Question
Hi Jim,

I have a pink dogwood that's 13 years old and has never bloomed. It's also not very big. I read your suggestion to lots of water and acidic fertilizer and I'm going to try that this year. Is there anything else I can do to encourage it to bloom?

Answer
There are many possible reasons for a lack of flowering in plants, including age, light, excess nitrogen, temperature and pruning. Make sure your plant is receiving a half day of sunlight. Fertilizers high in nitrogen, like most turf fertilizers, encourage foliar growth at the expense of flowers, so keep these away from the plant. Only prune just after flowering, or in your case, just after other dogwoods in the area flower, so you don't remove next year's buds. Finally, provide 1 inch of water per week, supplementing rainfall if necessary.

There is one more possibility. Dogwoods are often shipped into the Midwest from southern sources. These plants are not adequately hardy in northern areas. Many flowering dogwoods in the Midwest have minimal flower production, which is caused by this lack of flower bud hardiness. If possible, ask the nursery or garden center where the trees are grown to save yourself disappointment three to five years down the road when the trees show limited flowering.

The three essential components of fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the N-P-K numbers on any fertilizer. Nitrogen is for healthy green growth by helping the plant to grow chlorophyll. Fertilizers high in nitrogen like 25-10-10, is great for greening up your lawn. Phosphorus helps a plant grow good roots and stems in the early growth season then in flower production. A mix like 10-30-10 is great for flowers on your annuals and perennials. The Potassium (K) helps your plants generate and process nutrients. Other important elements in fertilizers are calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and sulfur. Organic fertilizers are usually very low in these trace elements.

Some of these fertilizers are:

Miracle Gro, 5 LB, 15-30-15, Bloom Booster Flower Food, A Special Food With High Phosphorus For Maximum Color & Bloom Yield.

Advanced Nutrients Bloom Booster Powder is a superior bloom enhancer that can be used in conjunction with our other bloom products and regular feeding programs. Bloom Booster blends four very specific bloom-enhancing components.