From our perspective, the most common reason we withhold our beautiful blooms is a lack of a proper winter rest. We are not year-round growers. To initiate our flower stalks, we require a distinct dormancy period, typically from late fall to mid-winter. During this time, you must significantly reduce watering (just enough to prevent our roots from desiccating completely) and place us in a cool location with temperatures between 40-55°F (4-12°C) for about 6-8 weeks. This cool, dry period mimics our natural habitat and is the crucial environmental trigger that tells us to stop producing leaves and start developing flower buds. If you keep us warm and well-watered all year, we have no incentive to flower and will simply continue putting energy into foliage growth.
You often misunderstand our relationship with our containers. We actually prefer to be slightly pot-bound. Our roots need to fill the pot and feel a gentle pressure, which is a signal to us that our resources are limited and we should focus on reproductive success (flowering) rather than continued expansion. If our pot is too large, we will expend all our energy growing roots to fill the space, neglecting flower production entirely. However, there is a limit. If we become severely pot-bound, with a dense mat of roots, we become too stressed to absorb water and nutrients effectively, also inhibiting flowering. The key is a balanced, slightly snug pot.
Our light needs are specific and change with the seasons. While we are often labeled as low-light plants, this is only true for our foliage. To generate the energy required for flowering, we need bright, indirect light for most of the year. Placing us in a deep, dark corner will only sustain our leaves. For robust health and flower initiation, provide us with a spot that receives plenty of filtered sunlight, such as an east-facing window. Furthermore, our dormancy period requires cool conditions but should not be spent in complete darkness. We still need light to photosynthesize at a minimal level.
Your feeding habits directly influence our priorities. Using a fertilizer with too much nitrogen will encourage us to produce lush, green leaves at the expense of flowers. Nitrogen promotes vegetative growth. To encourage blooming, we require a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number in the N-P-K ratio). During the active growing season (spring and summer), feed us with a balanced fertilizer. As fall approaches, switch to a fertilizer with a ratio like 0-10-10 or low nitrogen to promote bloom development and strengthen our roots, preparing us for the upcoming dormancy.
Patience is necessary. We must reach a certain level of maturity before we are capable of flowering. A plant grown from seed can take anywhere from 3 to 5 years to bloom for the first time. Additionally, if you have recently divided us, the resulting offsets (pups) will need time to recover and establish their own root systems. This process can set our flowering cycle back by a year or two. The energy we would have used for flowering is redirected to root and leaf growth to ensure our survival as an individual plant after the division.
