What are the common problems behind poor flowering in ornamental plants?

Q: I grow several kinds of flowers, but I feel the blooms get smaller each time. Why?

A: Flowers getting smaller each time can be explained by two situations:

1. Potted flowering plants bought from a shop are usually in early bloom or full bloom, having developed from the first and earliest flower buds of the season, which have the most abundant stored nutrients, so the first flush of flowers is larger. The later flower buds develop while the first flush is in full bloom, and even after the flowers fade they go on to set fruit and form seeds, all of which consume large amounts of nutrients. As a result, the later flower buds get relatively few nutrients, and the flowers they produce are smaller.

2. Another reason is that the potted flowering plants you bring home face a different growing environment from the one the original grower provided, such as poorer sunlight and excessive temperature swings; you cannot shade them in summer or use a dedicated greenhouse in winter the way the grower does, and your watering, fertilizing, pruning and repotting are not as precise as the grower's, so the flowers that open later and the new flowers of the second season are also smaller.

Q: How can I improve the problem of flowers getting smaller and smaller?

A：

For potted flowers with a long blooming period, remove the faded flowers early so nutrients can be saved for the development of later flower buds.

Thin out some of the flower buds so that the limited nutrients are concentrated and produce larger flowers.

Give the plant a more ideal growing environment and care, such as applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer at the right time and in the right amount, and providing plenty of sunlight.

If the potting soil is old and has become hard, repot and change the soil after the blooming period, adding fertile, loose soil to replace the old soil.

Thinning out some of the flower buds allows the remaining buds to produce larger flowers.