Kalanchoe leaves turning yellow

Question

A little worried about my otherwise healthy looking Kalanchoe. One of its leaves started turning yellow at the tip and am worried because a similar thing happened to another leaf, and that one now looks almost dead.

The first image shows the current leaf turning yellow. The second is of the old one which had started turning yellow a few weeks ago. And the third of the plant in general.

I have been watering it roughly every two weeks, waiting for the soil to dry out completely and then watering it pretty generously. Am worried if this is a sign of root rot. I have kept it by the window since the start of winter here in Frankfurt.

Directions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

I can't tell whether your plant is in a pot with drainage holes or not; if it's not, it needs to be. I also can't tell how big the root ball/pot is from the photos - if its a very small pot, it may need potting on into a larger one.

In regard to watering, this should be done when the surface of the soil feels just about dry to the touch (not when the whole pot has completely dried out) when it should be watered well, allowing the excess to drain away freely from the pot. Any outer pot or tray should be emptied after 30 minutes so the plant is not left sitting in water.

Otherwise,the plant looks generally healthy, with no evidence of fungal or insect infestation problems.

UPDATE

The yellowing is most likely caused by drought - you're waiting too long to water, but it is important to empty the outer pot 30 minutes after you've watered when you change the watering regime. In regard to repotting, if the pot its in looks tiny compared to the size of topgrowth, it may be time to pot into something the next size up. Assuming your plant has stopped flowering, you can turn it out of its pot to check - if the roots are coiled round the outside, it needs a bigger pot. If its still flowering, wait till it stops before doing this.