What should I do if the golden bell is upside down and it doesn't bloom?
Upside-down Golden Bell is very popular among gardening enthusiasts for its lantern-shaped flowers, but many flower lovers often encounter the problem of plants growing vigorously but not blooming. To solve this maintenance problem, systematic adjustments are needed from four dimensions: light regulation, nutrient management, water control, and plant pruning. Light control solutions The harm of insufficient light is a typical short-day plant that needs to ensure more than 4 hours of direct light every day. Insufficient light will lead to excessive plant growth, widening leaf spacing, and obstruction of flower bud differentiation. Experimental data shows that below 2000 lux, the flowering rate drops by more than 60%. Scientific filling techniques should ensure full sunshine in spring and autumn, and avoid noon strong light in summer. In winter, LED plant fill light (spectral ratio of red and blue light 7:3) can be used to supplement 2-3 hours of light every day. For balcony maintenance, it is recommended to turn the flowerpot 180 degrees every half of the month to ensure uniform light reception. Nutritional management plan Fertilizer ratio principle Apply water-soluble fertilizer with N-P-K=15-30-15 during the growing period (March to June), once every 10 days. Use high-phosphate fertilizer (N-P-K=10-50-10) during the bud appearing period, combined with organic liquid fertilizers such as seaweed extract. Special attention should be paid to avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer. When the leaves appear dark green and shiny but have no flower buds, nitrogen fertilizer application should be stopped immediately. The self-made organic fertilizer formula recommends using a compound formula of banana peel fermentation liquor (potassium source)+ eggshell powder (calcium source)+ rice washing water (trace elements), which is diluted in a ratio of 1:1:3 and used. Applying once a month can significantly improve flowering quality. Water control points and the quantitative standard for watering adopts the "fingertip test method": water when the index finger is inserted into the second joint of the soil. Keep the soil moist (water content 40-50%) in spring, and spray it every morning and evening to increase humidity during high temperatures in summer. Moderate water control needs to be controlled during the budding period, and keeping the soil slightly dry (water content of 30%) can stimulate flower bud development. Water quality treatment techniques recommend using tap water or rainwater that is left standing for 3 days for irrigation, and the water temperature should maintain a temperature difference of ±2℃ from the ambient temperature. Citric acid (concentration 0.5%) can be added once a month to adjust the soil pH to the optimal range of 5.5-6.5 in areas with alkaline water in the north. Plant shaping strategy The pruning time node will be finalized and pruned during the spring germination period, retaining 3-5 main branches. Cut off the 2 pairs of leaves under the residual flower in time after flowering to promote secondary flowering. Autumn shearing is carried out in late September to cut off 1/3 of the current year's branches to retain enough nutrients for wintering. Pushing and flower promotion techniques When the new branch grows to 6 leaves, the first picking is carried out, retaining 4 leaves. A plump plant type can be formed through 3-4 cycles of picking. Combined spraying of 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate after each picking can increase the flowering volume by 2-3 times.
Through the above-mentioned systematic maintenance plan and regular observation of plant conditions, the non-flowering situation can usually be improved in 2-3 months. It is recommended to establish a maintenance log to record specific data on each fertilization, watering, and pruning, and fine-tune the maintenance plan based on local climate characteristics, so that the inverted golden bell blooms with lanterns every year.