Did you plant your perennial very early in the spring or very late in the fall?
Is the weather unusually cold for this time of year?
Is your plant receiving adequate lighting?
Are there any signs of diseases or insects present on your plant?
Have you been feeding your plant with enough phosphorus?
Most perennials need warm temperatures and lots of sunlight to grow well. They will not grow if the temperatures are cold or if there is insufficient lighting because that kind of condition is like when they're entering a period of dormancy. You should check when is the best time for planting your specific plant and plant it then.
Most plants slow their growth if the weather is unseasonably cold or cloudy. If you're growing your plant in a flowerpot you can take it inside where it's warm. Outdoors plants will start to grow again when the weather gets warm. If the weather is moist, you should check for signs of diseases, as most fungi and bacteria loves damp conditions.
Some perennial plants have specific lighting needs to grow well. Most plants love full sun with 6 or more hours of sunlight during the day, others will grow better in partial shade (4-6 hours of sunlight). Find what lighting needs your plant to have and place them somewhere where those conditions are met.
Diseases and pests can affect poor plant growth. First, check which diseases and pests can affect your plant, and then try to treat it accordingly.
Your plant is suffering from phosphorus deficiency. Phosphorus is one of the essential nutrients for plants' healthy growth. Because many gardens are deficient in phosphorus you should use a fertilizer rich in it and your plant should start growing normally.
Your perennial may have entered its natural dormancy phase. Dormancy is the period when plants seemingly stop growing, but they are developing roots for the following year. It happens soon after they have bloomed. Check when is your specific plants' usual dormancy period to confirm.
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
