Lantana plants blooms are colorful and are made up of small clusters of tiny flowers. They delight gardeners, hummingbirds and butterflies and are consistent bloomers during the spring and summer months. In some growing zones they can bloom year round making them a favorite easy to care for landscape plant. But what happens when these beautiful plants stop blooming?
There are a number of reasons that this can be happening and one of the top ones is too much care. That is right these plants thrive when neglected and if you are pruning, clipping, watering and fertilizing your plants too much they are just not going to perform. When it comes to lantanas less is more.
Common Reasons Why Lantana Aren’t Blooming
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Not planted in the right location. Lantanas love full sun. They can tolerate a bit of shade but too much shade and your plants will not bloom properly. They need at least six hours of full sun to bloom.
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Too much water. Lantanas benefit from a deep soaking once a week. Too much water or more frequent watering can weaken the root system and also affect how the plant blooms.
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Too much fertilizer. Overfeeding your plants may boost their growth but it will also limit the number of blooms. Use a good all purpose fertilizer once a year in the spring and then leave your plants alone. Lantana does best with minimal feedings.
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Pest such as lace bug insects. Lantanas are pretty pest resistant but there are a few that can feed on new growth and delicate flower buds. Inspect your plants for pest and use a good natural pest killer or blast from the garden hose to keep your plants free of hungry bugs.
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Too small of a container. For lantanas planted in a pot they can become root bound and this can cause them to shut down and stop producing flowers. Transplant or divide your plants every few years to keep this from happening or use grow bags. These allow for healthier root systems as they stop plants from becoming root bound. When the roots hit the sides of a grow bag they stop growing.
Does Pruning Lantana Help Them Bloom?
Removing old wood and damaged plant stems will help keep your plant healthy and blooming. Regular deadheading also helps keep your plant healthy and full of flowers.
Does Fertilizing Lantana Help Them Bloom?
Lantanas do not need or want a lot of extra fertilizer or nutrients. They do best with a yearly dose of general fertilizer or compost. They like more acidic soil so a mulch that contains pine needles is ideal for lantana plants.
Get Lantana To Produce More Blooms
The best way to encourage more blooms on your lantana plants is to give it plenty of sunshine, consistent watering, good drainage and regular deadheading of spent blooms. Also make sure that you choose varieties that thrive and do well in your growing zone.
Why Aren’t Lantana Blooming
- Not enough sunshine. Lantana needs six hours a day.
- Too much water
- Too much fertilizer
- Needs deadheading
- Possible pest issues
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Author Janice Cox - Published 12-15-2021 |