- Easy-care cranesbill ideal for gardening beginners or people with little time
- Preparing cranesbill for winter
- Lure cranesbill out of hibernation
The cranesbill (botanically geranium, but not to be confused with the closely related pelargonium, also known as geranium) is a very popular plant that should not be missing in any garden. The usually very lush flowering perennial with beautiful foliage not only impresses with its appearance: As a native species, the plant is also very hardy and otherwise very easy to care for.
Frost does not bother the cranesbill
Easy-care cranesbill ideal for gardening beginners or people with little time
Planting cranesbills is a good idea for those who do not yet have much gardening experience or have a large garden but only little time. In general - with a few exceptions - the perennial is considered to be very easy to care for, but all the more keen on growing and flowering. Many varieties that have only been slightly cultivated in horticulture also reproduce very reliably without your intervention, so that you only have to weed out excess seedlings - otherwise your garden will soon be overgrown by cranesbills.
Preparing cranesbill for winter
You don't have to worry about overwintering either, because the cranesbill is absolutely hardy and therefore does not need any winter protection. You should only protect cranesbills cultivated in pots from freezing through in winter - after all, their roots are very unprotected in the narrow planter during the cold season. For this purpose, however, it is sufficient to place the bucket on an insulating styrofoam base. Also, don't forget to water the plant occasionally on frost-free days. Some cranesbill species are also prepared for winter by cutting back the withered leaves in autumn.
Lure cranesbill out of hibernation
With most cranesbills, however, this caring pruning is only carried out in spring so that the perennial can sprout again and vigorously. After pruning, fertilization is recommended to lure the cranesbill out of its hibernation and stimulate growth. A good complete fertilizer is suitable for this, but organic fertilizers such as mature mixed compost or horn shavings (€32.93) can also be incorporated. The fertilization is repeated during the flowering period or after the first flowering and another pruning in summer.
tips
You don't have to worry about pests or diseases either. The cranesbill is very robust and is only very rarely attacked by any pathogens. Even with the otherwise voracious snails, the perennial is not particularly popular.