With a good choice of location and care, the imperial crown (Fritillaria imperialis) can enrich the color palette in the flower bed for many years in the same location at flowering time without transplanting. There can be a variety of reasons for plants not flowering.

The imperial crown should bear large flowers in May/June; if it does not bloom, there is a need for action

Basic factors in the choice of location

In order for the crown imperial to be able to gain enough energy from the sunlight and the nutrients in the soil for the inflorescences that grow every year, it needs a sunny location with permeable soil. If the garden soil is heavy, you can take the following measures to prevent the risk of rotting of the crown imperial bulbs:

  • loosen soils that are too heavy with compost
  • when planting, line the bottom of the planting hole with some sand
  • plant the flattened bulbs at a slight angle to avoid water residue on the top

In addition, the bulbs of the imperial crown are planted relatively deep between July and September, about 20 to 30 centimeters below the surface of the earth.

Crown Imperial bulbs overwinter in the ground

Some overzealous gardeners dig the bulbs of the imperial crown out of the ground after the flowering period in order to dry them indoors over the winter. However, this is wrong, since the imperial crown bulbs are hardy in the soil without any problems and must not be overwintered completely dry. In addition, newly planted or transplanted bulbs should be planted in the summer or by September at the latest so that they can spread their roots into the surrounding soil before winter.

Recognizing and eliminating deficiencies and pests

On the one hand, imperial crowns are a popular joker against an infestation with voles in the garden, as they cannot stand the intense smell of the plants. On the other hand, the imperial crown itself is not entirely immune to pests. If you can rule out waterlogging or a too shady and nutrient-poor location as the reason for the lack of flowers, you should check the flower bed for an infestation with lily beetles. These red beetles, about 8 millimeters long, damage the leaves of the imperial crown as larvae and beetles and can be combated by collecting them.

tips and tricks

If the bulbs of the imperial crown have not produced any flowers for several years despite suitable site factors, then they should be dug up to check. The onion may have formed breeding bulbs during propagation, which can then be replanted in a different place.

Category:

Vegetable garden