| How do I get bromeliads to bloom? I have no problem keeping them alive and green - but no blooms. |
| As a general rule the minimum time for flowering is three years from seed or vegetative propagules (pups). If your bromeliad is mature and still not showing a flower bud, a change of environment is in order. First apply fertilizer rich in phosphorus. If this doesn't work, try placing the plant into a brighter and/or warmer spot. Should all these techniques fail to produce flowers within a year, it is time for the apple-in-the-bag trick. First pour off any water in the bromeliad cup. Obtain a fragrant ripening apple and enclose it and the bromeliad in a sealed, clear plastic bag. Keep the bagged plant out of the sun, but in a warm place. After one week remove the bag and apple and return the bromeliad to its former location. This should trigger it to bloom, in time. |
