Why isn’t my Melampodium blooming

Question

Melampodium were in full (yellow) bloom when I bought them in Spring. I hadn’t heard of this flower before; it’s not even in any of my plant books. Once all the flowers died….nothing but a cute bushy plant. For at least a month now. I haven’t even noticed any sign of future flowers. I have 4 of these, all in containers. Two are in full sun. Two are in mostly shade. All of them refuse to bloom. They are in containers full of peat moss, top soil, and fertilized potting soil. I find conflicting information on-line about bloom times and watering requirements. The tag and some sites state it should bloom all summer long. I’ve seen on line where others say it is a summer and fall bloom. The tag states drought tolerant, and so do some on-line sites. Yet others say it should always be kept moist and does well in soggy gardens?!? I water mine daily, so they are always moist. Help.

Answer 1

Your soil is likely is of good quality and too high in nitrogen.
Blackfoot daisy is a sturdy, mounding plant, that will flourish in rock gardens. It is heat and drought tolerant. Good drainage is essential to its success. In late winter, older plants can be cut back halfway to keep them compact. Rich soil and abundant water will likely produce many more flowers in the short-term, but may consequently shorten the lifespan.