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MY SUMMER FLOWERS WILL NOT BLOOM

(13 Posts)
songstress60 Wed 27-May-20 12:26:16

My spring flowers, crocuses, snowdrops, daffodils bloomed beatifully, but for 2 years my summer flowers have not flowered. Oh the green stems shoot up but NO flowers have bloomed. I water them every day so can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong. I have had to buy some lillies in a tub and plant them and pretend they came from bulbs that I planted! Any advice would be welcome.

Witzend Wed 27-May-20 12:28:52

My keen gardener mother used to swear by tomato food for flowers, since it’s designed to produce flowers (followed by tomatoes).
Maybe worth a try.

dontmindstayinghome Wed 27-May-20 12:37:22

Could they be biennials?
They often have a couple of years rest before flowering again.

Also, if they are bulbs, the stems need to be left to die back slowly. If you've cut all the stems off after the flowers have died the bulbs don't have chance to feed and restore themselves for the next year.

midgey Wed 27-May-20 12:42:53

Are you feeding them? That will produce great plants with lovely leaves....but no flowers. Be a bit unkind, ignore them a bit, stress them!

Granarchist Wed 27-May-20 12:54:14

too early?

Fennel Thu 28-May-20 14:28:47

I have a similar question -our crocosmia aren't flowering yet. I'm sure they were in bloom this time last year.
I know they can be invasive but I love the bright cheerful colour.
if you've got them, when did yours come into bloom?

Chewbacca Thu 28-May-20 15:18:00

Too early for crocosmia, another month at least until flowering .

merlotgran Thu 28-May-20 15:29:34

You might need to enrich your soil during the autumn/winter months to ensure some better flowering next year. Well rotted manure or blood fish and bone should do it.

In the meantime spread, rake and water in some blood fish and bone around your borders. Don't feed with a nitrogen rich fertilizer or you will just end up with more foliage. Witzend's mother was right about feeding Tomorite as it encourages fruit and flower production.

sharon103 Thu 28-May-20 15:34:45

I think the same as Chewbacca. I have two in my garden. I'm almost sure they flower end of June/July time.
Buy some liquid seaweed songstress60. It works wonders. You dilute it in water and it's a brilliant feed.
It's far cheaper to buy in Wilkinsons shops.

J52 Thu 28-May-20 16:31:20

You don’t say which flowers you are referring to. Summer blooming flowers often are spread from May till September.
Asters and Japanese anemones begins flowering in late summer.
If you are referring to summer flowering shrubs, a lot of them flower on last years growth, so spring pruning will cut of the flowering stems.
The further North you are in the country, in general your plants will flower later. Also, much depends on their position in your garden.
Summer feeding is recommended every two weeks for a succession of flowers.

Fennel Thu 28-May-20 17:17:34

Chewbacca thanks - that's reassuring.
I'm also concerned because some of the crocosmia is around a very old rose bush which shows signs of giving up the ghost. Sad because it had beautiful peach coloured blooms.
Something lacking in that part of the soil I think. Nearby roses doing well.
Ours is a central town garden with much pollution from vehicles.
Maybe we should use more fertiliser.

Fennel Mon 13-Jul-20 12:12:21

At last I've seen some flowers appearing on our crocosmia smile.

craftyone Sat 18-Jul-20 08:09:58

they are too happy songstress. Fowers come when a plant is stressed, when it feels the need to reproduce. I agree, tomato feed or comfrey/nettle water, not any general fertiliser or manure