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County Antrim, United Kingdom Gb

my 3year old camelia bloomed in the first year but not since, it has tripled in size, has good stems and leaves but doesnt bloom and only small buds appear, what is wrong please?




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start feeding with something like a tomato fertiliser as it is high in potash which promotes flowers I would suggest only feeding until july at the latest as it needs a period to harden up before the winter, maybe as it was young its making its structural growth but potash should help

24 Feb, 2010

 

Don't let it get dry during July and August or it drops any flower buds (over winter) that it has formed. Also, be patient as it needs to settle in before exerting itself with flowers. Once it starts it will flower very year. Only feed with an acid-loving plant type of food like Sequestrene as it won't like an alkaline feed.

24 Feb, 2010

 

Is your Camellia in an east facing position, and does it get early morning sun in winter? If it does, this can cause buds to fall off because the sun hits them whilst still covered in frost, thus destroying them.
Otherwise, use sulphate of potash in July, sprinkled round the base and stirred in a bit, then watered, or water with tomato food in July, as Pamg suggests. Also, as Volunteer says, keep it watered in periods of drought during summer. If you want to give it a general feed, there are acid based feeds available containing the right nutrients - note that sequestrene is simply an iron tonic, not a feed as such, though for all I know, they've changed its formulation - I shall check that out just in case!
Just checked and it is just an iron tonic - if you want to feed it, Miracle Gro make an Azalea, Camellia and rhododendron feed which also contains iron tonic.

24 Feb, 2010

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