with a half-strength 5:10:10 liquid fertilizer — the extra potassium and phosphorus help blooms shine.

6. Deadhead for More Flowers

Snip off fading blooms with sterile scissors to keep the plant healthy and ready for the next round. This also stops pests or disease from spreading.


When to Expect Flowers

Beautiful pink boom of kalanchoe

If you follow the steps and everything is done with care, you’ll see buds forming around the 6th week, and they will fully bloom in 3 to 4 months. These flowers can last a few weeks and often bloom multiple times a year.

If you want continuous blooms throughout the entire year, after each blooming cycle, repeat the 6-week darkness and light routine. You can also prune back leggy and stretched stems to encourage fuller growth and future blossoms.

Avoid overwatering and practice consistency by not delaying the dark days, as that can hamper the blooming cycle.

Your Kalanchoe is worth so many blooms. With a bit of planning and a good routine, even in a shady room, you can see it thriving and blooming. But you must have got to have patience and persistence. The key lies in mimicking its natural environment because giving life to a new bloom will always be satisfying. What is your story?