Plumbago Not Blooming (5 Reasons and Solutions)

Plumbago is a beautiful flower of purple and violet color. It’s a summer plant that gives a beautiful look to your garden. But often due to lack of nutrients, overuse of fertilizers, excess watering, lack of Sunlight and cold temperature, and attacks by Aphids can cause hindrance in the blooming of the flowers. 

Do not worry about Plumbago not blooming. It is very easy to take care of these problems at home without any special expertise. 

Here you will also get the recipe for homemade fertilizer and pesticides that will protect your plant without causing any harm.

Also if you feel exhausted with homemade solutions you can switch them with commercial solutions. 

Reasons	Solutions
Lack of nutrient	Use compost fertilizer
Overuse of fertilizer	Use once in two week
Excess water	Half an inch each week
Cold Temperature	60 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
Weather	Summer plant
Attack by Aphids	Use pesticide

5 Reasons Why Plumbago Is Not Blooming

1. Lack of Nutrient

The most common problem regarding the flowering of Plumbago is the lack of nutrients. In most cases when the plants cannot absorb proper nutrients from the soil then they suffer from a deficiency. 

Behind this lack of nutrients, there can be two reasons. The first one is due to the lack of micro and macro nutrients available in the soil.

And the second one is, the root is suffering from diseases, which is making it difficult to absorb nutrients. 

Symptoms

The deficiency of nutrients becomes more visible in the leaves and stems of the Plumbago. Whenever the blooming is late, take a check on the color Changing of leaves and stem. 

If the color is yellow and in some parts, it is Brown or blackish then there is a deficiency of potassium and phosphorus. The total loss of chlorophyll can also indicate the absence of magnesium in the leaves and stems.

A deficiency of potassium, Phosphorus, and magnesium causes a delay in the formation of flowers. As a result not only do they Bloom lately, the flowers are unhealthy and not that vibrant in color. 

Solutions

The fertilizer you are going to choose for Plumbago must be enriched with potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. You can find these fertilizers both online and offline.

In case you do not want to take help from chemical fertilizers then there is a way of making your own fertilizer at home.

For this, you will need lawn clippings and composable products of natural substances like scrap food and vegetables from your kitchen and dining. Here is the process of doing it in just 3 steps.

Step 1: Collecting Perishable Material

Collecting the perishable material can be tricky. The best way to do it is by collecting the scrapped food from your dining table.

The peeled skin of vegetables and the residue of animal protein is the best compostable item in your home.

If you have a garden then the fallen leaves or the trimmed grass are also compostable matter. Collect all this at a definite place in your yard or lawn.

Step 2: Burying the Items

Do not dig a deeper hole. It should be enough to cover all the items with 2 to 3 inches layers of soil. Make sure that this place has good access to sunlight. 

To get the compost fertilizer you have to leave the mixture for at least one to two weeks. This depends on the humidity and temperature in your area.

It is best to dig up a small area and check if the materials have been composed or not. 

Step 3: Applying Fertilizer

Once the decomposition is completed, it is time to apply. To apply this fertilizer mix it with the soil around the root. After applying the fertilizer water the plant which makes it easier to absorb the nutrient. 

With this fertilizer, Plumbago will bloom within one to two months.  

2. Overuse of Fertilizer

Fertilizer is an important part of gardening. But using them in an extensive amount is not going to help. Rather it can cause disruption in the blooming of flowers. 

Overuse of fertilizer means using them in large amounts and off periods. The reaction is seen in the delay of flowering and the timing of blooming. 

Symptoms

If you are using fertilizer and still not having the proper time of flowering, then you must look at the amount of fertilizer.

Also, the excess use of fertilizer will lead to the growth of leaves in the apex of the flower. Thus in the off-season, you will see new growth of leaves and stems. The plant will look more vibrant than usual just in color.

Solutions

To avoid over-fertilization, the best thing to do is, to use natural fertilizers. Natural fertilizers have fewer side effects than chemical ones.

Apply the fertilizer every two weeks in the spring and summer seasons. As soon as you see the apex is ready for flower, stop fertilizing.

This will ensure that your plant has enough nutrients to bloom flowers and not excess to cause disruption. 

3. Overwatering the Plant

Plumbago doesn’t have a friendly relationship with overwatering. No matter what the circumstances are, Plumbago reflects negatively in the presence of excess water.

Watering helps plants to process nutrition. But overwatering leads to nutrition deficiency as it directly harms the root of the plant. 

Symptoms

Symptoms of overwatering directly reflect on the root and lower stem of the plant. First, there will be a color change. The roots will be brownish and dirty. 

Gradually in no time, the roots and stem will start to rot. The identification of rotting is not difficult. It gets smelly, fibrous, and mushy.

Solutions

The solution to over-watering is simple. Water Plumbago one or two times a week keeping in mind that it requires only half an inch of water per week. 

To ensure that there is no water accumulation on the pot, there should be 4 holes to drain away any excess water. Placing pebbles on the bottom of the pot also helps with water drainage. 

You can also determine the water requirement by the moisture in the soil. The soil must not be Grumpy but rather have 70% to 80% moisture. 

If a plant is planted on soil ground, then it should be planted on a higher soil bed.

This way every time you water the plants the soil will soak the amount your plant needs and the rest will flow away. Also, the soil bed helps to apply the fertilizer in the proper amount. 

4. Cold Temperature and Lack of Sunlight

Plumbago is a plant that prefers sunny weather. This includes a warm temperature along with the presence of sunlight. 

The presence of Sunlight boosts the photosynthesis process and the warm temperature helps with metabolism. 

The temperature being too low the roots cannot absorb nutrients from the soil and the stems become rigid to supply nutrients from leaves to other parts. As a result, the blooming of flowers is late.

Symptoms

Symptoms of suffering from cold temperatures are similar to nutrient deficiency. Plants’ leaves will start to turn yellow and then brown.

If the cold temperature and the lack of Sunlight persist for a long time then the plant will dry up and die as it got burnt in the Sun. Whereas the case is actually the opposite.

Solutions

The ideal temperature for Plumbago is 60℉ to 80 ℉. A temperature of less than 50℉ causes distress in the plant. To solve the temperature problem there are two measures.

First to do the plantation in the Spring season and second is relocating the plant in the winter season.

Due to the plantation in the spring season, the plants survive in the summer season. If you notice that the temperature is dropping below 55℉ then we locate the plant in the indoor facility.

Plumbago requires about 8 to 10 hours of sunlight per day. To provide this amount of sunlight you can also install artificial lighting of 50 watts.

These lights are easy to install and can get the required results in no time. By implementing all the solutions you see that the plant is blooming flowers in no time. 

5. Attack By Aphids

Among the pests, Aphids attack Plumbago the most. Like any other plant, Aphids target the leaves and the stems of this plant.

The attack of Aphids causes nutrient deficiency in the plant which leads to a delay in the flower blooming. Due to the attack of the pests, the plant will face a severe lack of magnesium and Calcium.

The infection of Aphids can cause severe damage to the plant which is not only stopping the blooming of flowers rather will lead to the death of the plants. Taking proper care can stop this damage from happening. 

Symptoms

Symptoms of attack by Aphids are quite vibrant. Attack by Aphids causes a deficiency of magnesium and Calcium which leads to a lack of chlorophyll. The plant will turn to Purple color slowly.

The change of color will start from the leaves and spread to the stems. You will also see holes and cuts in the leaves which were done by the pests. 

Solutions

There are several pesticides available in the market that target and remove aphids from your plant. These are very effective.

But these commercial products are chemical based. As a result, it won’t be surprising to have side effects which might cause harm for your plant.  

There are actually ways by which you can make your own pesticides to get rid of the Aphids from your plants. 

For the self-made pesticide, you will require water, Neem oil, and soap. Try to use organic soaps or grated glycerine which makes it more environment friendly.

For this mixture first, combine the water with the soap and then put the Neem oil in the mixture.

Spray the mixture on the plant. Try to spray directly into the affected area and the pests. The plant should be wet with pesticides.

Once you are done with spraying, wait 24 hours to get rid of Aphids. After dealing with the pests you would need to get rid of the affected part with a sharp knife or scissors. This ensures quick recovery of the plant.

Just after 2 months of getting rid of the pests, there will be new blooms in your plant. You will have beautiful flowers in your garden.

Basic Requirements for Plumbago

Basic Requirement	Scale
pH of soil	6.1 to 7.3
Sunlight	8 to 10 hrs a day
Temperature	60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Moisture of soil	70 to 80 percent

FAQs

Does plumbago need to be cut back?

It’s ideal to prune them after they are done blooming until late spring (consider Fourth July). On the off chance that the plant is blossoming from summer through fall, similar to your plumbago, it’s sprouting on new development, and pruning ought to be finished in the late winter to support loads of new development tips.

Why is my blue plumbago dying?

It seems like your Plumbago plant is enduring chlorosis which is a yellowing of leaf tissue because of an absence of chlorophyll. Potential reasons for chlorosis incorporate unfortunate seepage, harmed roots, compacted roots, high alkalinity, and supplement lacks in the plant.

How do I revive my plumbago?

On the off chance that ice kills a plumbago bush, hold on until pre-spring or spring before pruning the dead plant material. After the last ice, prune the plumbago back to solid development. You might need to prune it the entire way to the ground, however, new shoots will fill in the spring as long as the roots have matured.

Final Words

Plumbago not blooming can be saddening for any gardener. But all the steps mentioned here are easy to execute and we’ll give you results in just one or two months depending on the severity. 

Just remember before implementing any solutions try to recognize the problem with the given symptoms.

Moving the plant from one place to another, changing pots, and using pesticides and fertilizers are all you will need to take care of these plants.