Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Superbells Trailing Blue, Trailing Million Bells (Calibrachoa × hybrida 'Superbells Trailing Blue').

More about calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue'

About Calibrachoa 'Superbells Trailing Blue'

Calibrachoa × hybrida 'Superbells Trailing Blue' · also called Superbells Trailing Blue, Trailing Million Bells · flowering

A strongly cascading calibrachoa producing long curtains of blue-violet, petunia-like bells, bred for hanging baskets and tall containers. It flowers non-stop in full sun from spring to frost without deadheading. Like all calibrachoa it is a hungry annual that needs sharp drainage, slightly acidic compost and steady feeding to keep the trailing stems clothed in flower.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' 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 trailing blue' 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 trailing blue' to flower

Maximise sun. Give calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' 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 trailing blue' and get the feeding right with the calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' 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 Trailing Blue' 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 trailing blue' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Calibrachoa 'Superbells Trailing Blue' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' flower?

Calibrachoa 'Superbells Trailing Blue' 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 trailing blue' bloom?

Give calibrachoa 'superbells trailing blue' 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 trailing blue' normally bloom?