Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Early Goldenrod bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Early Goldenrod, Plume Goldenrod, Sharp-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago juncea).

More about early goldenrod

About Early Goldenrod

Solidago juncea · also called Early Goldenrod, Plume Goldenrod · flowering

Solidago juncea earns its common name by flowering earlier than almost any other goldenrod, typically from July through August across eastern and central North America. Stiff stems carry arching, plume-like panicles of bright yellow flowers rising above lance-shaped, sharply toothed basal leaves. The plant spreads via short rhizomes and can colonise space quickly, so it is best suited to larger naturalistic plantings or prairie gardens. The single most important care point is dividing clumps every two years to prevent aggressive spread. It is not listed as toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons early goldenrod isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming early goldenrod 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 early goldenrod 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 early goldenrod to flower

Maximise sun. Give early goldenrod 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 early goldenrod and get the feeding right with the early goldenrod 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

Early Goldenrod 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 early goldenrod care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Early Goldenrod blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my early goldenrod flower?

Early Goldenrod 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 early goldenrod bloom?

Give early goldenrod 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 early goldenrod normally bloom?