If you have not started to see any flowers yet, the problem may well be you have cut them off without realising it! Flowers are formed many weeks before you even see them in bud; therefore by pruning - often without a reason for doing so - you are removing the next flush of flowers. So beware, what you see is not always what you get, encourage flowering by pruning but only after existing flowers have faded, and only then for such plants as Plumbago, Lantana and Pentas and other plants with a similar flowering habit. Removal of dead flower heads encourages new growth and therefore several flushes of flowers throughout the summer.

If you have not pruned as yet, I would be very careful as to your options. With the recent rains and warmer temperatures many plants are rapidly coming into growth. Flowers will follow such growth usually within several weeks; therefore leave well along. Plants that have overcrowded branch growth, or weak, diseased or dead wood should be given immediate attention, and the offending wood removed.

Oleanders always grow quickly at this time of year, and when given hot dry conditions bloom for long periods of time. This changes with the onset of rain, when flowers drop and more vegetative growth takes place. Pruning oleanders takes on a slightly different approach than one would do for other plants.

To encourage flowers, I usually concentrate on removing the older thicker growth, whilst leaving the younger wood to grow and produce flowers. New growth is soon more than three times in a season, the growth can be controlled in height as well as developing a plant which is covered in leaf from top to bottom. I like to prune between late March to early May, and again in late summer September/October; if we have a wet spring/summer it is worth considering, contingent on rate of growth, to prune in July. This pruning will reduce the surface area of growth against potential late summer storms and hurricanes, thus reducing damage to hopefully a restorative case of pruning broken branches.

To encourage good healthy vigorous growth the application of compost and fertiliser are a necessity. Applying compost as a mulch assists in retaining moisture in the ground whilst also breaking down into humus; mulching will smoother young weed growth from the soil beneath, however, as it breaks down it succumbs to weed growth becoming established on its surface.

Fertiliser applications are important throughout the growing season, with nursery supply companies having numerous mixes for the job at hand.

A bloom booster is useful at this time of year to give growth a kick-start. If you can find 'coated' fertiliser they are recommended over ordinarily granular types, as the coating allows the release of the active ingredients over a period of time and not as a quick surge then nothing until the next application.

Trace or minor elements are important for Bermuda soils, so look for this on the label on the bag. Always read the labels as to the nutrients breakdown of the fertiliser, if there is no label I would be hesitant in buying an unknown product. Above all else, read the instructions, the needs of a tree are far different than that of an annual, which means application rates must be adhered too if success is to be obtained.

Flowering habit is obviously the reason for selecting certain plants, whenever the flowering period may be. It is therefore important to know what type of site or location the selected plant requires if it is to produce prolifically. Many plants do not produce to their best because they are planted in what is to them adverse conditions. Plants which like full sun will not produce to their best if grown in a shady area. Obversely, plants that prefer shade will not do well in full sun. Though not a component in flower production per se, planting distances do and will have an impact on the future growth of the plant. Too many designs are ruined by the very fact that planting distances are not taken into consideration, when the plan goes from the drawing board to the ground. I often see oleander being planted at hardwood cuttings at less than three inches apart, with the effect it looked like a wattle fence!!! Plants need room to grow, and with correct planting distances, good fertilising schedules and correct pruning procedures will produce the desired effect, will less energy of man power and less financial outlay by purchasing a lesser number of plants for the desired effect.

Pest and disease could well be the order of the day, as insects love soft growth and diseases often flourish in damp or wet environments. Heavy infestations are best removed by pruning the offending areas and burning the cut material; do not discard, as you will only be spreading the problem. Check plants regularly during the growing season for any sign of pest and diseases and act immediately.

When dealing with Lantana, Pentas and similar quick growing subjects, it is advisable to prune heard back if growth becomes too dense, this will avoid or certainly arrest heavy infestation of scale being built up in the 'incubator' atmosphere of the mass of branches.

Sit back and enjoy the summer, let the flowers bloom naturally; many of us live on the cutting edge everyday, we should be able to forget about it when at home.

MALCOLM D. GRIFFITHS