Gentian bushes are very demanding. With bad conditions and wrong care you wait in vain for blooms. Patience is often the only thing that helps, because many of the trees only really bloom after a few years. A gentian tree is therefore more suitable for experienced gardeners.

Excessive pruning can be the reason why the gentian bush does not flower

Reasons why a gentian tree does not bloom

  • Too much pruning
  • Wrong fertilizer
  • Stands too dark
  • Too much or too little moisture

Be careful when cutting

Except for cutting in spring, the gentian bush does not tolerate heavy pruning. If possible, do not cut flowering shrubs at all. You may remove individual shoots if they protrude too much from the crown.

Remember that with every cut you also remove later blooms.

Provide nutritious soil

During the flowering period, you need to fertilize once or twice a week. Normal liquid fertilizer is usually sufficient. If the gentian tree still does not bloom, buy a special gentian shrub fertilizer.

Repot the plant every spring, even if the pot size is still sufficient. Replace the soil with fresh substrate.

Gentian trees need a lot of light

A gentian bush only thrives when it gets plenty of light and sun, but does not tolerate draughts.

The soil must never dry out completely. However, waterlogging must not occur either. Always water moderately when the top layer of soil is dry, in summer you need to water it several times a day.

Older gentian bushes bloom more vigorously

An older gentian tree usually blooms more than a young tree. This is also due to the fact that the commercially available gentian bushes have been treated with a growth inhibitor. This not only inhibits the sprouting of branches, it also stimulates the formation of flowers.

After the first hibernation, the effect of the remedy is reduced, so that the shrub initially hardly forms any flowers.

It is worthwhile to continue caring for the gentian shrub under ideal conditions. Potato trees often surprise with a rich bloom after a few years.

tips and tricks

If your gentian bush just won't bloom, plant it directly in the garden in summer. In a sheltered spot with lots of sun, it might recharge its batteries in nutritious soil. In early autumn you have to dig it up again at the latest and overwinter in the house.

Category:

Herbs