Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Germander Speedwell bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Germander Speedwell, Bird's-eye Speedwell, Angel's Eyes (Veronica chamaedrys).

More about germander speedwell

About Germander Speedwell

Veronica chamaedrys · also called Germander Speedwell, Bird's-eye Speedwell · flowering

Veronica chamaedrys is a low-growing native perennial wildflower found throughout the UK, Europe, and temperate Asia, typically carpeting grassy banks, hedgerows, and woodland edges with vivid sky-blue flowers from early spring to midsummer. It thrives in moist, reasonably fertile soil in sun or partial shade and spreads by creeping, rooting stems to form a dense, weed-suppressing mat. The most important care point is to keep soil consistently moist during dry spells, as the plant quickly wilts under drought. It is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons germander speedwell isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming germander speedwell 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 germander speedwell 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 germander speedwell to flower

Maximise sun. Give germander speedwell 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 germander speedwell and get the feeding right with the germander speedwell 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

Germander Speedwell 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 germander speedwell care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Germander Speedwell blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my germander speedwell flower?

Germander Speedwell 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 germander speedwell bloom?

Give germander speedwell 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 germander speedwell normally bloom?