Topic: Insect friendly plants in containers

[davholla]

I have only a small garden but I do have space on the patio.
I have Mahonia Japonica (but it does not flower!!!).
A) Any ideas how to  get it to flower?
B) Any ideas on native plants ideally ones which flower very late winter or mid August (I have apples and gooseberries so spring is fine) I could grow in containers?

[Obelixx]

Have you fed it?  Planting composts only have food for a bout 90 days so if it's been in the same pot for a while with no extra feed it's probably starving.  Come spring; give it atop dressing of fresh compost and slow release fertiliser and then give it regular drinks of tomato fertiliser or liquid comfrey suitably diluted.  That should encourage flower formation for next winter.

The RHS has a list of pollinator friendly plants for gardens on its site and this list of patio plants for attracting bees - https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/wildlife/Top-10-patio-plants-for-bees

[davholla]

Have you fed it?  Planting composts only have food for a bout 90 days so if it's been in the same pot for a while with no extra feed it's probably starving.  Come spring; give it atop dressing of fresh compost and slow release fertiliser and then give it regular drinks of tomato fertiliser or liquid comfrey suitably diluted.  That should encourage flower formation for next winter.

The RHS has a list of pollinator friendly plants for gardens on its site and this list of patio plants for attracting bees - https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/wildlife/Top-10-patio-plants-for-bees

Thank you I will start feeding it from spring