Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called MiniFamous Double Amethyst, Double Million Bells (Calibrachoa × hybrida 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst').

More about calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst'

About Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst'

Calibrachoa × hybrida 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst' · also called MiniFamous Double Amethyst, Double Million Bells · flowering

A double-flowered calibrachoa bearing dense, rosette-like purple blooms resembling miniature double petunias. Compact and mounding, it suits baskets, window boxes and patio pots, flowering all summer in full sun. Like all calibrachoa it is a hungry, thirst-sensitive annual needing sharp drainage, slightly acidic compost and consistent feeding for the fullest amethyst display.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Balling / rotting double blooms: The packed double flowers hold water and can rot or fail to open in wet, cool weather. Improve airflow, avoid overhead watering and site in full sun.

The reasons calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' to flower

Maximise sun. Give calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' and get the feeding right with the calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' flower?

Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Double Amethyst' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' bloom?

Give calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does calibrachoa 'minifamous double amethyst' normally bloom?