Camellia Bud Drop from Overproduction: Thinning Buds for Better Blooms

Q: My camellia bush has been full of buds in fall for 2 years but none open. They all fall off. What can I do?

An hour after you called, listener Kip said an older colleague at Pike Nursery taught him to watch for overloaded camellias and twist off half the buds before bloom. Kip reported it worked! My guess: your camellia lacks energy to support all buds. Keep an eye early next fall and try Kip's tip.