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No flowers on bergenia

BouleverseeBouleversee Posts: 68
in Problem solving

I have bergenia in several places round my garden but they have flowered less and less since we moved here nearly 4 years ago, so far no flowers this year, whereas I noticed lots of flowers on those at the hospital we have just attended.  They are not gappy and have lots of healthy leaves. Should I be dividing them and replanting the youngest bits?  Is it too late to do it now?  If not, do I dig in a lot of compost, adding some fertiliser (e.g. blood, fish and bone), before replanting?

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  • ChrisH2ChrisH2 Posts: 9
    Bouleversee said:

    I have bergenia in several places round my garden but they have flowered less and less since we moved here nearly 4 years ago, so far no flowers this year, whereas I noticed lots of flowers on those at the hospital we have just attended.  They are not gappy and have lots of healthy leaves. Should I be dividing them and replanting the youngest bits?  Is it too late to do it now?  If not, do I dig in a lot of compost, adding some fertiliser (e.g. blood, fish and bone), before replanting?


    Just digging around on this site to find a solution to this problem, which exactly corresponds to a problem I have.

    I can find no solution to this on this site, although I may be looking in the wrong place!
    Can anyone out there give me some indication as to why they have stopped flowering?
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 8,893
    Too congested possibly and require dividing.  You could probably do that job now but whether they would flower this year, I don't know.  
  • Songbird-1Songbird-1 Posts: 1,111
    Hello @ChrisH2 and welcome to the forum.  We grew Bergenia in our old house and when they grew too big for the space, I used to divide them in Autumn time and replant the new plant somewhere different. Both plants were planted in a shady place rather than in full sun. Would get a little sun in morning and then go into shade in afternoon. They did really well and flowered first year after transplanting. We applied FBB in Spring too round the plant. 
    In our new garden, they are constantly getting attacked by vine weevil and can’t seem to grow them nicely at all. I think @phillipa smith2 is probably correct is saying they could be getting too contested and will need splicing up.
  • ChrisH2ChrisH2 Posts: 9
    Thank you Philippa Smith2 and Songbird-1 for your helpful replies. You are correct that they are overcrowded. They are cordifolia 'Purpurea' variety and we planted them about 12/13 years ago and they have never been split or moved (or had any TLC, to my shame)!  I shall divide them and give them some feed, and hopefully increase the stock.

  • Songbird-1Songbird-1 Posts: 1,111
    You’re most welcome @ChrisH2. That’s the variety we have but they are really struggling. Have no leaves on them at all today😢
  • ChrisH2ChrisH2 Posts: 9
    That's sad, Songbird-1. Grandmothers and egg-sucking comes to mind, so apologies in advance, but here'a an article which I've just found. Don't know if any of it works!


    I dug all mine out yesterday, split them and replanted, well spaced apart. They have two  chances. If all else fails, I'll replace with new stock. I don't seem to have the vine weevil problem. Yet.

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