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#71198 Jun 20th, 2007 at 09:39 AM
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We live in Connecticut (zone 6) and we moved into this house two years ago. There is a pink dogwood in the font yard. The first spring, it eeked out a few blooms. This spring it went right to leaves. It's about 16 feet high and crowded in by two other spring blooming trees (???) and larger trees in the woods behind it. It doesn’t look sick. The leaves are quit abundant and green. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to force it to bloom next spring?


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
#71208 Jun 20th, 2007 at 09:46 AM
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Hi Penny,
It doesn't get a lot of sun but I hesitate to cut back too much on the trees on either side since they are lovely and have white blooms in the spring. Some day I will find out what the heck they are grin. I had heard that Holly Tone might help but I've never used it for anything other than first plantings. I wouldn't know how to use it for a mature tree.

Last edited by claregirl; Jun 20th, 2007 at 09:46 AM.

Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
#71214 Jun 20th, 2007 at 09:49 AM
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Thanks, Penny. I'll try that.


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
#71596 Jun 20th, 2007 at 04:35 PM
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Hello;

I have a kosia Dogwood and when I purchased it three
years ago I did some searching on the web about this tree.

It is normal for a dogwood not to bloom in any given year,
a lot has to do with the stress the tree received the
previous year, and sometimes the tree spends all it energy
to wood growth and leaves,If I were you I would "talk to a
nursery llike you were informed to do" and do a search on
care of dogwood trees.

Good luck with the tree, they are beautiful when they do
bloom.

also the comment about sun is correct, Dogwood require sun,
more sun than shade. The rule of thumb is blooms need sun and
leaves need shade for growth. The best of both worlds is
6-8 hrs sun and partshade and shade.

Donnie


Sometimes I wake up grouchy,other days I just let her sleep,while I'am outside in the garden she is
counting sheep. (%$#@%*#&@) sorry honey,I didn't
say that...honey put down that hoe... :(
swampfox #72066 Jun 21st, 2007 at 07:41 AM
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Thank you, Donnie. I guess when this dogwood was planted the trees around it were small and they didn't think ahead. The poor dogwood is basically in the shade all day. Besides the two other flowering trees on either side, in front is a wheeping cherry tree and to the left is a huge maple tree. And then there is the woods behind it. I feel almost helpless to do anthing for it. I will talk to somebody at a local nursery to see is SOMETHING can be done.

I will post what they say.


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
claregirl #72407 Jun 21st, 2007 at 11:43 AM
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Hello - I just joined the forum and happened across your question about the dogwood. They are an understory tree and require the shade of the larger trees around them to survive the hot summers. Are the trees around it deciduous or evergreen? If they're deciduous it should be getting plenty of sun in the early spring bloom cycle to flower. If the trees around it are evergreen they may be casting too much shade for it to flower. I'm guessing that it's not getting the food it needs and a good dose of fertilizer (check at a good garden center to find out what to use - it may be getting too close to the heat of summer to feed, so check that as well) will help immensely. These trees are native to forests and are fed by decomposing leaves. If you've been raking the leaves in the fall you're taking away it's food. Good luck! I'll be curious to hear what your garden center suggests.

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Hi Rocky,
All the trees around it are deciduous and the trees on either side have no problem blooming in the spring. I plan to hit the nursery tomorrow morning. Stay tuned......film at 11.


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
claregirl #72651 Jun 21st, 2007 at 03:08 PM
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Hi again:

claregirl go to this site http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C900.htm
and read "Plant Location" rocky is correct about the shade but it says
the tree will not produce flowers as much.

Donnie


Sometimes I wake up grouchy,other days I just let her sleep,while I'am outside in the garden she is
counting sheep. (%$#@%*#&@) sorry honey,I didn't
say that...honey put down that hoe... :(
claregirl #72851 Jun 21st, 2007 at 06:41 PM
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if it is in the lawn and you fertilize the lawn with a hi nitrogen fertilizer, it may be using that and producing leaves not flowers


I love the sweet scents wafting in the breeze. I stop to admire the vibrant colors of all living things. And people think me odd. Then ODD I am!!!

RugbyHukr #73308 Jun 22nd, 2007 at 07:27 AM
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RugbyHukr, I was thinking last night about that. When we moved in the previous owner did nothing to the lawn except cut it. It was in a VERY sorry state. My boyfriend took it in hand by liming and fertilizing it like crazy so that now it is gorgeous but I wonder if that has an adverse effect on the dogwood. Even though the other two trees on either side and the weeping cherry tree had no trouble blooming, I guess dogwoods are a little more temperamental. I will bring that up at the nursery too. I am also going to bring a few leaves with me since I have no clue what kind of dogwood it is and maybe that will help. Any other suggestions before I head out would be greatly appreciated.


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey
#73730 Jun 22nd, 2007 at 12:47 PM
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Ok guys, here's the poop from Bob at Hollandia Nurseries http://www.connecticutgrown.com/index.cfm

Without actually looking at the dogwood he believes it could be the lawn lime my boyfriend it putting down to help the grass grow. He said dogwoods love acidic soil and the lime is just sweetening it. He suggested I put some Holly-tone down around the drip line - a good 20 handfuls. I asked if I should remove the grass and add mulch. He said that would look nice but really wouldn't have any effect. He also suggested I check the bark to make sure there were no holes or sawdust. That could be some kind of insect he named and I would have to spray but there weren't. He could not identify what kind of dogwood I had. We went around to all the dogwoods they sell and the leaves didn't match any of them. I'll have work on that separately.

Well, here's hoping this works or I will be back here next spring begging for help. grin Thanks to everybody for their input. It was a wonderful introduction to this board.


Laughter is wine for the soul - Sean O'Casey

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