Geraniums require little care, but offer a magnificent display of flowers all summer long. The most important thing is that these delicate plants receive enough sunlight so that they can produce flowers continuously. This popular plant is available in a variety of varieties, all featuring visually appealing leaves and flowers. Geraniums (also called pelargoniums) are a common plant that, due to their popularity, are grown in large quantities in flower beds and window boxes. Your geraniums aren't blooming? Here's what you can do to get them backto bring bloom!
Why aren't my geraniums blooming?
To produce flowers, geraniums of all types require a few essential elements, including sun, warmth and the right soil. If any of these components are wrong, your perennial plant will not be able to produce flowers. Let's take a closer look at some of the common problems thatGeraniums in bloomcan hinder.
Insufficient, direct light
Hardy geraniums require a location with four to six hours of direct sunlight per day. Flowering may fail if part of the shade is present, whether it is partial shade or deep shade. All plants need different amounts of sun for photosynthesis and the conversion of energy into food. Pelargoniums need a lot of sun. Your geraniumswill not bloom, if they do not receive enough sunlight.
Be sure to plant your hardy geraniums in a location that receives plenty of light and little shade. Even a little shade in the afternoon can rob your pelargoniums of the vitality they need. You should also remove any overhanging plants that could cast a shadow on your pelargoniums.
Geraniums don't bloom - too much fertilizer
Although most plants thrive with a balanced fertilizer, excess fertilizer can have the opposite effect. If geraniums are fertilized too much, they produce many leaves but only a few flowers. In other words: the plant becomes bushier, but there are fewer beautiful flowers on it.
When caring for geraniums, it is advisable to fertilize no more often than once every two weeks. Additionally, high nitrogen levels can cause the stems of these plants to become brittle and eventually die. To prevent this, you should definitely use a fertilizer that contains a lower nitrogen content. Your geraniums would benefit greatly from a fertilizer with a nutrient ratio of 15-15-15.
Tipp: If you like the aroma of coffee, you may be wondering if you can use coffee grounds to fertilize geraniums. If you want to use coffee grounds as fertilizer, it is better to combine them with other components such as compost or manure. Coffee grounds are a fantastic alternative if you're looking for a way to give your plants an extra dose of nitrogen. Just be sure to use them in moderation and combine them with other components to create a balanced environmentfor your plantsto accomplish. Your plants will thank you.
Proper Pelargonium Watering
Excessive watering is the cause of most plant problems. Geraniums that are overwatered are more likely to develop root rot, a potentially fatal disease that affects the plant's ability to absorb water and nutrients from the surrounding soil.
If the lower leaves are yellow or red, this indicates that the plant is receiving excessive water. You should only water the soil after it has dried out for some time and then consider a soil test to determine the quality of the soil.
The condition of the soil
Geraniums are known to be heavy feeders and therefore thrive best in soil that is predominantly loamy, but also contains some sand for drainage. Both indoor and outdoor plants benefit enormously from adding coarse sand or perlite to organic compost. In addition to providing essential nutrients and helping to restore leached nitrogen, the organic matter increases soil acidity and even has the ability to retain some water during periods of drought. Adding aggregates such as perlite improves drainage while preventing the soil from becoming overly compacted.
Geraniums do not bloom because of the temperature
Pelargoniums like a relatively constant temperature range. If the temperature is too high or too low, the plants canHaving problems with flowering. The optimal range for flowering is between 15 and 30 degrees. You can prevent the temperature of your outdoor pelargonium's roots from exceeding these values by providing some shade or mulch in the middle of the day.
Tips for beautiful geranium flowers – cutting the plant
Even if your plant blooms, the number of flowers may not be what you expected. Many gardeners recommend cutting the plant back after the first bloom of the year to encourage new growth, which will be healthier and perhaps produce a larger bloom later in the summer.
However, you can only prune the flowers that are past their prime if you don't want to prune the entire plant. This allows the plant to devote more of its resources to producing new flowers.
Finally, remove any areas of the plant that are too leggy and keep an eye out for pests or fungal diseases that could affect the plant's ability to produce flowers.
