Questions about Primula marginata

[Katherine J]

Hello all,

I have got since spring 2007 a Primula marginata. I've got it from a friend as she divided her plant. The problem is, that it wants not at all to flower for me.  It is planted in a trough, the compost is 1 part Sphagnum peat, 1 part garden soil and 1 part dolomite grit. The compost is covered also with dolomite grit. It gets sunshine only between 9-12 A.M. The leaves are beautiful, the plant looks healthy and nice, but never flowers. What's the matter?

Another question: As it has many wooded shoots already, I thought I should try to make some cuttings this year. My question is when to do it, and are there any special considerations which I have to know about this procedure?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Gerdk]

Katherine,
Most of my marginatas are in troughs - some are situated in full sun, some in similar conditions like yours and some in more shady places. Most flowers were built in the sunny position - only few in the shade and an intermediate amount in the conditions similar to yours. So light might have some influence. Maybe you will have better results when you expose your plants a little bit more to the sun.
The compost seems to be ok.
According cuttings I once found the advice to take cuttings and prune in combination just after flowering. So the plants keep always compact.
I followed this tip with good results.
The cuttings were placed in a mixture of sand and peat (1:1) after the lowest leaves were removed.

Gerd

[Katherine J]

Thank You very much, Gerd.
I thought that light conditions have to be guilty  . But that through I simply can't put in any other place, that's why I want to make cuttings and maybe those plants will be more floriferous in sunnier places. 

[Lesley Cox]

I agree that lack of sun is probably the problem. I take cuttings after flowering or as late as early autumn, trinning the "woody" parts and burying these in the cutting mixture. The new young plants should make new rosettes around the old stem, at ground/compost level, soon after rooting.

[Katherine J]

Thank You, Lesley!