Geranium tip: Remove dead flowers and stems

Created: 05/09/2022, 16:00

By: Joana Lück

As soon as the ice saints are over in mid-May, this is a good time to plant geraniums.

But if you want to care for the flowers properly, you should clean them.

Munich – Hardly any perennial is as versatile as the geranium: It can be used as a climbing geranium, hanging or standing geranium, ground cover or as a classic scented geranium.

Most varieties of geranium are often found on balconies or terraces, as the perennial native to South Africa loves the sun.

Geranium tip: Remove dead flowers and stems

Geraniums are also known as cranesbills or pelargoniums.

(Iconic image) © Rainer Hunold/Imago

Even if geraniums are considered robust and perennial, they are sensitive to night frost, which is why planting from mid-May makes the most sense.

But what can you do if your geraniums no longer look fresh and individual blossoms are wilting?

So-called cleaning is the solution:

• Regularly removing faded flowering shoots and leaves keeps the geranium healthy, encourages flowering and keeps the plant young.

  To trim geraniums, grab the base of the shoot and snap off the stem against the direction of growth.

• Since geraniums have large inflorescences, it is more common for the flowers to be in different states on the umbels.

  Alternatively, instead of picking off the stalk, you can carefully pluck off the withered flowers with your fingers.

  Under no circumstances should you leave the faded flowers standing, as this will hinder the formation of new buds.

• When cleaning, you should not use scissors or a knife, as these tools are unsuitable.

  Knives and/or scissors are only helpful if entire shoots are to be removed, as when pruning.

• The evening hours after watering have proven to be the perfect time for cleaning out, as the stems are then bulging and can be snapped off more easily.

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Geranium tip: propagate by cuttings

For propagation, cut off a middle-aged shoot about a finger long with leaves just below the last leaf node.

Put the cuttings two centimeters deep in potting soil and water them eagerly in the following weeks.

The cuttings should be in a partially shaded but warm and sheltered spot.