What to do if Forsythia only blooms but does not bear fruit

The reason why flowers bloom but no fruits

Low fruit set rate due to self-pollination

The fruit-bearing rate of Forsythia is very low. On the one hand, this is because the self-pollination fruit-bearing rate of Forsythia is extremely low, basically around 4%. Only the cross-pollination fruit-bearing rate will be higher, but cross-pollination is generally not possible in home cultivation.

Leggy branches disperse nutrients

On the other hand, because Forsythia has vigorous growth potential, it will sprout many leggy branches every spring. These leggy branches have no ornamental effect and will also cause the nutrients in the main branches to disperse, resulting in a low fruit-bearing rate of Forsythia.

What to do if it only blooms but does not bear fruit

Encourage cross-pollination

If Forsythia only blooms but does not bear fruit, we can take the following measures to increase the fruit-bearing rate.

When transplanting, alternate between plants with long styles and plants with short styles to promote cross-pollination.

Reasonable pruning

After Forsythia is planted, when it is about 1 meter high, cut off the top after the leaves fall in winter (70-80 cm from the ground of the main trunk), pinch off the branches in summer, and select 3-4 well-developed side branches in different directions to cultivate them into main branches.

The base of Forsythia has a strong ability to sprout, so it must be pruned properly to remove the weak and retain the strong. When pruning in autumn, thinning is the main method. Except for maintaining 3-7 vigorously growing trunks in each mound, the remaining weak, old, and aging branches should be pruned off as appropriate.

Reasonable fertilization

After pruning Forsythia, apply well-rotted compost or manure, or superphosphate. Dig a hole next to the plant, apply the fertilizer, and cover with soil. Cover the roots with soil to promote the healthy growth of young trees and produce more flowers and fruits.

In places where conditions permit, fertilization can be increased once before flowering in spring, with 2 kg of wood ash, 200 g of superphosphate, 250 g of cake fertilizer, and 100 g of urea applied to each plant. Dig a circular trench under the tree canopy and apply the fertilizer. Cover with soil and add soil to retain moisture after application.