Sweet Woodruff Advice?

Anam Cara

Hey all you fellow herb gardeners out there,
I'm hoping you can help me?!

I planted sweet woodruff in a shady spot under a HUGE tree
on our patio. The plant has spread and is healthy and green, but...
no blooms??!?!?!

It didn't flower last year or this year... what's up?

Thank you in advance!
:heart:

Cara

Hemera

Maybe you use a wrong fertilizer? I think if the nitrogen ratio (N) is too big it promotes leaf growth. Phosphorus (P) is for flowering. Maybe you could ask your garden center?

Or maybe it just needs time to grow and establish itself?
I had the same problem with my huge old Hibiscus earlier this year. It had everything it needed (-and I tried different fertilizers, too) but it just produced big leaves. Until one day in July it had grown enough and it started flowering. I did not do anything differently but it was quite suddenly filled with buds and now there´s a new big flower opening almost daily.

Anam Cara

Hemera said:
Maybe you use a wrong fertilizer? I think if the nitrogen ratio (N) is too big it promotes leaf growth. Phosphorus (P) is for flowering. Maybe you could ask your garden center?

Or maybe it just needs time to grow and establish itself?
I had the same problem with my huge old Hibiscus earlier this year. It had everything it needed (-and I tried different fertilizers, too) but it just produced big leaves. Until one day in July it had grown enough and it started flowering. I did not do anything differently but it was quite suddenly filled with buds and now there´s a new big flower opening almost daily.

Thanks Hemera!
You could be on to something... I don't fertilize my herbs at all as it's my understanding the scent and taste are stronger when grown unfertilized.
I mulch and use my homemade compost, but haven't tried any fertilizers yet.
I'll ask at our local nursery - maybe they'll have a suggestion what kind to try.

Your hibiscus sounds lovely!

:heart:

Cara

Hemera

Yes, and if you dont want to fertilize thats okay. I actually rarely fertilize any of my plants.

But then you just have to wait for the plant to be ready for flowering :cool2:

The crowned one

What type of tree is it under? The tree's "droppings, and seasonal changes" really effect the soil. A big tree has had a lot of time to change the ground to suit it...

I should mention it needs a fair bit of water, the trade off for blooms is what some call invasive growth.. leans towards slightly acidic soil ..

Anam Cara

TCO, I just knew someone would ask the type of tree, and I'm embarrassed to admit...
I don't know!
And you're right about it having had plenty of time... It's likely the same age as our home -
61!

I water it fairly regularly (important here in the summer and early fall, when temps
are usually hot hot HOT!) and it's green and lush, just no blooms.

It's unlikely to invade as it's boxed in by cement patio and shares a bed with
some pretty sturdy rosemary. I really love how the woodruff nests itself under
the rosemary, and I think the rosemary is stout enough to fend off an invasion!

:heart:

Cara

The crowned one

Well if the rosemary is doing well you can assume ( always dangerous I know

) the soil is slightly acidic. So that should not be an issue.

Woodruff is a polite plant LOL, it grows around other plants but invades empty areas .

Sweet Woodruff Advice?

Anam Cara

Hemera

Anam Cara

Hemera

The crowned one

Anam Cara

The crowned one