Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Fellowship Michaelmas daisy, pink Michaelmas daisy (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship').
More about symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship'
About Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship'
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' · also called Fellowship Michaelmas daisy, pink Michaelmas daisy · flowering
A showy Michaelmas daisy bearing large, fully double clear-pink flowers with yellow centres on bushy 0.9 m stems through early to mid-autumn. This New York aster loves full sun and moist, fertile soil and forms dense clumps smothered in bloom. A first-rate late nectar plant, it is pet-safe per the ASPCA but notoriously susceptible to powdery mildew without good culture.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' and get the feeding right with the symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' 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
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' flower?
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' bloom?
Give symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' 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 symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' normally bloom?
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' flowering?
Feeding symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'fellowship' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Fellowship' fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library