Why Aren’t My Calla Lilies Blooming?
I really like Calla Lilies, and to say that they bring me pleasure would be an understatement. I was, however, really disappointed when they did not bloom this summer, which sparked an investigation into why they did not bloom and if I might urge them to blossom.
Excess nitrogen in the soil, a lack of water/moisture, drainage, and sunshine, insufficient dormant periods for Lilies in containers, warm winters, leaves cut too early, tiny or immature bulbs, and poor planting procedures are all contributing factors to calla lily blooming failures.
The fact that I am not the only one with Calla Lilies have not flowered this year has become painfully evident, particularly among gardeners who have container lilies like myself. If you want to figure out why your lilies are not blooming, you’ll have to do a lot of detective work.
So let’s work together to solve this puzzle, one clue at a time, starting with the first.
My calla lilies are not blooming, so what’s going on?
In order to solve this disturbing problem, I will present a full explanation below. There are several reasons why your Calla Lilies may be failing to bloom.
1. Nitrogen Requirements for Calla Lily Plants
Calla lilies planted in your yard should blossom without any effort on their part. Although it is possible that they may not blossom for a variety of reasons, this is not guaranteed.
The presence of lush, rapidly growing foliage, as well as the presence of brown leaf segments, indicates that your flowers are not blossoming due to a build-up of nitrogen in the soil.
They thrive in nutrient-dense garden soil, which means they don’t need the use of organic fertilizers to produce blossoms in the majority of situations.
In the spring, if nitrogen fertilizers are applied before the blooming period, the plant will develop more leaves rather than flowers.
The use of an excessive amount of nitrogen-rich fertilizer to the developing Lily will result in the plant being unable to produce blossoms. Consequently, it would be smart to refrain from feeding the plant until the next season.
You should apply an all-purpose, balanced fertilizer with a higher concentration of potassium after the blooming season if you feel that your plant’s soil was deprived of nutrients the previous year. This will support the development of the plant’s roots and flowers.
It saves nutrients and solar energy in its bulbs after the Lily has finished blossoming so that it may produce more blooms the next year.
2.Calla Lily Requirements in Terms of Water and Drainage
Calla Lilies, which need wet, slow-draining soil to grow, do not fair well during prolonged dry spells.
When there is little water, their development is stunted by drying out their bulbs, resulting in yellowed and wilted leaves that hinder the plant from blossoming.
Many factors contribute to unusually dry soil conditions. The most common of them include sandy soil that does not hold moisture, excessive sunlight, and tree roots that suck all of the moisture from the bulb..
If there is a location in your yard that will be more suited to your lilies’ watering needs, it may be a good idea to transplant them; alternatively, it may be a good idea to water your lilies more often.
If you decide to transplant your lilies, try to do it first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is not as intense.
Most essential, prepare the planting space by mixing a high quality compost with leaf mulch. It’s important to water your Lilies thoroughly after they’ve gotten used to their new home.
This will prevent their bulbs from rotting and encourage healthy development since the organic additions will assist your plants retain moisture and boost their capacity to drain excess water.
As a bonus, applying the compost and mulch combination to your plants in the spring can help to protect them from drought conditions and improve their capacity to absorb nutrients that will assist in their growth.
Inserting your finger into the dirt around your newly transplanted Lilies is a fantastic technique to determine whether or not they need more water. Watering will not be necessary if the recently placed mulch keeps sufficient moisture.
3) The Calla Lilies Aren’t Getting Enough Sunlight
If calla lilies do not get sufficient amounts of sunlight throughout the day, plants will not flower. Flowers, in particular lilies, that are grown in shaded or low-light conditions thrive.
As a result, it may be a good idea to move them to a location in your yard where they will get at least six hours of sunlight each day.
If it is not feasible to relocate your plants, you may minimize the amount of vegetation around them or remove tree branches above the flower bed to allow more light to reach your flowers.
Instead, dig out your lilies’ bulbs in the fall after the foliage has faded away and plant them in a sunny location where your lilies will produce a profusion of blooms provided they are well-protected.
Don’t move them during the growth season, whether it’s spring or summer, since this can cause them to suffer from transplant shock.
4.Periods of dormancy for container calla lilies
While calla lilies grown in garden soil all have the same criteria for blooming, lilies grown in containers have somewhat different requirements for blossoming.
For example, unlike garden plants, such as lilies cultivated in garden soil, they do not go through a dormant phase in order to prepare for blossoming season.
The procedure of inducing an artificial inactive phase is not difficult. Once the regular blooming season has passed, cease watering the plant and make sure that the plant’s soil is completely dry before watering again.
You shouldn’t be alarmed — the leaves will eventually wither and it will seem that your prized plant is only suited for the compost pile. Put it in an airtight container and store it in a cold, dark place for about two months.
Transfer the plant to a well-lit place and continue watering it as normal. This will encourage its development, which will – almost by magic, result in an abundance of stunning fresh blossoms..
5.Winters must be cold for calla lilies to bloom.
Asian Lilies, which bloom in the spring only if exposed to cold winter periods, are known as vernalized plants. This winter rejuvenation process, which is necessary for Asiatic Lilies to blossom in the spring, is also known as vernalization.
Due to the fact that the bulbs have been acclimated to seasonal temperature swings, it is an important component of their growth. The Lily bulbs can tell when it’s time to start developing so that they may produce blooms in the Spring as a result of this process.
Consider the following scenario: you are growing your Asiatic lilies in a hot region with moderate winters. In such instance, the vernalization process will not be begun, and your lilies will be unable to blossom because of this.
Another point to mention: the Easter Lily variety is more suited to warm locations with mild winters since it does not need the use of a vernalization method in order to bloom.
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