My water balance is critical for holding onto my beautiful buds and flowers. When my caretaker allows my soil to become too dry, I experience immense stress. My roots cannot draw up water, and my cells lose turgor pressure. To survive, I must prioritize my core functions—keeping my stems and leaves alive—so I sacrifice my most delicate parts: the buds and flowers. They wither and drop first. Conversely, if my pot has poor drainage or I am watered too frequently, my roots are suffocated. Without oxygen, they begin to rot and die. A compromised root system cannot support the high energy demands of blooming, forcing me to jettison my reproductive structures to save myself.
Blooming is an energetically expensive process for me. To develop my intricate buds and sustain my flowers, I require a steady supply of specific nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium. If I am growing in nutrient-poor soil without any supplemental feeding, I simply lack the resources to complete the bud development process. I may abort them preemptively. On the other hand, an excess of nitrogen, often found in general-purpose fertilizers, encourages me to produce an abundance of lush, green leaves at the expense of flowers. My system becomes unbalanced, and I may drop existing buds because my energy is redirected to vegetative growth.
I am a creature of habit. Any abrupt change in my surroundings triggers a stress response that can lead to bud blast. If I was recently brought home from a nursery or moved from one room to another, the shift in light intensity, temperature, and humidity can be shocking. Similarly, a sudden cold draft from an open window or a blast of hot, dry air from a heating vent is deeply disruptive. My buds are highly sensitive; they interpret these sudden changes as a sign that conditions are unfavorable for successful pollination and seed production. To avoid wasting energy on a futile effort, I will drop them.
While I enjoy bright conditions, direct, scorching afternoon sun is too intense for me. It can literally cook my tender buds and flowers, causing them to dry out, brown, and fall. High temperatures, especially at night, increase my respiration rate, meaning I burn through my energy reserves faster than I can produce them. This energy deficit often results in bud drop. Conversely, if I am kept in a location that is too dark, I cannot perform sufficient photosynthesis to generate the carbohydrates needed to support flowering. In low light, my stems may also become leggy as I stretch for light, further weakening my overall structure and ability to hold buds.
The period from bud formation to flower opening is a delicate one. If my pot is frequently rotated or I am physically jostled, the physical disturbance can cause the fragile connection between the bud stalk and the stem to break. Furthermore, if pests like aphids, spider mites, or thrips invade, they directly attack my buds and flowers, sucking out the sap and nutrients. This damage weakens the buds and introduces stress, compelling me to abandon them. It is a defense mechanism to divert resources towards fighting the infestation and maintaining basic health.
