Magnificent bedding perennial, lush container plant, frugal rock garden flower, compact ground cover - Cranesbill has many faces that give us pleasure in the hobby garden. Here you can get an overview of how the cultivation of geranium is successful. Open questions about the International Perennial Plant of the Year will be answered here.

The meadow cranesbill is just one of over 400 species of geranium

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant cranesbill correctly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. The right planting distance
  5. What soil does the plant need?
  6. What is the best planting time?
  7. When is flowering time?
  8. Cut cranesbill correctly
  9. watering cranesbill
  10. Fertilize cranesbill properly
  11. Diseases
  12. hibernate
  13. Propagating Cranesbill
  14. How do I plant correctly?
  15. Cranesbill in the pot
  16. What is the difference between geranium and geranium?
  17. Which types of geranium are suitable for the garden?
  18. Beautiful varieties

    19. Plant cranesbill correctly

    Good soil preparation is the be-all and end-all when planting geraniums. Remove weeds, roots and stones so that the perennials find a finely crumbly soil that is deeply loosened. During this time, the still potted root ball is in a bucket of water. Proceed with these steps:

    • The planting pit has twice the volume of the root ball
    • Optimize the excavated soil with compost, horn shavings (€32.93) and, if necessary, some sand
    • Plant the potted geranium, press down the soil and water

    Spread out a layer of mulch suitable for the location, such as leaves, bark mulch or gravel. In order for a cranesbill to grow well, water regularly afterwards. If you plant the perennial in the bucket or balcony box, the procedure is similar. In addition, spread some pieces of pottery shards over the water drain as drainage to prevent waterlogging.
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    care tips

    Despite all species-specific subtleties, the care of geraniums is largely uniform according to the following guidelines:

    • Never allow the root ball to dry out
    • If possible, do not water cranesbills overhead
    • Fertilize organically or minerally from April to August
    • Cut off wilted flower stalks to encourage rebloom
    • Cut back the leaves close to the ground until early spring

    The hardy perennial gets a mulch in the bed as protection against moisture. Pack planters thickly in foil, as the root ball cannot cope with repeated changes from frost to thaw. Water geraniums during cold frosts on mild days without first warming the water.
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    Which location is suitable?

    The fragile beauty of geranium flowers belies their robust flexibility and site tolerance. In fact, countless species thrive in full sun with dry soil conditions, while other cranesbills thrive in partially shaded locations with moist soil. Some particularly vigorous specimens stand out as powerful ground covers, suppressing annoying weeds with their strong leaves in poorly lit beds.
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    The right planting distance

    Match the expected growth width and the planting distance. In this way, a geranium has enough room to develop without creating unwanted gaps in its appearance. The following examples substantiate the rule of thumb:

    • Magnificent cranesbill: growth width 30-50 cm - planting distance 30-50 cm
    • Gray cranesbill: growth width 10-15 cm - planting distance 10-15 cm

    Compact growing geraniums are also suitable for cultivation in tubs or balcony boxes. In this case, the planting distance may be reduced by 5 cm due to the modified conditions in planters.

    What soil does the plant need?

    The flexibility of geraniums in terms of light conditions extends to soil conditions. There are several cranesbills for almost every location in the garden. Dalmatian Cranesbill (Geranium dalmaticum) is ideal for the rock garden, Magnificent Cranesbill (Geranium x magnificum) stands out on the partially shaded edge of woodland, and the native Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium patrense) braves even frosty temperatures in open spaces. The earth should generally have the following properties:

    • Nutritious and humic
    • Fresh-moist to sandy-loamy
    • Well drained and loose
    • Neither very calcareous nor very acidic

    In the balcony box or bucket, geraniums thrive in commercially available compost-based potting soil, which you enrich with a handful of sand or lava granules.(13.99€)

    What is the best planting time?

    A well-chosen planting time is the months of May and June, before the weather becomes too hot and dry. In addition, autumn from the end of August to the beginning of October is considered a suitable date for planting perennials.

    When is flowering time?

    The flowering period extends from May to September, depending on the species and variety. Over this long period of time, the cranesbill delights us with its five-petalled flowers, which thrive in the shape of cups, wheels or plates. The wide range of colors includes all conceivable nuances in red, blue and blue as well as pure white.
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    Cut cranesbill correctly

    If you cut back the geraniums after the first bloom, the perennials will thank you with a beautiful second bloom. In early spring, the dead leaves are then removed at the latest in order to create space for fresh shoots and to prevent fungal infections. On large areas with groundcover geranium, pruning is often successful with a lawnmower set to the maximum cutting height.
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    watering cranesbill

    Regulate the water balance, tailored to the planted cranesbill species and variety. The top priority is never to let a geranium dry out or expose it to waterlogging. Water preferably in the early morning or in the evening hours directly at the roots, when the thumb test indicates dried substrate. The sprinkling of flowers and leaves is always associated with the risk of fungal diseases and pest infestation.

    Fertilize cranesbill properly

    Match the nutrient supply to the cultivated species and variety. A gray dwarf cranesbill (Geranium cinereum) that grows to 15 cm in a gravel bed requires a smaller dose of fertilizer than a majestic cranesbill (Geranium ibericum) that grows to 90 cm in a perennial bed. In general, the following guidelines apply to the correct fertilization of geraniums:

    • Start fertilizing in spring after pruning
    • Then fertilize with compost every 2-4 weeks until the end of July/beginning of August
    • Optionally apply a solid or liquid long-term fertilizer in spring and summer

    In August, the gift of fertilizer ends, so that a cranesbill can prepare for the coming winter.

    Diseases

    You will rarely have to complain about diseases on geraniums if they are cared for professionally. During hot and humid summer weather, infection with powdery mildew sometimes occurs. If a mealy-white coating spreads out on or under the leaves, cut off the affected parts of the plant immediately and dispose of them in the household waste. Treat the diseased flower with a solution of 100ml fresh milk and 900ml water until there are no more symptoms.

    hibernate

    A cranesbill has enough frost hardness to survive the local winter unscathed. If possible, leave the foliage on the perennial until spring, as the leaves act as a natural protection. However, the following precautions should be taken in exposed, rough locations and in planters:

    • Pile up the root area with leaves, brushwood, straw or compost
    • Cover tubs and balcony boxes with bubble wrap, felt or jute
    • Place containers on cold-insulating material, such as wood or polystyrene

    Glacial frost exposes geraniums to drought stress in winter. Therefore, water the perennials in beds and planters on mild days.

    Propagating Cranesbill

    The appropriate propagation method depends on the specific growth behavior of a geranium. Most cranesbills can be reproduced excellently by division. How to proceed correctly:

    • Dig up the entire rootstock in March/April
    • Shake off the soil thoroughly
    • Tear off short shoots with your own fine roots
    • Plant the cracklings in small pots, care for them in a partially shaded location and plant them until autumn

    Alternatively, you can grow young geraniums with cuttings. Cut off healthy, non-flowering shoots in early summer and place them in pots with humus-rich soil. Keep the offshoots constantly moist in a semi-shady place so that they can be planted out after rooting.
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    How do I plant correctly?

    Except for a few cranesbill species, which form very long taproots, most geraniums tolerate a change of location without any problems. Choose a mild day in April/May or August/September. The more root volume you dig up, the higher the chances of success. Root strands that are too long are cut off with a spade or knife. Plant the perennial in the new location without a long delay by maintaining the previous planting depth. Now it is important to have an adequate water supply so that the stressed geranium can quickly put out its roots.

    Cranesbill in the pot

    Cranesbills that remain small, such as the hardy Geranium himalayense, thrive in pots. Choose a vessel with an opening at the bottom to spread potsherds on top for drainage. Fill in good compost-based potting soil and plant the geranium up to the lower pair of leaves. How to care for geraniums in pots:

    • Water whenever the soil has dried
    • Fertilize liquid every 14 days from April to July/August
    • Cut off wilted flower stalks after the first bloom
    • Before the first frost, wrap the pot in foil or carry it to bright, frost-free winter quarters

    Water a cranesbill every now and then during the cold season, because the root ball must not dry out. Cut off the remaining foliage in spring at the latest.

    What is the difference between geranium and geranium?

    Although the popular balcony geraniums (pelargoniums) are botanically assigned to the large plant family of the cranesbill plants (Geraniaceae), there is an elementary difference to the cranesbill genus: standing and hanging geraniums for the balcony do not have any winter hardiness. Geraniums, on the other hand, thrive as long-lived, hardy perennials with either deciduous or evergreen foliage, depending on the species.

    Which types of geranium are suitable for the garden?

    More than 400 magnificent geranium species worldwide make the hearts of gardeners beat faster. Many of these perennials thrive outdoors in the Central European climate for many years. The following selection presents outstanding cranesbills:

    • Blood-red cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) - creeping perpetual bloomer, evergreen, extremely robust
    • Gray cranesbill (Geranium cinereum) - cushion-forming, lilac-white, veined flowers in the rock garden
    • Pyrenean cranesbill (Geranium endressii) - suitable as ground cover in open spaces
    • Marsh cranesbill (Geranium palustre) - ideal at the edge of a pond and stream, red flowers from June to September
    • Meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense) - deciduous, blue flowers from June to August, bedding perennial
    • Rock cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum) - reddish, veined flowers on the semi-shady edge of the wood
    • Cranesbill (Geranium x magnificum) - violet flowers for sunny to partially shaded locations

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    Beautiful varieties

    • Patricia: eye-catching perennial with magenta flowers and a black eye; Growth height 60-70 cm
    • Philippe Vapelle: purple Caucasus cranesbill with suede-like leaves, hardy and drought tolerant
    • Album: pure white flowering Geranium sanguineum for the rock garden with beautiful foliage in autumn
    • Plenum: light violet floret flowers on the fully hardy Himalayan cranesbill; Growth height 30-40 cm
    • Czakor: distinctive on the semi-shady edge of the wood with pink flowers from May to July and evergreen foliage
    • Rebecca Moss: hardy groundcover cranesbill with lilac flowers from June to August

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Vegetable garden