Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Lesser Quaking Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Lesser quaking grass, Small quaking grass, Little quaking grass (Briza minor).

More about lesser quaking grass

About Lesser Quaking Grass

Briza minor · also called Lesser quaking grass, Small quaking grass · flowering

A slender, graceful annual grass native to the Mediterranean basin and Atlantic Europe, widely naturalised in mild-winter regions worldwide. It produces airy panicles of tiny, triangular spikelets — smaller than those of its relative Briza media — that dangle on thread-fine stems and flutter in any breeze, making it a popular choice for cutting gardens and naturalistic meadow sowings. It is a cool-season annual that germinates in autumn or early spring and completes its life cycle by early summer; the single most important care point is to sow it in well-drained soil in a sunny position and allow it to self-seed for successive displays. Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA; considered pet-safe.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphid attack on flower stems: Colonies of aphids can build up on flower stems in spring, distorting spikelets; knock off with a strong jet of water or apply an insecticidal soap spray.

The reasons lesser quaking grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming lesser quaking grass 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 lesser quaking grass 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 lesser quaking grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give lesser quaking grass 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 lesser quaking grass and get the feeding right with the lesser quaking grass 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

Lesser Quaking Grass 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 lesser quaking grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Lesser Quaking Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my lesser quaking grass flower?

Lesser Quaking Grass 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 lesser quaking grass bloom?

Give lesser quaking grass 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 lesser quaking grass normally bloom?