Caring for geraniums: cleaning the flowers encourages new growth
Created: 06/30/2022, 14:25
By: Ines Alms
Geraniums or pelargoniums are easy-care balcony and garden plants.
However, if you regularly remove wilted flowers, you will encourage the formation of new flowers.
They come in umpteen varieties, shapes and colors: hanging geraniums, scented geraniums, standing geraniums or noble geraniums.
No wonder it is one of the most popular flowers in Germany.
And you can't go wrong with maintenance.
But if you do some things right, you will be rewarded with numerous flowers and vigorous growth of the plant.
Caring for geraniums: cleaning the flowers encourages new growth
Regular trimming and proper watering encourage geranium blooms.
(Iconic image) © agefotostock/Imago
Caring for geraniums isn't difficult, but if you're wondering why the flowers on your neighbor's balcony are blooming so profusely and continuously, you might find the answer in the daily care of withered parts of the plant.
If you
remove faded or dried stems
regularly and early on, the geranium will form new flowers all the faster.
It also prevents the formation of disease, mold or rot.
These care instructions also ensure healthy, strong plants:
Whether on the balcony or in the garden: a sheltered, warm but airy place is ideal.
The more sun the geranium gets, the more flowers it will produce.
Geraniums tolerate short
periods
of dryness , so the plants should be watered regularly, but not too much.
This also enhances flowering.
Waterlogging is to be avoided.
The nutrient-hungry plant needs fertilizer
once a week
, at the latest when yellow leaves appear: A liquid fertilizer for flowering plants or organic fertilizer such as occasionally horn shavings or even urine is suitable for this.
The plant does not like coffee grounds because they make the soil too acidic.
If the pelargonium is attacked by
pests
such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies or spider mites, you should remove the relevant leaves and shoots.
If this happens early in the season, pruning is also possible, and the plant will then sprout again.
This is how the balcony plants survive your vacation
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Geraniums are not actually winter-proof, but it is possible to bring them through the cold season in a bucket or balcony box if you pack them well or move them in the meantime.
If that is too cumbersome for you, you can simply grow geraniums yourself from cuttings for the next season.
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