Gentian bushes are very demanding. If conditions are poor and care is incorrect, you will wait for flowers in vain. Often just patience helps because many of the trees only bloom properly after a few years. A gentian tree is therefore more suitable for experienced gardeners.
Why isn't my gentian bush blooming?
If a gentian bush does not bloom, this may be due to heavy pruning, incorrect fertilizer, too little light or inappropriate watering behavior. Good care helps; older gentian bushes often bloom more vigorously. Special gentian bush fertilizers can also promote flower formation.
Reasons why a gentian tree doesn't bloom
- Pruning too hard
- Wrong fertilizer
- It's too dark
- Too much or too little moisture
Be careful when cutting
Except for pruning in spring, the gentian bush does not tolerate severe pruning. If possible, don't cut bushes that are slow to bloom. You may only remove individual shoots if they protrude too much from the crown.
Keep in mind that with every cut you also remove future flowers.
Providing nutritious soil
During the flowering period you need to fertilize once or twice a week. A normal liquid fertilizer is usually sufficient. If the gentian tree still doesn't bloom, buy a special gentian bush fertilizer (€17.00 on Amazon).
Repot the plant every spring, even if the pot size is still sufficient. Replace the soil with fresh substrate.
Gentian trees need a lot of light
A gentian bush only thrives if it gets a lot of light and sun, but cannot tolerate drafts.
The earth must never dry out completely. However, waterlogging must not occur. Always water moderately when the top layer of soil is dry, in summer you need to water it several times a day.
Older gentian bushes bloom more vigorously
An older gentian tree usually blooms more heavily than a young tree. This is also because the commercially available gentian bushes have been treated with a growth inhibitor. This not only inhibits the sprouting of branches, it also stimulates the formation of flowers.
After the first overwintering, the effect of the product is reduced, so that the shrub hardly produces any flowers at first.
It is worth continuing to care for the gentian bush in ideal conditions. Potato trees often surprise you with abundant blossoms after a few years.
Tips & Tricks
If your gentian bush just doesn't want to bloom, plant it directly in the garden in the summer. In a sheltered spot with lots of sun, it may recharge its batteries in nutritious soil. In early autumn at the latest you have to dig it up again and overwinter it in the house.
