- How often do you need to water geraniums?
- When and with what should you fertilize geraniums?
- Do you have to cut geraniums? If so, when?
- When is the best time to repot a geranium?
- Which diseases / pests are particularly common in geraniums?
- The buds on my geranium are drying up - what's the reason?
- What to do if the geranium does not want to bloom?
- Are geraniums hardy?
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Strictly speaking, the balcony flowers usually referred to as "geraniums" are not geraniums at all, but pelargoniums - botanists call the cranesbills that are native to us "geraniums". Well, geraniums also belong to the cranesbill family, but - since they originally come from southern Africa - have completely different needs than the cranesbill. How to properly care for the popular summer bloomers.
Geraniums are very thirsty plants
How often do you need to water geraniums?
Geraniums need a lot of water and should be kept slightly moist as evenly as possible. However, occasional drought does not harm the plants, in contrast to waterlogging. So ensure good drainage with the appropriate substrate and the right layering in the planter. In addition, it is better to water more frequently and therefore less than to give the plants a lot of water infrequently.
When and with what should you fertilize geraniums?
The many flowering geraniums are heavy consumers and should be supplied with a (liquid) fertilizer for flowering plants once a week. Although special geranium fertilizer is commercially available, its use is not necessary. Fertilize from the first sprouting in April / May until around the beginning / middle of September. For homegrown geraniums, start fertilizing within six to eight weeks of germination.
Do you have to cut geraniums? If so, when?
If you don't want to hibernate your geraniums, all you have to do is regularly cut off faded shoots. On the other hand, geraniums that are overwintered must be cut back once a year. The plants should be pruned vigorously before the first frost and then put away in the winter quarters.
When is the best time to repot a geranium?
Just before the first new shoots, repot your geraniums into a new planter with fresh substrate. It is best to complete this task around the end of February / March.
Which diseases / pests are particularly common in geraniums?
Geraniums are quite susceptible to the so-called geranium or pelargonium rust. This fungal disease causes yellow-brown spots, especially on the undersides of the leaves. Furthermore, gray rot (botrytis), wilt or powdery mildew are quite common. Yellow leaves often indicate an iron deficiency. In terms of pests, mites, aphids and thrips are primarily found on geraniums.
The buds on my geranium are drying up - what's the reason?
If your geraniums develop buds but they don't open, there are a number of reasons:
- You water too much (waterlogging).
- You fertilize too much (root damage).
- You water too little.
- You fertilize too little.
Apparently drying up buds are not uncommon, especially in rainy summers.
What to do if the geranium does not want to bloom?
If the geranium does not want to bloom, it is often due to the abundant foliage. If the plant has too many leaves, the buds no longer get enough light - so you have to thin out the bushy plant vigorously.
Are geraniums hardy?
Geraniums are not hardy here and should therefore be kept frost-free but cool over the winter.
tips
It is also little known that geraniums do not necessarily need soil to overwinter.