From my perspective as a plant, light is my primary source of energy, the very currency I use to create flowers. Flowers are incredibly expensive for me to produce. If I am situated in a spot that receives less than six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day, I simply cannot generate enough photosynthetic energy (sugars) to fund the extravagant project of blooming. My survival will always be my first priority, so I will direct all my energy into growing leaves and vines to seek out more light, leaving nothing in the reserve for blossoms.
Your feeding regimen directly impacts my ability to bloom. If you provide me with a fertilizer too high in nitrogen, you are essentially telling me to focus all my resources on vigorous vegetative growth—leaves and stems. I will respond by becoming lush and green, but with no incentive to flower. Conversely, if I am growing in nutrient-depleted soil, I am too weak and malnourished to even consider the taxing process of reproduction. I require a balanced diet, specifically a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number in the N-P-K ratio) as the blooming season approaches, to encourage flower bud formation.
Your well-intentioned pruning can accidentally remove my flowering potential. I typically form my flower buds on new growth that emerges from the current season's stems. If you prune me heavily in early spring, you are cutting away the wood that was preparing to produce those buds. A harsh prune tells me to redirect all my energy into regenerating lost vines instead of developing flowers. The best time for major pruning is late winter or early spring, just as I am breaking dormancy, but before I have put significant energy into new growth.
Several other conditions can affect my flowering cycle. If I am too young or immature, I may not be developmentally ready to bloom; my initial years are dedicated to establishing a strong root system and vine structure. Extreme stress, such as drought or waterlogged roots, will also halt blooming, as my sole focus becomes survival. Furthermore, a sudden shift in my environment, like a heatwave or an unusually cold snap, can cause me to drop existing buds as a protective measure. Finally, if I am severely root-bound in a container, my growth becomes restricted, and I cannot access the nutrients and water needed to support blooms, signaling that it is time for a larger home.
