By Onecrazylady
United Kingdom 
I have an escalonia hedge [80 shrubs] planted about twenty years ago in a heavy clay soil. It was enormous when we decided that it needed to be cut back - about five or six years ago, and it took a few years to get it to grow back up to a reasonable, maintainable hedge size. However, the blossom has been a rare occurance since. We've bought a number of feeds from the garden centre but to no avail. Can anyone suggest what I should do to get this beautiful hedge in healthy bloom again? Thanks for your time.
30 Apr, 2010
Answers
When it didn't bloom last year, we decided to leave it alone, so it has been untouched for well over a year. This year I see only a few buds - in the same few places as the last few years. It seems odd that out of the 80 shrubs, only about five produce a small number of flowers.
I will take your advice with much thanks.
1 May, 2010
What's really important for the flowers is when you're cutting it - if you trim back late in the year, you're probably removing all the growths that might have flowered. When grown as a specimen, pruning takes place immediately after flowering, which gives the plant time to grow on ready for flowering next year. Otherwise, you could try sulphate of potash raked in at the base in late autumn or early spring.
30 Apr, 2010