What are the effects of pruning and/or repotting on blooming?
Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years ago
Hi, all!
I've searched everywhere but haven't been able to come up with a response to the above.
What I'm specifically wanting to understand is:
1. How many months after pruning can I expect blooming to take place on new branches of what previously was a prolific bloomer? Does it take a specific amount of time for auxin to build up sufficiently to trigger blooming at those new terminal points? I understand it will vary from region to region / practice to practice but what has been your specific experience?
2. Does repotting significantly retard or halt the triggering of budding? If so, how long after repotting can one expect to begin to see blooming again? In your personal experience, please.
3. Also, regarding water: Can regular watering sometimes prevent blooming in mature plants? I know that occasionally mimicking drought conditions, withholding water for a week or two, followed by a liquid bloom booster triggers blooming in most succulents.
Thank you so much in advance for your time and effort in answering this question for me. Much appreciated.
Maria Elena
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Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years ago
ConnyNL (The Netherlands, 8b)
7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a) thanked ConnyNL (The Netherlands, 8b)Related Discussions
Pruning ficus b. after July 9 Repotting. Pic Heavy!
Comments (7)Randy I have very similar tree, even lopsided like yours. The tree was getting too tall to keep inside, but luckily was not infested. I was looking for info how to prune it & that is how I found this forum. I have followed Al's recommendations to a letter (and I have never even read about root pruning/proper repotting): 1. 'inspection' of roots/flushing thoroughly/proper watering & fertilizing - all few months ahead of proper repotting; 2. then at proper time (July), root pruning (the root ball was a mess)-repotting into brand new soil mix (5-1-1); 3. continue proper watering/fertilizing as recommended 4. pruning branches approx. month later I am very satisfied with results, the tree looks much better and has lots of new leaves growing. An it is few inches shorter (more pruning next year). It took some effort, but if you really want your plant to grow well, it is worth it. I am following similar routine with all my potted plants - it will take some time since I have 'few', but by same time next year all of them will be in new soil mix, root pruned/repotted/branches pruned and I am sure growing much healtier. The info you'll find on this forum is very helpful. Al has many extremely informative threads, and I have save them for reference. Much easier for me to get infor-he does all the hard work of writing it all... Many other members have very good posts and photos too - sorry I can't think of all the names right now. Good luck with your tree. Rina...See MoreAdenium/Desert Rose repotting & pruning HELP
Comments (4)Any good draining mix will be fine. There are about as many good homemade mixes out there as there are succulent growers. Turface MVP is what I add to mine. If you can wet your mix thoroughly, squeeze it in your hand, and it falls apart, that's good draining. I wouldn't repot until the plant can be moved outdoors and take advantage of the warm outdoor temps and a good light source. I prefer to prune Adeniums in late spring early summer when temps are high and there is little chance of rain. A nice healthy Adenium can handle repot, root and top pruning at the same time during the summer. It's really too early to do anything with them right now in my opinion. randy...See MoreWhy root-prune when you repot?
Comments (27)EW - The best time to repot F lyrata is around mid-Jun if you're N of the equator, and mid-Dec if you're south of it. If you're less than 25-30* N or S latitude, it's not particularly important when you repot. If you want to achieve that look, and especially that look combined with that ht, you'll need to make some sacrifices. Trees thicken and trunks strengthen in a direct relationship with foliage mass, The more leaves, the faster the tree grows, thickens, and strengthens. To replicate that look, your job would be to try to make sure the terminal bud on the main stem doesn't get damaged or removed until the plant is about 3/4 as tall as you want it in the end. In the meantime, you should only tip-prune any branches that occur, so you maintain as much foliage on the tree as possible. As the tree approaches the desired ht, you'll start removing the lowest branches and working your way upward over time. If you allow any secondary branching (branches of the main stem, to grow 2 - 3 leaves, then remove the apex (growing tip), more branches will be forced to grow from the leaf axils. You can then keep those oriented toward growth that flatters the plant, and remove those that spoil your vision for what you'd like it to be. Often, growing is a catch 22. If we maintain a plant so it always looks its best in the immediate, we might be destroying its future. If we're serious about having our plants grow into something that is going to be pleasing to the eye at maturity, we usually need to make some sacrifices and stick with a plan as the plant moves through the formative stages. I realize how much that is to ask of a grower because of how long it took me to develop the ability to look ahead. The good news is, though, I didn't have anyone to help me learn to see into the future or explain all this to me, you do. ;-) Al...See MoreMealybugs on Phal - Repot asap or after blooms fall?
Comments (11)Heather, Here's the dilemma we get into. you say the flowers are "bright green with pink centers". The photo shows yellow flowers with dark "pink" lips. (centers) I am concerned about the amount of light the plant is getting, because I see photos of lush green leaves. My limited knowledge of photography tells me that if the blooms are indeed green, then on the web the color has been shifted to yellow, and that means that the real color of the leaves has been altered also. So, I wonder if I can really say that the plant needs a bit more light?? Your west window is ok. Recommended in order are south, east, west, and north. The plant looks really ok....healthy, although M A Y B E a bit lacking in light. If the bugs prove to have lost this war...not just the battle.....that will be great. You M A Y want to adjust your growing conditions a bit in the future. If your friends come back, then I let me repeat that - I - would unpot the thing blooms and all, soak as much of the plant as possible in a contact insecticide and repot it. After it has had a chance to settle into the new home and heal the damaged roots, I would follow up with more contact insecticide plus begin a systemic routine for several rounds, then wait and see. That would be my approach if it were my plant.....I'm not recommending that, nor saying that is the only way to attack this problem. Like I said, I'm a "Kill em dead right now" kind of person, and don't have a great deal of faith in some of these other methods out there that require one to do a hunt and kill routine. I learned in a large commercial greenhouse environment, and sometimes radical treatment was necessary to save many $$$$$$$. We usually began with the radical treatment for that reason. Good luck Bill...See MoreMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
rcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoYay!!! Last night I noticed the start of budding on one of the branches of Mom's main plant.
Finally!! I hope all the other branches follow suit, as well as the cuttings. Following a spring blooming, nothing bloomed all summer.
We should have blooms for Thanksgiving. I will certainly share.
Maria Elena
Francesco Switzerland ZH, 8a
7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a) thanked Francesco Switzerland ZH, 8aMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agoFrancesco Switzerland ZH, 8a
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a) thanked Francesco Switzerland ZH, 8a
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christine20gw(Australia)