Why isn’t Blazing Star blooming?

Q:   This spring I bought a Liatrus or Blazing Star. It was in a two gallon pot. It has not bloomed and no new growth has occurred. What can I do for the plant?

A:   Liatrus is a late summer bloomer so if it is now flowerless, that is normal. You should see a burst of growth as the summer progresses. If feed it with a high nitrogen fertilizer it may cause the plant to send out a flush of foliage.

 Q:  I have a lobelia that has a pencil-sized stem. It’s bark was stripped by something. Do you know what could have done this?

A:   Look to see how the bark was chewed off. If it was gnawed, it was probably a mouse. If it was stripped clean, it was a type of insect like a caterpillar or grasshopper.