@PurpleRose Your camelia leaves are being eaten by adult vine weevils, so there is a good chance there are also VW grubs eating the roots. I would treat the soil with Vine Weevil nematodes when the weather warms up.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
The first picture looks as if it could be a leaf bud. Given the size that it is, you could expect a few flowers on it, followed by more in later years.
Over years of growing them in pots, I have learnt some handy tips. Firstly, give them a good soak with rainwater with some chelated iron added early in the season. Secondly, all through August and September, give them a bucket of water and seaweed fertiliser once a week (you will also have to water between times if it's very hot and dry, and watch out for periods of cloud, wind but no rain). Whenever possible I use rainwater from my water butt, as our tap water here is very limy. But they don't seem to mind the odd lapse as long as you give them iron. Yours looks very nice and green already, I'd be surprised if it was running short of nutrients.
I'm sure i read on the Glendoick website that white Camelias struggle to flower in Scotland. Are you in an upland area of Yorkshire that maybe has Scotland like conditions?
@Balgay.Hill we are very near to the coast. We are very lucky as in winter, we are slightly milder than other areas in the north of the country and in summer we have the sea breeze which keeps the air fresher than inland.
I had a similar experience with a camellia I bought. I had loved and nurtured it for several years but no flowers. Eventually I gave it a severe talking to, told it if it didn't buck up its ideas and have flowers within the next 18 months it would be committed to the compost heap! Hey presto flowers every year since. Just coincidence? Probably.
Your pics show flower buds. Keep a watch as they may be dropping before opening. Usually a sign of dryness at some time during the growing season. Camellias like damp conditions, it is amazing how much water they need to be happy.
If no flowers this year, I think I will give my Camellia a good talking to too @Joyce Goldenlily . They do say talking to plants is a thing to help them grow so you never know - its certainly worth a try.
Hopefully those buds do open up and I get flowers.
It's very important to keep it well watered especially in dry weather during the Spring and Summer as lack of water can prevent flower buds forming.......
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Over years of growing them in pots, I have learnt some handy tips. Firstly, give them a good soak with rainwater with some chelated iron added early in the season. Secondly, all through August and September, give them a bucket of water and seaweed fertiliser once a week (you will also have to water between times if it's very hot and dry, and watch out for periods of cloud, wind but no rain). Whenever possible I use rainwater from my water butt, as our tap water here is very limy. But they don't seem to mind the odd lapse as long as you give them iron. Yours looks very nice and green already, I'd be surprised if it was running short of nutrients.
Hey presto flowers every year since. Just coincidence? Probably.
Your pics show flower buds. Keep a watch as they may be dropping before opening. Usually a sign of dryness at some time during the growing season. Camellias like damp conditions, it is amazing how much water they need to be happy.
Hopefully those buds do open up and I get flowers.