Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Jewel of Africa Nasturtium, Variegated Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa').

More about tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa'

About Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa'

Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' · also called Jewel of Africa Nasturtium, Variegated Nasturtium · flowering

'Jewel of Africa' is a climbing, variegated nasturtium with cream-marbled foliage and a mix of yellow, red, cream and peach trumpet flowers. Vigorous and easy, this fast-growing annual scrambles up supports or trails from containers. Both flowers and peppery leaves are edible. It thrives on neglect and poor soil, flowering best when not over-fed or overwatered.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — All leaves, few flowers: Caused by soil that is too rich or too much feed and water. Grow in lean soil, withhold fertiliser, and water moderately to trigger flowering.

The reasons tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' to flower

Maximise sun. Give tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' and get the feeding right with the tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' 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

Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' flower?

Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' bloom?

Give tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' 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 tropaeolum majus 'jewel of africa' normally bloom?