The conspicuous bowl-, wheel- or plate-shaped flowers of the cranesbill bloom blue, violet, pink or white. Some show darker veining or have a light center. Geranium is quite easy to care for and usually flowers very reliably. Sometimes, however, the longed-for floral decoration simply does not want to appear or is already over after a short time. There are several reasons for that.
A wrong location can be the reason why the cranesbill does not bloom
Pay attention to the flowering time of the different species
Many a cranesbill owner is surprised when the plant is supposed to bloom from June to October (according to internet sources) and then only manages to bloom for a month. Or the blossom that was already expected in May only shows up in July. The reason for this lies in the very different flowering times of the various cranesbill species, some of which open their calyxes in spring - and then by June at the latest - and others flower quite late. Many Geranium species also only have a very short flowering period, while hybrids in particular can flower for several months.
Cut back cranesbill after flowering
But especially the early and only short-flowering cranesbills can be stimulated to flower a second time by cutting back in good time. To do this, cut back the perennial shortly after it has faded; it will sprout again within six to eight weeks and form new flowers. After pruning, you can give the plant a little ready-to-use fertilizer to provide an additional boost. However, also be careful not to prune late flowering varieties in July and thus remove the bloom before it even has a chance to open.
Choose a suitable location
Another reason why some cranesbills are unwilling to flower is the wrong location. As with the flowering time, the various geranium species also differ in terms of their location needs. Many cranesbills do not bloom because they are either too sunny or too shady. For this reason, be sure to pay attention to the necessary conditions, which of course also applies to the soil. In principle, cranesbills prefer a loamy, humus-rich subsoil, with some species preferring nutrient-rich and moderately moist to moist soil and others rather lean, dry substrates.
tips
If everything is fine with regard to substrate, location and flowering time, but the cranesbill still does not want to flower, this can also be due to a lack of nutrients. In this case, fertilize the plant with a readily available - i. H. as liquid as possible - complete fertilizer.