Forsythia - won't bloom

[rebelshope]

We have a forsythia bush that will not bloom. Well it blooms, but only a little here and there. I am just wondering how to get it blooming.

It is in a fairly sunny place for the spring, but then for the summer it is partly shaded. I have pruned it in the past, but did nothing with it last year. I was told at one point that I might want to prune in way back, but I can't remember if it was to about a foot or about three ft.

 

[patandchickens]

What variety is it (or what source did it come from), if you know -- and where are you located? I ask because forsythia buds are much less cold-hardy than the plant as a whole. Especially if wind is involved. Is it possible that's your problem?

I would also wonder whether you're pruning all the new growth (which carries the flowers) off, but you say you did not prune last year and it still didn't bloom, so probably that's not it.

Forsythia should bloom somewhat even in partial shade, so I am skeptical that's the problem. (It still does get at least several hours of sun, with good bright light even when it's shaded, right?)

I guess if it's not a cold-hardiness issue (and some cultivars are much hardier than others), then beats me

Good luck,

Pat

 

[rebelshope]

I have no idea what cultivar it is. It was where when we got the place. I bet it is a cold hardy issue. It gets a lot of wind and it was pretty cold this winter.

It there anything I can do to protect it over the winter? Would putting a bag over it help?

 

[patandchickens]

I have no idea what cultivar it is. It was where when we got the place. I bet it is a cold hardy issue. It gets a lot of wind and it was pretty cold this winter.
It there anything I can do to protect it over the winter? Would putting a bag over it help?

If the plant's been there for a while, do you have any neighbors whom you could ask whether the plant used to flower. If it did, it isn't a coldhardiness issue.

A bag is just going to get thrashed all around in the wind, rip apart and possibly damage the plant in the process. I suppose you could *try a triangular burlap shield all the way around it on stout t-posts. But I would not necessarily hold my breath.

If it's an older bush with thick branches you might try cutting a third or half of them back to a foot or so and see what happens, but unless you are regularly pruning off all new wood, I again would not hold my breath.

Sometimes plants just do what they feel like, and sometimes what they feel like doesn't involve a lot of flowers What if you plant another forsythia somewhere else in your yard <g>

Good luck,

Pat

 

[bills]

There are 11 varietys of forsythia, so perhaps you have one of the types that are not particularly good at flowering. Some types are far more prolific in blossoms then others.

They are fairly easy to propogate from new growth cuttings. I have just dipped some in #2 root starter, and stuck them in the ground, and away they go. You could try starting a few cuttings in a different area, and see if they grow to be good blossomers.