Hibiscus and Magnolia not blooming... (flowers, fertilizing, magnolias, spring)

[fierce_flawless]

I have a Hibiscus plant, and a little Magnolia tree. The Magnolia bloomed once, and hasn't bloomed since. I'm not sure how old it is but I got it last year and it was about 2.5 feet tall. Now it's around 4 feet.

It was looking great but recently I've noticed some leaf yellowing.

I also have a Hibiscus. It is still in the pot I got it in... large pot, don't know my pot sizes but it's pretty big. I have been meaning to put it in the ground but haven't figured out where to put it yet. It looked dead after winter... I didn't properly protect it. At my mother's suggestion I cut it back ALL the way to little stubs, and then it came back crazy and lush and green and is getting nice and big, but will not bloom. It looks 100% healthy, but no blooms. why? someone on another thread mentioned it could have some illness causing it not to bloom...? Would putting it in the ground help?


I'm in zone 8 by the way (Texas).

[Isabo]

Hi there,

Are you fertilizing/feeding them and are they getting enough sun?
My mom had a gardenia and it never bloomed either then she moved it (more sun) and started feeding it and viola! It started blooming.

I never fed my plants and couldn't figure out why they would not bloom because otherwise, they were healthy.

I don't know of any disease that will prevent blooming but then I am not a professional gardner either. lol

Good luck.

[teatime]

Magnolias only bloom in the spring, as far as I know. So it won't bloom again until next year.

I didn't have much luck with hibiscus when I lived in South Texas so I'm afraid I don't know what to tell you. I've seen them here in big pots as patio plants (I don't think they'd survive our winter) so they must do OK in pots.

[azoria]

If that is a tropical hibiscus and you left it out all winter and now it looks dead--it probably is dead. Cutting it back will not return it to life.

Nurseries in Texas are chock full of tropical hibiscus. They come in every amazing color imagineable. For $4.99 or $5.99 you can buy a new one. Do.

[fierce_flawless]

No, the Hibiscus is most definitely not dead. After I cut it back it came back like crazy. I cut it back until I saw greenness in the bark. It's now about 18" tall and almost as wide. It's fat and full and GREEN, just no blooms. The winter wasn't bad... only a few nights below freezing and while I didn't baby it I did bring it up on the porch (covered) close to the house.

As for food, I'm not sure about the right "kind"... I get confused by all that. I am feeding it an all purpose organic plant food. I give everything the same food, probably not the right thing to do?

Both are in full sun all day. I see Hibiscus EVERYWHERE and I don't know why mine won't bloom!

[brikag]

Plant the hibiscus in the ground since you still have it in the pot. You'll notice a change. Hopefully they'll bloom after you plant it. Make sure they're in an area with partial shading. Our's is surrounded by bamboo but still gets partial sun light. They bloom once a week with new buds.
As for you magnolias, their blooming stage is during the spring like the past poster has mentioned. Our mags bloomed in our complex around april and may. Be patient, they'll come around!

[azoria]

For flowers your plant needs fertilizer. Beware of many salt based chemical fertilizers, they will quickly burn your plants if not used properly. Natural fertilizers are much better than the factory chemical concoctions. Both will work.


".....For example, a common type of all-purpose fertilizer is referred to as 10-10-10. This is a balanced blend of equal portions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.


Phosphorus, the middle number, is very effective at establishing growth below ground, in the form of healthy root systems. It is also the component most responsible for flower blooms and fruit production. You'll notice that fertilizers designed for flower production, or starter-type fertilizers for your lawn, have a high middle number."

Flowers & Garden: What do those numbers on fertilizer bags actually mean?

[nitram]

Feed your hibiscus one of these products; Bloom Plus, Super Bloom, or Miracle-Gro with a middle number of 50% or more, that's the phosphorus count that produces flowers. And with proper watering, kept moist not wet, and at least 6 hours of sunlight, you'll have an amazing amount of flowers in 2-3 weeks.
These products will say something like 10-55-10, 12-50-10 for example on the box.
You don't need a high nitrogen count, the 1st number, that would only give you a big burst of growth and slow down the flowering process. Any Garden Center should have one or more of these products. They are all water soluable and move through the plant quickly for good fast results. Also these fertilizers will encourage larger flowers, and more colorful flowers.

[texdav]

Make sure that if in pots you repot as many times the soil is used up and it is best to repot with a mix of the old with compost. Just chenical fertilzers alone have habit of leveig salts in the soil. Normally why if you live i the south planting in the grund gives better results.

[fierce_flawless]

Thanks all.

I went and bought some more appropriate food, and applied it to my flowering plants. I am still trying to figure out where to plant the Hibiscus because I've seen them get quite tall around here and I have to have a strategy.

Oddly, after posting here about my Magnolia, it started looking really awful with dead leaves all over! I removed the dead leaves and there are also healthy green ones and "buds" all over that I assume are leaves about to sprout. I don't know what else could be up with the Mag though. I didn't change a thing in the watering habits.

Hopefully I'll see blooms now on the Hibiscus and get it in the ground this week.

thanks!