Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Calibrachoa 'Superbells Lemon Slice' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Superbells Lemon Slice, Million Bells Lemon Slice (Calibrachoa × hybrida 'Superbells Lemon Slice').

More about calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice'

About Calibrachoa 'Superbells Lemon Slice'

Calibrachoa × hybrida 'Superbells Lemon Slice' · also called Superbells Lemon Slice, Million Bells Lemon Slice · flowering

A vigorous trailing calibrachoa prized for its pinwheel bicolour blooms striped yellow and white, like tiny petunias. A heavy-feeding annual for hanging baskets and containers, it flowers non-stop from spring to frost in full sun. It needs sharp drainage, steady moisture and weekly feeding to keep the cascade dense and colourful.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Few flowers / leggy growth: Insufficient light or under-feeding reduces blooming. Move to full sun and feed weekly; a light trim mid-season revives a tired, stretched plant.

The reasons calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' to flower

Maximise sun. Give calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' and get the feeding right with the calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' 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 'Superbells Lemon Slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Calibrachoa 'Superbells Lemon Slice' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' flower?

Calibrachoa 'Superbells Lemon Slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' bloom?

Give calibrachoa 'superbells lemon slice' 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 'superbells lemon slice' normally bloom?