Why plant flowers fall and how to deal with them

Is it normal for a plant’s flowers to drop and should we ever be concerned?When we see fallen flowers in pots and in our garden it is reasonable to wonder what the problem is even if we are taking care of our plants properly.Flower drop often occurs in several ornamental plants such as gardenia, hibiscus, orchid and rose, reducing the aesthetic effect in our garden and balcony.

It can also cause reduced production and fruiting problems in vegetables such as tomato, eggplant and pepper, but also in fruit trees such as lemon, pomegranate and apricot.Several times flower drop is accompanied by other symptoms such as leaf drop, yellowing of leaves, browning of leaves, and curling of leaves.If we don’t identify a cause in time, we may see a plant stop blooming.

Let’s see why plant flowers drop, in which cases it is normal and how we can analyze to enjoy beautiful healthy ornamental plants along with rich harvest from our fruit trees and vegetables. When do plant flowers normally fall?In some cases, the dropping of flowers on plants is normal and we do not need to insist to maintain the health of the plants. The flowers naturally fall off when ripe.

In addition, in several ornamental plants the flowering of flowers lasts very little, as in the case of hibiscus and in several species of cacti and succulents. .In fruit trees, it is normal for flower petals to drop when flowering is complete and fruit set. What are the causes of falling plant flowers and how are they treated?

If a plant loses its flowers and does not belong to the above categories, then the fallen flowers are a sign that there is a problem in the environment in which it is growing.There are many causes that cause flowers to drop on plants such as overwatering, reduced lighting, excessive fertilization, high temperature, strong winds and disease attack.

1. The flowers fall due to excessive watering. Flower drop is a very common phenomenon when plants are not properly watered and we overwater them, especially in poor drainage conditions. So we avoid excessive watering and water the plants with the appropriate amount and frequency, when the soil dries out to keep their flowers on the plant. We make sure to install automatic watering with a programmer and a system to properly adjust the duration and frequency of watering.
2. Flowers fall due to over-fertilization. Several times we notice plants and fruit trees lose their flowers 1-2 days after we have added fertilizer, and especially an excessive amount of nitrogen fertilizer. It is therefore important to apply the appropriate amounts of fertilizer to ensure satisfactory flowering and fruit production. As a general rule, we avoid applying fertilizer in hot summer conditions and high temperatures. We must be aware that the use of foliar fertilizers with a high nitrogen content as well as copper preparations during the flowering period can cause flower drop in fruit tree crops.
3. Flowers drop due to reduced lighting. Many times when we have flowering plants in very shady places on the balcony and in our garden where the light is not sufficient, the plants drop their flowers as a reaction. The same happens when we put them inside the house in conditions of reduced lighting, for example when we want to protect a camellia or a gardenia during the winter. In their attempt to adapt to the new environment, you can see the plants drop their flowers abruptly.
4. Flowers fall due to low temperatures. In some citrus crops and also in tropical plants, they may lose their flowers due to low temperatures. To protect the plants from the cold and frost, we use special anti-freeze fabrics to cover them, while at the same time we add liquid algae fertilizer with the watering to make them and face the adverse conditions of low temperatures.
5. Leaves fall due to strong winds. When strong winds blow in all directions, but especially north and south, plants and trees can lose some of their flowers. To protect the plants we have on our balcony, we choose sheltered spots and place special windbreaks on the railings, while in the garden we build fences with suitable plants, to create better conditions.
6. The flowers drop due to disease and insect attack. In some cases, plant flowers fall due to infestation by various insects that attack the flowers of ornamental plants as well as fruit trees. To protect the plants from leaf fall, we spray with organic preparations such as natural pyrethrin and Thuringia bacillus.

And a secret about fallen flowers in olive cultivation. Although we often see a lot of olive blossoms falling to the ground due to strong winds, we are not particularly worried, as for a satisfactory olive harvest it is enough to tie 2% of the flowers of the tree.