Reasons Why Potted Verbena Does Not Bloom and How to Extend Its Blooming Period

  Every flower lover probably dreams of a plant bursting into a full pot of blooms! Especially when admiring the huge flower balls that expert growers cultivate! But you don't need to envy those big flower balls, fellow flower lovers. Some plants, even if small, when they truly burst into bloom, are no less impressive than other flowers!

  Verbena comes in rich colors and has a long blooming period, and when it blooms it very easily forms a dense cluster. It can not only be grown as a potted plant at home, but also does perfectly well placed outdoors. Verbena has a long blooming period, lasting from February all the way to November. However, in home cultivation, many growers are puzzled by verbena not blooming. So what should you do when verbena does not bloom? Let us walk you through it.

  I. Reasons Why Verbena Does Not Bloom

  When a plant does not bloom, it means the conditions for blooming have not been met. We should analyze this from the perspective of the plant's growing requirements:

  1. Is there sufficient light?

  Verbena loves light. Without sufficient sunlight, the plant's nutrient supply is inadequate and its growth is weak, so it certainly cannot provide the nutrients needed for blooming, and the plant tends to grow leggy. Even if it does bloom, the flowers are rather sparse.

  2. Insufficient fertilizer

  Whether grown in open ground or in pots, base fertilizer must be applied. During the growing period, fertilizing once every half month is sufficient. As the blooming period approaches, nitrogen fertilizer should be stopped. Too much nitrogen fertilizer causes lush leaves but few flowers, or even no flowers at all.

  3. Too much or too little water

  Improper watering: too much water easily causes root rot and affects blooming; too little water restricts plant growth and will also affect blooming. During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist at all times and frequently spray water around the plant to maintain air humidity. If the air humidity is insufficient, it will also affect blooming. After the plant blooms, promptly cut off the spent flowers to extend the blooming period.

  4. Temperature too low

  Verbena loves warmth and has only average cold tolerance. When the temperature is too low, it stops blooming.

  II. How to Extend Verbena's Blooming Period

  Now that we have solved the problem of verbena not blooming, how do we delay verbena's blooming period? If you want to extend verbena's blooming period, you need to carry out care and management according to the following measures:

  1. There must be sufficient sunlight for it to produce large, vivid flowers. If light is insufficient, the plant tends to grow leggy and the flowers are sparse.

  2. Whether grown in open ground or in pots, base fertilizer should be applied. During the growing period, apply liquid fertilizer once every half month, and nitrogen fertilizer should not be excessive. As the blooming period approaches, fertilizing should be stopped. Otherwise, branches and leaves will become overly lush while flowers are few, or there may even be no flowers at all.

  3. It is not tolerant of drought in summer and requires ample watering. During the growing period, keep the potting soil and the surrounding area moist at all times. If the humidity is insufficient, it will stop blooming. Spent flowers should be cut off promptly to extend the blooming period.

  4. It loves warmth, with a suitable growing temperature between 18°C and 25°C, but it is also fairly cold-tolerant, and large plants can overwinter in open ground.

  5. Verbena has strong resistance and few diseases, but it is susceptible to whitefly, which greatly affects blooming. You can cover the flower pot with a plastic bag, drip 2 drops of 80% dichlorvos onto a cotton ball, place it inside the cover for fumigation, once every 3 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times to eliminate them completely.