Plants require special attention to grow healthily and thrive. Flowering plants can only grace your home or garden with beautiful, colorful blooms under certain conditions. That said, if your plants aren’t blooming, check out the 12 things you should check for long-lasting blooms and evergreen foliage.
For a flowering plant to thrive, several factors come into play. If your plant is having trouble flowering, check if these 12 conditions are met.
What are the 12 things to check to encourage plants to flower?
Here are the 12 conditions you must meet for your plants to flower.
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- If the plants have enough light
If your plants aren’t flowering, it’s probably due to a lack of sunlight. Especially since some flowering plants require more than 6 hours of sunlight. In this case, make sure your plants receive sufficient light. - If the plants are in the right place
Depending on the time of day, some plants prefer direct exposure to full sun or partial shade. Hydrangeas, azaleas, and impatiens, for example, should not be placed in afternoon sun. Succulents, bougainvillea, and roses, on the other hand, do prefer it.
flowering plants
- If the plants have enough nutrients
To bloom, plants need fertilizers rich in nutrients, such as phosphorus, which also stimulates flowering and rooting, as well as photosynthesis. That said, for abundant blooms, use a compound fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. - If the plants are not over-fertilized
Fertilizing a plant is certainly important because fertilizer provides plants with the nutrients they need. However, fertilizers should be used sparingly. Too much of anything can be fatal. When the soil is overfertilized, plants have difficulty absorbing water, causing them to wilt. - Should the plants be pruned?
Pruning a plant is important. It keeps it healthy and encourages flowering. However, it’s important to know when to prune your plant so you don’t remove buds that are about to produce flowers.
flowers
- If the young shoots of the plants are not pruned
Care must be taken when pruning so as not to remove young stems that will produce new flowers. A distinction must be made between new shoots and old ones. Only stems that have already produced flowers can be cut. - If the plant suckers are cut
A sucker is a root shoot that can be broken off and replanted elsewhere. To avoid weakening the parent plant, it is advisable to cut off suckers. This process is called suctioning. Suckers have their own root system and can draw nutrients from the soil and thus compete with the parent plant. Therefore, they should be pruned as soon as they appear. However, be sure to save them when rooting them, as they can be used as cuttings or seedlings for transplanting.
flowering stages
- If the plants have no dead flowers
To encourage new blooms, also remember to remove dead flowers and faded or old flowers with pruning shears. - If the plants are not diseased
If your plants are having trouble flowering, check them for pests or disease. To do this, check your plant’s leaves for spots and for pests hiding under the buds. To eliminate insects that are ravaging your plants, you can use natural products like black soap or a garlic decoction. - If the plants are not exposed to cold
Cold and frost can damage the buds that produce flowers. Low temperatures can even kill shoots , preventing plants from flowering. This is why it’s important to protect your plants from the cold until the end of winter. - If your pots are not very big
When you grow your plants in very large pots, they develop more roots, at the expense of flowers. The pot should be slightly larger than the root ball to allow the plant to develop its roots and flower as well.
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- If the plants have reached maturity
Plants flower when they reach maturity. Some plants mature faster than others. In fact, if we take the jade tree, this succulent plant doesn’t flower until it’s 9 or 10 years old. Even if all the necessary conditions for flowering are met, this succulent plant must be mature enough to flower.
By meeting these 12 conditions, you will stimulate the flowering of your plants and obtain beautiful flowers, even if you don’t have a green thumb.
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