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MaritimGuestHouse
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:53 pm
- Location: Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur
In Malaysia...healthy Hydrangeas but no blooms!
Hello! I am totally frustrated with my hydrangea, no matter what I do, it just does not want to bloom. I have them in pots in two different locations on two balconies in my apartment. One location gets a lot of morning sun, no afternoon sun, the other gets some afternoon sun but not so much. They look very healthy, lots of healthy and very green foliage but I cannot get them to bloom. I have tried fertilizers, they get watered every day, unless overcast, and seem to thrive but just will not bloom. I have seen hydrangeas blooming here and doing alright in this Miami like weather. My Mom had such a green thumb, of which I inherited, and her hydrangeas in Northern California were always amazing during summer months but I am failing miserably. Any ideas?
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luis_pr
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 824
- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: Hurst, TX USA Zone 7b/8a
Hello, MaritimGuestHouse. It may be getting too much fertilizer and too much nitrogen will keep it in "growth" mode. Instead of blooms, you end with a nice lush, dark green shrub. There are some soil testing kits made that can help you determine if that applies in this case.
Another possibility is a phosphorus deficiency in the potting soil mix. Soil testing kits can also help identify this problem.
Incorrect pruning can result in pruning off the flower buds. For example, flower bud production here in Texas begins in July for macrophyllas (mopheads) so pruning a few weeks after it has bloomed in the Spring would correct this problem. If I were to prune in the Fall or in Winter, I would be pruning off all the blooms! Note that this a general example that only applies to macrophyllas that bloom on old wood. Other types of hydrangeas (or mopheads that rebloom) produce flower buds at other times during the year. Another note: be careful when deadheading spent blooms or removing dried out leaves (during Fall and Winter) so you do not prune the flower buds.
An irregular supply of water can also make the shrub abort the flower buds. This happens when you get a period of moist soil, followed by a period of dry soil, followed by moist soil again, etc. These extremes can cause the plant to abort the flower buds. However, it would also result in some leaves browning out, which you did not mention in your list of symptoms.
Weather here in Texas can also be a causal agent. Specifically winter weather or dry winters. But I think you are in a tropical zone where very cold, sub-freezing temperatures are not an issue. If the shrub fails to develop flower buds at all, that usually signals that a problem happened between July (when buds develop) and the following Spring. At first, flower buds are invisible but become noticeable by Spring.
Mopheas do not have to have winter or chill months. I have seen mopheads growing near the Tropic of Cancer, in the Caribbean and in Costa Rica but you are well below that line so I am not sure if warm temperatures cause you a problem during winter. Have you observed other hydrangeas growing in Malaysia. If so, observe how they are planted (facing east, etc) and how much sun exposure they get. And again, be careful when deadheading spent blooms so you do not prune off the flower buds.
Some pests are known to gorge on the opening flower buds during Spring but I am not sure if you have this problem over there. Even if you did, it is hard to image that they would eat every single one of the flower buds. On both balconies.
Luis
Another possibility is a phosphorus deficiency in the potting soil mix. Soil testing kits can also help identify this problem.
Incorrect pruning can result in pruning off the flower buds. For example, flower bud production here in Texas begins in July for macrophyllas (mopheads) so pruning a few weeks after it has bloomed in the Spring would correct this problem. If I were to prune in the Fall or in Winter, I would be pruning off all the blooms! Note that this a general example that only applies to macrophyllas that bloom on old wood. Other types of hydrangeas (or mopheads that rebloom) produce flower buds at other times during the year. Another note: be careful when deadheading spent blooms or removing dried out leaves (during Fall and Winter) so you do not prune the flower buds.
An irregular supply of water can also make the shrub abort the flower buds. This happens when you get a period of moist soil, followed by a period of dry soil, followed by moist soil again, etc. These extremes can cause the plant to abort the flower buds. However, it would also result in some leaves browning out, which you did not mention in your list of symptoms.
Weather here in Texas can also be a causal agent. Specifically winter weather or dry winters. But I think you are in a tropical zone where very cold, sub-freezing temperatures are not an issue. If the shrub fails to develop flower buds at all, that usually signals that a problem happened between July (when buds develop) and the following Spring. At first, flower buds are invisible but become noticeable by Spring.
Mopheas do not have to have winter or chill months. I have seen mopheads growing near the Tropic of Cancer, in the Caribbean and in Costa Rica but you are well below that line so I am not sure if warm temperatures cause you a problem during winter. Have you observed other hydrangeas growing in Malaysia. If so, observe how they are planted (facing east, etc) and how much sun exposure they get. And again, be careful when deadheading spent blooms so you do not prune off the flower buds.
Some pests are known to gorge on the opening flower buds during Spring but I am not sure if you have this problem over there. Even if you did, it is hard to image that they would eat every single one of the flower buds. On both balconies.
Luis
Hi
Hydreangea is not tropical,sub tropical plant. I live in west corner of Tokyo
Few days ago, I drove scooter to end of wooded area. I saw wild hydreangea still blooming. it is late for hydreangea to bloom but deep wood is cooler than city also clean creek is runing,dew ,right amount of rain,tempreture.
many tropical, sub tropical plants don't survive here.
Your hydreangea need cold weather to rest during winter. Where you live,probably your hydreangea keep growing.
あじさい/ ajisai..........Japanese name
Hydreangea is not tropical,sub tropical plant. I live in west corner of Tokyo
Few days ago, I drove scooter to end of wooded area. I saw wild hydreangea still blooming. it is late for hydreangea to bloom but deep wood is cooler than city also clean creek is runing,dew ,right amount of rain,tempreture.
many tropical, sub tropical plants don't survive here.
Your hydreangea need cold weather to rest during winter. Where you live,probably your hydreangea keep growing.
あじさい/ ajisai..........Japanese name