The Light Requirements for Kalanchoe

Light Requirement While in Bloom

• Although kalanchoe's foliage has the best color and it blooms best when grown in full sun, its foliage may scorch if the sunlight is too hot. Place the kalanchoe plant in an area of the home where it receives direct sun from fall through spring. In summer, back it out of full sun into an area with bright but filtered sunlight to avoid scorching the succulent foliage.

Light Requirement After Blooming

• While many people throw the kalanchoe away after it finishes blooming, it is possible to get the plant to rebloom the following winter. Give it full sun all day and then move it into the dark from 5:00 in the afternoon until the next morning. Begin this schedule in September and carry it through the middle of October, or when you notice buds on the plant's stems. Keep the dark area completely dark at night. If there's a chance that the kalanchoe may be exposed to even a small amount of light, cover it with a cardboard box. The kalanchoe should bloom again soon after completing this schedule.

Moisture and Temperature

• Kalanchoe plants require warm daytime temperatures -- between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. The temperature range at night is a bit more narrow -- 65 to 68 degrees. These ranges represent ideal conditions; a few degrees difference won't harm the plant. During the dark period, it's important to keep in mind that budding is delayed when temperatures rise above 80 degrees. Keep the dark area well ventilated and the temperature cool at night.

Water and Fertilizer

• No discussion of plant moisture requirements is complete without mentioning soil. The kalanchoe is a succulent plant and will rot if its roots sit too long in soggy soil. Plant it in a loose, well-drained medium. Water the plant when the soil is almost completely dry. Fertilize it when you bring it out of the dark period with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. Always water the kalanchoe before pouring fertilizer on the soil to avoid burning the roots.