Kalanchoe blossfeldiana - Cuttings How to Make Flaming Katy

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, also known as Flaming Katy is a tropical succulent that is native to Madagascar. This flowering plant is most commonly grown as a houseplant but grows well outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. 

A short-day plant, Flaming Katy produces blooms during the winter months. Young Flaming Katy plants have smooth stems and thick leaves. The plant roots readily from a vegetative shoot and many growers use this type of propagation for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana production. 

Commercial growers use intermittent mist and heat mats to propagate Flaming Katy, but you can make Flaming Katy cuttings without a professional setup.

1. Cut cleanly through a vegetative stem of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. This is a stem that has no flower growth. Make the cutting at least 3 inches (8 cm) long. Set the cutting in an empty pot for two or three days to allow a callous to form over the cut flesh of the stem. The callous keeps the cutting from rotting in the growing medium.

2. Mix together equal parts of sand, perlite and peat moss to create a quality growing medium for Flaming Katy cuttings. Fill a sterile pot with the growing medium and water the medium lightly. 

The size of the pot dictates how many cuttings you root per pot. Pots that are 3 or 4 inches (8 or 10 cm) around hold one cutting, while 5- or 6-inch (13 or 15 cm) pots hold two or three cuttings.

3. Make a hole in the growing medium and stick the calloused cutting into the hole. Firm the soil around the cutting to keep the Flaming Katy upright. Set the pot in a bright location that has an average temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). Avoid direct sunlight on the cuttings.

4. Mist the cuttings several times per day. Remove cuttings that show signs of fungal growth. Check for roots after about two weeks. Gently pull on the cuttings to feel for some type of resistance that would signify root growth.

5. Transplant the new Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants into separate growing pots when the roots have reached about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length. Treat the plant as a seedling for the first few weeks. In other words, avoid drafts, direct sunlight and drought conditions. When you see new growth on the Flaming Katy plants, place them as desired in the home.


Source: sfgate.com