Why the number of wintersweets blooming decreases year by year

No strength pruning and pinching

After each flowering of wintersweet, it must be intensively pruned, even if it does not bloom that year. After the flowering period ends (around the end of February), cut off all new branches above the base of the one-year-old branches 2 cm to 3 cm away. At the same time, cut off diseased and insect-infested branches, weak branches, and irregular branches. In this way, many new branches will grow when they sprout in spring.

When the new branches grow to 10~15cm, pick off 1/3 to 1/2 of the new shoots. Repeatedly pinching the tops 2 to 3 times can make the new branches short and strong, which is conducive to the growth of flower buds.

Insufficient light

Wintersweet is a strongly sun-loving flower and can accept full sunlight in areas south of the Huaihe River. It does not need shade. Otherwise, the branches and leaves will grow too long due to insufficient light, which will affect the development of flower buds. Check whether the flowers in your home are growing too long and their flower buds are being hindered due to lack of sunlight.

Improper fertilization

If you want the wintersweet to bloom more, you should apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. You can regularly bury a small amount of compound fertilizer granules and control the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Otherwise, too much nitrogen fertilizer and insufficient phosphorus and potassium will also be unfavorable for bud formation and flowering. When choosing fertilizers at home, ask about the proportions of various elements, and try to choose fertilizers that are low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus and potassium before and after flowering.

The pot soil is too wet

During its growing season, especially after June, the potted plants should not be watered too much, otherwise the branches will grow wildly, which is not conducive to the differentiation of flower buds on new branches. During maintenance and management, the potting soil should be kept moist.

Winter temperature is high

Potted wintersweets can spend the winter outdoors in some parts of the south, or on the balcony, as long as the soil in the pot is not frozen. But in northern regions, the plants need to be moved indoors. After entering winter, wintersweet has a short period of dormancy. If the temperature exceeds 12℃ at this time, the plant cannot fully dormant and will sprout and grow shoots prematurely, causing the branches to be slender and weak in the next year, making it difficult to produce flower buds.