Cytisus dwarf (broom)- flower dropping

In my container I have a really well growing cytisus. Thinking they were a bit more tough I may of got the watering a fraction wrong. I watered in the evening the previous day very well and the next day it was very hot and I did not water. I thought I could leave it till the following morning rather than water that hot evening. While there was no signs of wilt in looking closely the next morning it was enough of a mistake to get flower drop. I had done this once before earlier in the week so it seems to not like being watered exactly on time. In fact it is even more fussy than a biennial antirrhinum it seems for example. It was surprising since no other plant had any qualms with it in my containers at all leaving things over night instead of watering 24 hours later exactly the next day in each evening. It is not vine weevil, disease or pests so it is clearly very fussy "indeed" in a container with watering. This makes sense as it was getting a good size now 2ft x 2ft that it must of been watering flower sensitivity. However no wilt on close inspection but the slight water "lack" was enough to loose the flowers themselves just falling off. I am not an amateur at gardening so it is a surprise to me. However I wonder if I prune back just under the flowering shoot flowers I might get quick replacement shoots with a fast grower- maybe missing flowering "just" again though. I am not as experienced as I would like with Cytisus particularly dwarf ones in containers it seems. Any ideas ?

Thanks.

 

Hello @Alpine 1

I've just removed 5 Dwarfs from in front of our decking...they flower lovely but the flowers don't last long and over night you can guarantee flowers heads on the path plus they do grow better with pruning as I did mine regular as it helps them to regenerate and in hot weather watering takes place every couple of days when the suns gone in.

I suggest to leave it to flower and when they've disappeared trim it slightly but main trimming should happen in autumn or spring.

If you don't mind could you add a picture please as it does help members more to actually see what your plants like.

This link may also help you

Dwarf Broom

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Ok thanks. Struggling with illness at present so I won't be able to do a photo. But mine flowered two months last year in a peat/soil compost mixed with john innes called a multipurpose westland compost in the uk. If you get your watering wrong it does flower drop though. If its a big shrub in a container you have to water it daily if its in a 1ft depth container like mine. In the ground no doubt all the rules change perhaps similar to what you say. I might do an experiment and do what you say for a container but I don't know if I dare based on the good performance last year and high evaporation from containers in a 1ft depth one with a big shrub- its a bit bonzied. I did feed with a tomarite mix which I should of refrained from for more flowers. It does come from poor soils I know in its original habitat.

 

Hello @Alpine 1 sorry to hear your healths not to good at the moment.

I found this link which may help you regarding your plant, pruning and treating it...it's a shame it's not responding like you would like it...even in it's natural habitat plus how you said it's a bit bonzied it's how different growers establish them.

Broom Shrub Plants ? Where Do Broom Shrubs Grow

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Yes its an interesting one. Again I think it is referring to those in normal soil. My remaining flowers since watering in a stronger way are doing very well and there is no more shedding. It may be the case that the added tomorite over fertilised them and it gave way to further dropping of flowers too. Although being in a shallow 1 ft container and it now doing well with the remaining flowers and good watering suggests it may not be over fertilisation at all. I am pretty sure a large broom in a small container does need different treatment now based on my last years experience and this years and it being a good size dwarf at 2ft x 2 ft and it sharing the container with two other plants. Witht the container width being also only 1.25 ft along with the 1 ft depth it adds to the theory of it being a bit bonzied and needing more water. However I will see what happens next year to confirm this theory next year as well. No signs of P & D. Anyways thanks for your help and it's interesting to hear others ideas.

 

All I can say hopefully next year you get the success you need with the plant as bonsai they look gorgeous I always think...i'm pleased I removed my 5 out, they had some form of insect on them very small and black and when they bit you it caused swelling but all plants have now been replaced, so the garden is free of anything regarding those insects.

Do take care and best of luck with your plant