The Garden Community for Garden Lovers
 

United Kingdom

failure to flower or fruit even when the bush grows quite well for example gooseberries, damson,blueberries




Answers

 

Lack of pollinators, more often than not it is too cold or wet when the flowers are open.
Failure to flower is more difficult to answer. It takes a lot of energy for a plant to produce flowers, so the usual reason for not flowering is a lack of food. Not always obvious if the plant is growing well otherwise. Try giving a boost of high potash feed in late Winter.

28 Jul, 2017

 

I only know about gooseberries.
I wonder how and when you are pruning them? The recommended way is to prune twice - once after fruiting (or after fruiting should have happened!), when you tip back the leaders a few inches and shorten the spurs a bit. You could even do this before the fruit is ripe to make picking a less prickly task.
Then in February (you haven't put your county on your profile- you may have to delay a little if you are eg in the north of Scotland) Shorten the leaders back a few buds more and shorten the spurs back to about three buds. Remove any weak of crossing branches altogether to keep the bush more or less bowl shaped and with good air circulation. The as Bulba says give a feed of sulphate of potash.
If you are doing this, what sort of soil are they in - did you improve it before planting, and do they get plenty of sun? They will grow quite well in shade but don't bear much fruit.

28 Jul, 2017

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?