In order for your balcony to be a real visual highlight, you have to take good care of your hanging geraniums - this is especially true for specimens cultivated in balcony boxes. Balcony boxes are usually not considered the best planters, as they offer the plants little space to root and grow. In addition, geraniums in balcony boxes are at risk of either dying of thirst, starving or, if you mean too well with watering, rotting due to waterlogging if they are not cared for properly.
The hanging geranium is a charming choice for the window box
Plant hanging geraniums correctly in the balcony box
Proper care, however, requires correct planting of the geraniums. The points of location, substrate and drainage are particularly important. Plant your geraniums in a location that is as sunny as possible - the plants are real sun worshipers and need a lot of light for a long and magnificent flowering period. Drainage is also particularly important for planting in a balcony box, as it is a prerequisite for preventing waterlogging from forming in the first place. Small pebbles or clay granules are very well suited for this as the bottom substrate layer, and the actual plant substrate should also be both loose and permeable and rich in nutrients.
Which balcony box is best suited for geraniums?
If possible, choose a balcony box with saucer. These models have drainage holes at the bottom through which excess irrigation water can drain off and be poured off if necessary. Commercially available, closed balcony boxes (€109.00), on the other hand, require a lot of attention, especially in rainy weather. If the summer is rainy, geraniums in such boxes need special protection - otherwise the plants will be too damp and eventually die.
Caring for hanging geraniums properly
Geraniums are quite high-maintenance plants that should be watered and fertilized regularly.
watering and fertilizing
Optimally, geraniums are always slightly damp, but never wet. Always water the flowers when the top layer of soil has dried, but do not water deeply. Regular fertilization is also important for the heavily consuming geranium. Fertilize either with liquid flowering plant fertilizer (e.g. geranium fertilizer) or blue grain dissolved in water.
cutting and overwintering
For the longest possible flowering period, you should always cut away faded flowers so that the plants invest their energies in new flowers. Before putting them into winter quarters, geraniums should be cut back and taken out of the window box. Instead, pack the root system, freed from excess soil, in a plastic bag and overwinter the plants in a cool and dark place.
tips
A real insider tip for fertilizing geraniums is coffee grounds.