Why Are My Plants Not Flowering? - Common Issues and How to Solve Them

You’ve bought your plants, you’re waiting for them to flower anndddd… nothing! Nothing happens. And you wonder to yourself, why are my plants not flowering?! Well, here are a few of the most common reasons why there’s a lack of colour coming from your favourite plants, no matter the season.

Death by Drought

If we’ve learnt anything from the summer of ’22, it’s that drought works fast and takes no prisoners. Even if the plant flowers in summer, if the plant isn’t drought-tolerant, the plant will die pretty quickly when exposed to intense sunlight and heat.

Once your plants have been scorched, there's a good chance they'll fail to flower the following year. However, mitigating actions can be taken in anticipation of drought to give your plants a fighting chance.

For example, adding mulch to the base of plants can stop the sun from drying out their roots. When regular watering isn't possible, we recommend moving pots and hanging baskets to shadier spots, or shading flower bed blooms from the sun with shade cloths. 

They're in The Wrong Spot

Take note of your plant’s ideal spot before planting them. If a sun-loving plant is grown in a shady spot, then they’re not going to want to flower, and vice versa. If they’re grown in a spot that gets a lot of wind, then the flowers could be damaged or the stem might break. In this instance, it’s best to give them something to hold onto, like a stake.

Pruned too Soon

Pruning your plants too soon can damage dormant flowers, ready to flower the following year. If you’re after a voluptuous flowering plant, then keep pruning to a limit. Pruning too much can encourage more leaves, but a scarce amount of flowers.

You Picked the Wrong Plants

If you’re after instant colour, but you’ve bought a biennial (like hollyhocks), then you’re going to be disappointed. It’s good to know what you’re going to get when planning your display.

If you’re after instant colour but don't need them to last for years on end, then annuals are the way to go. If you’re looking for something that flowers its first year and keeps going back year after year, then a perennial is perfect. And if you’re not too worried about when your plants' flower, as long as they look sensational when they do, then biennials are a great shout.

Think your plants might be affected by pests? We’ve got a blog for that, too! Read ‘how to stop pests in their tracks’ to learn more.