Hello, I've had a potted camellia for three years that has never budded more than 2-3 flowers and always in the same locations. Hmmm. It seems healthy, robust, with shiney large green leaves; is growing into a tree form, and I feed it frequently with miracle grow for azalea/Camellia/Rhod food. It is in a 12 inch W and Deep plastic pot in partial filtered sun in winter and shade in hot summer. Last summer I encountered some white filmy areas but it is doing well now. My question is how can I produce more flowers? Must it be put in the earth? I am hoping to plant it when I move to the coast in summer 08; will it that make a difference? Thanks for the advice ahead of time! Emelle
When ready will bud up more, small specimens can be light-blooming. A common complaint is small plants brought home from retail outlets full of buds not blooming at all for years after first being purchased, apparently growers provide cultural conditions that promote heavy flowering. However, rather than trying to identify and duplicate these conditions (probably fertilization) might be just as well to let plants mostly grow for awhile, rather than expending energy on flowering - same as with blueberry bushes and dwarfed fruit trees. That way the plant is bigger sooner, and will have more production at that time than if it had been blooming up to that point.
