Non Flowering Lilac

I have a five year old lilac bush which has never flowered. It looks healthy and has lots of leaves. Any ideas of why it refuses to flower and how I can encourage some blossom for next year?

 

If it looks healthy then that's a good start!

If you've been feeding it... stop

If you've been pruning it.... stop

Sometimes you can treat plants too well.. and they just get too complaisant!

Some shrubs can take a good 5 years to start flowering.. just have some patience, and don't "spoil" it

 

Thanks Quercus - I haven't been feeding it but I was going to so I may have sought advice just in time I'll go and swear at it because I've heard that works with wisterias who refuse to flower:D

 

Alana, start feeding it with tomato feed. This is a high potash fertiliser which encourages flowering and fruiting. Use the feed every 10 to 14 days through the growing season. You will have a mass of flowers next year.:gnthb:

 

its a "shrinkging violet" for a reason... My personal favourite which I can relate to:


I dont like noise,
I dont like light,
I dont like busyness,
I like my surroundings,
I like my leaves protecting me,
I like people wondering about me.
"hide me, hide me! oh great hider of light!"

Protect me my great savior, I bloom in the shadows and quietness of night!

Some random poem I came up with for shrinking violets But it appliers to the sweet little souls She seems to wake in the morning (about now. springtime) and say hello, then in the morning she seems all willowed and weak. It's alost heartbreaking.

Tip from me: Hide her under a bush :-) She's a quiet soul who likes a quiet, sunlight hidden (but not dark area) to watch her garden grow :-)

Hench the "shrinking violet" oh oh OH OH!

Hugs

Adrian