Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Scarlet Tempest avens (Geum 'Scarlet Tempest').

More about geum 'scarlet tempest'

About Geum 'Scarlet Tempest'

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' · also called Scarlet Tempest avens · flowering

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' is a compact, long-blooming avens bearing semi-double, ruffled scarlet flowers with subtle apricot tones over neat mounds of fresh green foliage. Flowering generously from late spring well into summer, it is tidy, weather-resistant and reliable in sunny to lightly shaded borders and containers, and it pairs vividly with cool blues and purples.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Drought stress: Dry soil scorches leaves and shortens flowering. Keep evenly moist, mulch in summer and water container plants regularly.

The reasons geum 'scarlet tempest' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming geum 'scarlet tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' to flower

Maximise sun. Give geum 'scarlet tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' and get the feeding right with the geum 'scarlet tempest' 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

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my geum 'scarlet tempest' flower?

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' bloom?

Give geum 'scarlet tempest' 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 geum 'scarlet tempest' normally bloom?