From my perspective, light is my food. I use sunlight to perform photosynthesis, which creates the energy I need to grow, stay healthy, and most importantly, produce flowers. If I am placed in a spot that is too shady, I simply cannot generate enough surplus energy to create blooms. My survival becomes my only priority. I will focus my limited resources on growing taller stems with larger leaves to desperately search for more light, a process called etiolation. You might notice my stems becoming long, leggy, and weak, with wide spaces between the leaf nodes. To encourage me to flower, I need a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct, bright sunlight per day. More is even better. Please move me to the sunniest location you have.
When you feed me, the type of plant food you use is crucial. If you give me a fertilizer with high nitrogen content, you are essentially telling me to focus all my energy on growing lush, green leaves at the expense of my flowers. Nitrogen promotes vigorous vegetative growth. To initiate my flowering process, I need a fertilizer that is higher in phosphorus (the middle number in the N-P-K ratio on the bottle). Phosphorus is the nutrient that specifically supports the development of strong roots, seeds, and, most importantly, blooms. Please look for a fertilizer labeled "Bloom Booster" or something similar with a ratio like 5-10-5 and follow the instructions carefully. Overfeeding me can also harm my roots and prevent flowering.
My watering needs are a delicate balance. If you let my soil become completely dry for extended periods, I become stressed. In a state of stress, my sole mission is survival, and I will abort flower buds to conserve water and energy. Conversely, if my roots are constantly sitting in soggy, waterlogged soil, they will begin to rot. Damaged roots cannot effectively absorb water or nutrients, no matter how much you provide. This also puts me under extreme stress and makes flowering impossible. Please water me deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, and ensure my pot has excellent drainage so any excess water can escape freely.
As a flowering plant, my biological purpose is to reproduce by creating seeds. If you allow my old, spent flowers to wither and die on my stems, I will continue to pour energy into developing those seed heads. My job is not finished, so I see no reason to produce new blooms. This is where you can help me. By deadheading—gently removing the faded flower clusters—you signal to me that my attempt to set seed was unsuccessful. To complete my reproductive cycle, I will redirect my energy into producing a fresh wave of beautiful flowers to try again. Regularly snipping off the old blooms is a clear message for me to keep flowering.
