[A Reyt Tayty]

Last year my prims did really well. This year, they have put on lots and lots of foliage, but no flowers. Any clues?

[bendipa]

How long have you had them? What are the light conditions where they are growing?

[A Reyt Tayty]

Some have been in years, some are from my uncles garden from last year. They all flowered really well. It's quite shady until the afternoon.

[Goosegirl]

Shaded site sounds good as long as they are in good, water-retentive soil. Excess nitrogen results in leaves at the expense of flowers. If they are in big clumps, they may also need dividing and feeding for flowers next year. Maybe those that grow well in grass are restricted in growth and that's why they do so well?

[sunshineband]

It does sound as though the clumps are very congested

It is not a good time really to divide the clumps -- better mid autumn tbh

[A Reyt Tayty]

They were only divided last year, so that shouldn't be the problem. The patch I put them in had a right jolloping of manure added at the end of last year. Probably too much nutrition?

Maybe they have had a mssive growth spurt and they need splitting again.

Have a look and see if there are lots of crowns close together

Moved or not moved, they would benefit from some rose fertiliser to promote flowering next spring

[Goosegirl]

The right dollop of manure must have been nitrogen-rich and I suspect they put on a lot of leaat growth at the expense of flowers. Should be good for next year though!

[bendipa]

You don't need to feed primroses. They are not big rooting plants like roses or large shrubs which take a lot of nutrition out of the soil. Your dollop of manure was almost certainly what caused the non-flowering. You've made life too cushy for them. If you have to feed them you could have used a light sprinkling of sulphate of potash but I would not feed them again. May/June is the time to divide primroses, so now is the ideal time to divide clumps..

[Paul Plots]

You don't need to feed primroses. They are not big rooting plants like roses or large shrubs which take a lot of nutrition out of the soil. Your dollop of manure was almost certainly what caused the non-flowering. You've made life too cushy for them. If you have to feed them you could have used a light sprinkling of sulphate of potash but I would not feed them again. May/June is the time to divide primroses, so now is the ideal time to divide clumps..

But if you do divide them now you will need to make sure they are watered well if it's *hot and dry.
(*Joke of the season around here!!!)

We lifted all of ours recently and put them in a holding bed until they are next needed for spring flowering. I divided the bigger clumps and, because they are in a cool shaded bed, they have settled really well. Not a spot of feed given though.... originally they were bank side and meadow plants I believe so thrive in quite poor soils.

[Goosegirl]

I agree, though I think the grass in which they grow takes any excess nitrogen out of the soil, so they should survive in sun or shade in any moisture-retaining soil which is not too rich, and an application of leaf-mould should help too if available.