Geraniums - which are actually called pelargoniums and should therefore not be confused with the native cranesbills (lat. Geranium) - are popular balcony flowers. With good care, the plants bloom from May to autumn, often even until the first frost.
Geraniums are among the most popular balcony plants
Plant and care for geraniums properly
It is often said by garden centers and florists that geraniums do not require much maintenance: the opposite is true. To ensure that the plants bloom lushly throughout the summer and become an eye-catcher, you have to water them regularly, fertilize them and also clean out faded and dried out plants. Geraniums need a lot of moisture and are among the heavy feeders, but at the same time you should not flood them or over-fertilize them - this only leads to various unsightly diseases. When planting, you can directly influence the well-being of the plants.
choice of location
First of all, choosing the right location. Balconies facing south, south-west or south-east are ideal for geraniums and are therefore in the sun all day. In addition, the sun-loving plants need as much warmth as possible and good protection in persistent rainy weather.
Geraniums prefer nutrient-rich substrate
As a substrate, geraniums prefer a nutrient-rich and well-drained soil. You can buy special geranium soil in stores that is tailored to the needs of the flowers. You can also mix the soil you need yourself, for what you
- 1 part compost soil
- 1 part potting soil
- and 1 part perlite (37.51€) (or another clay granulate)
require.
Don't get out on the balcony too early
Furthermore, it is necessary not to put geraniums on the balcony too early in the year. The plants are very sensitive to cold and should therefore not be outdoors before the ice saints (around mid-May). In addition, geraniums tend to simply stop growing at temperatures below 10 °C.
Combine geraniums with other flowers
Some balcony gardeners like it pure and plant geraniums solo - often in one color or mixed with different colors. The combination of red and white geraniums, which is also known from the lush geranium plantations in Bavaria and Tyrol, is very popular. However, the flowers can be wonderfully combined with numerous other flowering plants:
- verbs
- magic bell
- petunias
- vanilla flowers
- elf mirror
- loyal to men
- gypsophila
- Daisies / Bornholm daisies
- campanula
You can mix strong hanging and standing varieties with each other. It is only important that the plant neighbors have the same needs in terms of location, substrate and care.
tips
If you want to put the geraniums in a balcony box, choose a model with a saucer if possible. This allows excess water to run off and your geraniums will not get their feet wet.