Healthy stock blooming when purchased would normally be expected to keep blooming after purchase. Growers use particular fertilization and watering regimes planned specifically to produce attractive specimens as quickly as possible. Reductions in tree and shrub growth (and flowering) after purchase and planting by the end consumer are probably very often due to this same diligent fertilization and watering not being continued. Top and root growth schedules, plant nutrient requirements do not change because a specimen has been planted out. New shoots and roots are produced at the same basic time every year, the same mineral requirements are present every year - if the soil on a planting site is deficient it will need to be supplemented if optimum results are to be had. Whether the planting is new or not. This is why potted stock needs to be kept fertilized and potted on, or it will deteriorate - the plants do not turn their growth (top or root) and their mineral needs on and off with changes in horticultural circumstances.

Well we get Moose, deer, coyotes, bears, foxes, squirels and a few other critters in the yard every year. We also are on the path of the migrating birds...going south and back north.....they stop in my back yard and clean out the feeders and berries and they are off again. A few stick around like the nuthatches, chickidees, purple finches and some years the white crown sparrows. Oh and the Juncos do a wonderful job keeping the bug populations down in my gardens. Swallows nest on the house across the street every year.....they help with mosquito control. LOL. There are two kinds of hummingbirds that fight over the gardens all summer...those little buggers have a big attitude! We are also visited by 3 kinds of woodpeckers. There are many kinds of butterflys and bees, and the hummingbird moths. And ewwwwwww spiders...lots of spiders...did I say EEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! its more like EEEEEKKKKKKKSSSSSSS!!!! I'm sure there is more just can't think of them all. As far as bear safety.....get educated on the subject...don't take chances. Wear bear bells if you are berry picking or out in the woods. Pick fruit as soon as its ready...don't leave any laying around to draw them in. Make sure garbage is in a bear proof container or in a closed garage. We have a bear aware program here....I check my yard everytime I go out this time of year.....before I start to garden. Sierra

Wow, lucky you to have so many butterflies, Anna. I've also noticed a LOT of long-tailed skippers this year, and a couple of silver-spots, plus a few BBG's (Basic Brown Guys). Skippers seem to be doing well, happily. I had one red admiral stop by a few months ago, but they don't visit gardens as often as some of the other butterflies do, so I don't get to enjoy them as much as I'd like to. Hope you continue to see lots of pretty ones in your yard. Marcia

I can only guess, but here goes. The soil is water logged at the bottom of the pot. Many plants that look moist or even dry on the top are very wet at the bottom where most of the plant's roots are. Butterfly bushes have to have good drainage! Years ago, my butterfly bushes wouldn't come back in the spring, and I couldn't figure out why, since my winters are milder than those of many whose butterfly bushes reportedly come back every year. At that time, I planted them directly in the ground, where their roots stayed soaking wet all winter. Later, when I started planting them in raised beds, they not only came back in spring, they kept a lot of leaves on in winter. If you can do it without causing too much dirt to fall out, you could take the plant out of the pot and see for yourself how wet it is. Another possibility is that the plant is root bound and therefore the roots aren't getting enough water, although, from the way the plant looks in the picture, I sort of doubt that. Good luck! Sherry