Geranium (Pelargonium spp.) is a large genus of plants with attractive, bright green foliage and big, colorful blooms in various shades of red, pink, orange or white, depending on the variety. The secret to a full, bushy plant and an enviable display of color that lasts all season is a simple task known as pinching, which forces the plant to branch out. Proper feeding and removal of dead flowers also help maintain a thick, healthy plant. Geranium is grown as an annual in cooler climates, but the plant is perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and 10.
Pinch growing tips from young geraniums in spring. Use your fingertips to pinch 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the tip of each shoot, pinching the stem just above the next leaf, stem or bud. Repeat two or three times at intervals of about three weeks, but don't pinch tips that are blooming.
Deadhead spent geranium flowers throughout the season to encourage neat, tidy growth and continued blooming. To deadhead, use your fingernails or clean, disinfected garden shears to cut off flowers as soon as they wilt. Otherwise, the plant will set seed and eventually stop blooming.
Feed geraniums every three weeks to be sure the plants receive a steady supply of necessary nutrients. Use a water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer mixed at a rate of 2 teaspoons in 1 gallon of water.
Water the geranium at the base of the plant, because wetting the leaves may cause the foliage to rot. If you must use a sprinkler, water in the morning so the foliage has time to dry before evening. Water the plant to a depth of about 6 inches, and then let the soil dry completely before watering again.
Things You Will Need
- Garden shears
- Water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer
- Geranium performs best when it receives at least eight hours of sunlight per day. Too much shade creates small, sparse blooms.
- University of Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program: Geraniums
- Oregon State University Extension: Remove Spent Blossoms For New Blossoms
- The Gardener's A to Z Guide to Growing Flowers From Seed to Bloom; Eileen Powell
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