Your annual and perennial flowers provide the biggest part of your summer color. And sometimes, even though you are watering them correctly and on time, they are just not blooming the way you think they should! Here are some tips for encouraging more and better blooms from almost any flowering plant or shrub…
*Most bloomers, especially annuals, bloom best when growing rapidly, so fertilize them often. We recommend Fertilome 20-20-20 Water Soluble or our Professional 12-6-6 granules. Read about fertilizing bloomers here.
*Most will bloom better if their soil is allowed to dry out slightly – remember, only slightly, not to the point of severe wilting!
*Insects will stress out blooming plants so avoid them with a preventative treatment. We have several organic natural products that will discourage bugs. Find pest resource topics here.
*Fungal diseases like powdery mildew can result if water is allowed to stay on the leaves too long. Water in the a.m. so the foliage dries quickly. Those blooms won’t look too pretty against sick leaves, plus sickly leaves mean less energy production (photosynethsis) which is what produces more blooms!!
*Prune or cut the plant, then follow with a fertilizer like the same 20-20-20 or 12-6-6 mentioned above. The pruning will stimulate a flush of new growth that usually precedes more blooms, and the fertilizer with further encourage them! This holds true for annuals, perennials, roses and any flowering shrub.
*Don’t let wildlife like deer and rabbits eat away at your blooming plants and shrubs. We have several repellents available, but the key to prevention to repeat the application regularly and switch formulas so the animals don’t develop a tolerance! Read more about repelling deer here.
