Question
QUESTION: I have an Indian Hawthorn that has thrived for the 12 years I've owned the house but each year I have fewer and fewer blooms.  I try following the trimming schedule and the bush is quite large so I have to trim it to keep the pathway open.  Is there anything I can do to increase the flowering?

ANSWER: Rhaphiolepis indica aka "Newport India Hawthorn" is a drought tolerant tender shrub that thrives in Florida.  You in Florida?

You can get an idea of what makes this plant tick if you know that taxonimists put it in the "Rosacea" family, i.e., it is related to Roses.  That means it grows best in slightly acidic soil, prefers sun to shade, and responds with freely fragrant blooms.  All of which you have -- almost.

You may be surprised to hear that many people never prune this shrub.  This apparently is not an option in thsi case because you find that it must be pruned because it's growing like a house on fire.  And therein may be the problem.

Can you tell me if and when you are/have fertilizing/fertilized?  If so, exactly what did you use and when did you use it?

What is your zip code?  (So I don't have to go through a battery of questions just to get your basic soil profile -- assuming here that you did not do a soil test so you don't know what your soil is composed of.)

How much LIGHT does this shrub get?  Is it exposed in front of your house in full sun, or is it tucked away under a tree near a protected corner?

I have some theories but I need more info. RSVP!

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm in Texas 78681 and it is in the front of my house facing north but I'm worried now that the neighbor's shrubs that have grown faily tall may be blocking some of the light.  I usually fertilize early sping with Miracle Grow.

ANSWER: A few theories. Possibly all contribute to the problem, so while one alone would not have a noticeable effect, combined they spoil everything.

First clue: This problem increases each year, with age and as you suggest less light. Your Rhaphiolepis indica is already challenged with a northern exposure.  It is not unusual at all for nearby shrubs and trees to hog more and more of the light, cheating surrounding shrubs and plants of their daily dose of sunshine.  How much light does your Hawthorne get?  You said it first: Not enough.  That would not ruin everything in the case of Rhaphiolepis, but it makes life difficult. And when life is difficult for plants, the first thing they do is stop blooming.  Take a good look at the sun exposure this specimen is getting.  What do you see when you watch the sun at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m.?  Add up the hours of full sun.  A "full sun" plant gets six (6) solid hours of direct rays MINIMUM.  Ten (10) hours is preferable.  Do the math.

Next clue: Miracle Gro.  You probably figured that it would not hurt to fertilize a tree that is blooming less than it used to, because that's the message we get from Scotts when they push their best selling plant 'food'.  Unfortunately, there's no truth to this message.  Fertilizer is not food.  It's more like a deck of cards.

Let me explain.

We all love Aces, right?  We all love Kings, and Queens, and Jacks.  If you want the best hand, however, you want a royal flush.  Two Aces will not do that.  Four Aces won't do that.  You need one of each.

In the case of fertilizer, too much Phosphorus is like having 2 Aces.  If you have 2 Aces, you are going to be missing one of the other cards you need for a royal flush.  If you have 2 doses of Phosphorus, or Calcium, or Manganese, or Iron, or Potassium, you are going to shut out something else the plant NEEDS.  Bet you never heard that from Scotts.  It's a known fact.

That's why I always tell people: DO A SOIL TEST!  You don't get that advice from Scotts, either.  They want you to think of their products as 'food' that you are 'feeding' your plants.  Because then you'll buy it even if you don't need it.

So over-'feeding' ANY plant with Ca, P, Mn, Fe or K LOWERS how much Mg will be going into those Hawthorne P, K, Na or Fe.  Since Miracle Gro is salts, that shuts out Mg and K.  Overdoses of Copper or Phosphorus block access to Iron and Zinc and Aluminum.  Plants need a BALANCE of nutrients.  Stop thinking of Miracle Gro as 'maintenance' or 'dinner'.  It's a deck of cards -- and you have NO IDEA what hand you're dealt because you did not do a soil test.

That said, it sounds like your Hawthorne was perfectly happy until you started 'feeding' it.  If you pushed too much of the wrong element into the xylem and phloem, you caused a problem.  Force feeding by fertilizer is NEVER good for a plant.

But it's not your fault.  How could you possibly know this?  Who's going to let you in on that secret?  It's not profitable for them to tell you that you should not use Miracle Gro unless you need it.  And this is America.  It's not their job to educate their customers.  It's their job to make money.  So today I just saw on their website they are telling people their plants "thrive when they're fed just a little."  BALONEY.  Do not swallow that baloney, Beverly.

So here you are.  And now you know.

The good news is, you're in Texas.  One of the great agricultural capitals of the world.  Home of some of the top research outfits in the nation.  A soil test at your local Cooperative Extension Service will give you specific details about what your soil HAS and what it NEEDS.  Keep in mind that plants don't compensate with fertilizer what they don't get from sunlight.  A lot of people fertilize with the idea that if they 'feed' their plants generously, the plants won't need as much sunlight.  Sometimes they're just HOPING it happens that way.  It NEVER does.  Nutrients have nothing to do with Photons.  One does not boost the other.  But you can upset the deck by giving a plant more Aces than it needs, which is what happens with fertilizer that is not needed.

Your zip code indicates you are sort of close to Austin.  Soil in that region tends to be higher in clay and PLENTY of Phosporus and Potassium.  I don't know which Miracle Gro you fed your tree, but they all have Phosphorus and Potassium.  That means that your Hawthorne likely is o.d.'ing as we speak on those elements, which means it is not getting enough Zinc, Copper, Calcium, Magnesium, Boron, Molybdenum, Magnanese and Iron.  Plus too much Potassium makes the soil alkaline. Look for yourself:

http://tsmser.com/TSM/mission/showmeexcess.htm

Do yourself a favor and give away the Miracle Gro.  Then go to Texas A&M for a soil test:

http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

Here's a great report on Austin area soil composition by Skip Richter, a green thumbed genius and former National Gardening Assn editor who now works in Harris County, TX:

http://gardeninglaunchpad.com/article/austinsoil.html

If you can get in touch with Skip Richter, you will learn some amazing things about landscaping and lawn care.  He is incredibly knowledgeable about Soil chemistry and botany, but he puts everything into plain English so that anyone can understand him.

Going back to the light question, if this is a contributing factor, it is imperative that you correct it.  As I said earlier, you can't give extra fertilizer to make up for a shortage of photons.  Plants make ALL their own food with sunlight.  There is no way to feed that to a plant.  Prune anything around it, or even remove competitors if needed.  If it's a tree that's getting in the way, that's only going to get worse with time; move the Hawthorne NOW, before it becomes impossible.  And consider as you prune that you are removing leaves that might be reaching for more photons.

Beverly, I am ABSOLUTELY SURE this will solve your Hawthorne problems.  Keep in touch.  Your followups welcome.  And please remember to rate me.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I did the sun test and "not enough" is an understatement is it safe to transplant to a sunnier place? It a big bush so what can I expect as far as root structure and depth?

Thanks,

Beverly

Answer
Transplant is always the surgery we try to avoid -- but sometimes you have no choice.  You are not going to be happy with the results if you don't move this plant.  And it's not going to get any smaller.

Look on the bright side: Spring is the 2nd best season to undertake this project, right behind Autumn.

Maximize your odds of success by:  (1) making sure to dig the tree up and out, cutting as few roots as possible, (2) doing this during the coolest weather you can manage, (3) providing a generous hole with rich soil in the new location, (4) NOT fertilizing (which destroys valuable microbes and damages roots with the salt content) and (5) spiking your soil with a generous heaping tablespoon of mycorrhizae, which will give it a running start.  

You can pick Mycorrhizae up at the garden center (not Home Depot or Loews unfortunately but a real garden center).  These are friendly fungi that tap into roots and pour nutrients from the soil straight into the veins of your lucky plant.

An overcast day, preferably a week of overcast days, where temps are cool and air is moist, will give your plant time to recover.  Water deep and let the soil dry out.

And get that soil test.  Otherwise you'll never know what's in your soil.  Good luck!

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER