Question
I planted Heuchera "Palace Purple" in a shady border in the summer of 2004. They bloomed nicely in 2005, but this year I've gotten no blooms whatsoever. They appear healthy with plenty of leaves. I can't figure it out.


Answer
Hi Susan,
Thanx for your question.  Did you have a late frost or a severe winter?  Are you fertilizing?  If you're fertilizing, stop.  It may be too late this year for blooms due to over-fertilization.  Usually, a perennial doesn't bloom but has nice foliage because of some cold shock such as late freeze or harsh winter.  If it happens next year use a fertilizer after the last frost for flowering plants according to the instructions on the box.  The shock from cold is to the roots so the plant spends most of its energy repairing its roots and making sure the leaves are plentiful to gather energy from the sun to produce sugars through photosynthesis for the roots.  This will totally stop any floral production because too much energy would be spent producing seeds.  I hope this helps.
Tom