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Achillia not flowering

*Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
in Plants
I have grown some achillia from seed I’ve had it a couple of years but it hasn’t ever flowered! Any ideas? It may be a little early yet this year but all I have is nice foliage so far. Only other point is it’s in pots as I haven’t anywhere to plant it in the ground. it’s in full sun.

Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I have never found they like being in pots but it can be done. Are the pots big enough, what compost are you using and how often do you water them?
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
    Hmmm medium size pots general purpose compost, the pots are with a few others that have different plants in them and I tend to water them all at the same time together I’m wondering if they get too much water?? Couldn’t do much about it today as we had a thunderstorm and huge downpour! 

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Hmmm. Do they get lots of sun? I'm thinking a medium pot is about 12 inches diameter?
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
    Hello! Yes that’s about the size of the pots they’re terracotta, they get sun most of the day they sit by the west wall of the house as it’s the sunniest, I’ve only got a west or north  area outside where I can put anything and the north is always in the shade! unfortunately it’s concrete everywhere so no space to plant in the ground.
  • AstroAstro Posts: 433
    It's often suggested they do best in pretty impoverished conditions and I've found this to be the case. When they are in fertile soil they seem to put on lots of foliage and become floppy in my experience. I have some in full sun, clay soil without any feeding or supplemental watering and they perform great. 
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I'm stumped, then, I'm afraid. Like Astro, mine are in clay and are real thugs!
  • AstroAstro Posts: 433
    Well basing it on the idea of many plants flowering quicker when under stress perhaps the richer soil of MPC is stopping that? Or the nutrients are encouraging foliage growth. I've had them in richer soil  and ended up trimming foliage back.
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
    Thanks for that I’m thinking now that the compost is probably too much for them? they have lovely fluffy leaves! When I can get into a garden centre I’ll see if I can get a bag of grit & re pot them, mixing the grit in. I’ve only got the option of using bagged compost unless anyone has any other ideas? I doubt the garden centre will sell rubbish soil for Stroppy plants!
    but if anyone can suggest what I can use let me know I’d love to get some flowers on them this summer!
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I would mix 50/50 mpc and grit. Keep them in the sunniest spot and let them drain and dry out between waterings - so no saucer or at least on pot feet. Treating them mean should force them to flower, hopefully! I have some currently in flower in clay soil with loads of grit added. Once they flower, you could top the pots up with a bit of extra compost if you feel they need a boost.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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