Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Weigela 'Nana Variegata' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Variegated Weigela, Dwarf Variegated Weigela, Nana Variegata Weigela (Weigela florida 'Nana Variegata').

More about weigela 'nana variegata'

About Weigela 'Nana Variegata'

Weigela florida 'Nana Variegata' · also called Variegated Weigela, Dwarf Variegated Weigela · flowering

A compact, slow-growing deciduous shrub valued for cream-and-green variegated foliage as much as its rosy-pink trumpet flowers in late spring to early summer. More restrained than species weigela, suiting smaller gardens and borders. Generally considered non-toxic to pets.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower profusely: Usually caused by pruning at the wrong time. Weigela blooms on the previous year's wood. Prune immediately after flowering, not in autumn or spring, to avoid removing next season's buds.

The reasons weigela 'nana variegata' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming weigela 'nana variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' to flower

Maximise sun. Give weigela 'nana variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' and get the feeding right with the weigela 'nana variegata' 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

Weigela 'Nana Variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Weigela 'Nana Variegata' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my weigela 'nana variegata' flower?

Weigela 'Nana Variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' bloom?

Give weigela 'nana variegata' 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 weigela 'nana variegata' normally bloom?