How To Keep Geraniums Healthy

Gardeners have traditionally favored geraniums. They smell wonderful, are colorful, and are simple to grow. How to cultivate geraniums in your house and garden is provided here!

(Note: This is not a page about “hardy geraniums, sometimes known as cranesbills. This page is on plants in the genus Pelargonium, commonly known as geraniums or storksbills.)

Geraniums are normally kept indoors to overwinter, even if they may be kept outside throughout the warmer months of the year. In contrast, if given enough light, they can bloom all year long indoors.

Geranium or Pelargonium? A Case of Mistaken Identity

Early in the 18th century, Dutch traders who were traveling through South Africa brought the plants that we now refer to as “geraniums” to Europe. Botanists misclassified these new plants into the same genus because they resembled the hardy wild geraniums that are already present throughout Europe.

Botanist Carl Linnaeus of Sweden included them in the genus Geranium in 1753. Pelargonium, which refers to the long, sharply pointed shape of their seedpod, was used to reclassify these new “geraniums when it was later revealed that they differed from European geraniums in the shape of their petals, the number of stamens, and other features.

However, people still refer to them by their old common name, “geranium,” even if we really mean “pelargonium.”

You can grow geraniums as annual blooms or as indoor plants. They can be kept outside in a sunny area throughout the warmer months of the year (between your local frost dates).
If keeping geraniums as indoor plants, make sure to do so in the late summer or early fall when overnight lows begin to consistently fall below 55F. (13C).
Pay great attention to the size and color of geraniums when purchasing them. Healthy stems and leaves will not be straggly or discolored on top of them or underneath them. A plant with evident insect indications should also be avoided. Mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites are typical indoor plant pests.
To prevent root rot, put plants in containers with drainage holes.
When planting in pots, use a well-draining potting mixture rather than heavy, clayey soil. Geraniums dislike being planted in mucky, compacted soil.
Place the plants where they will receive 4-6 hours of sunlight per day for the best bloom.

How to Care for Geraniums

After letting the soil somewhat dry between waterings, water it again well.
Water plants significantly less throughout the winter, but make sure the roots are not completely dried up. Given a time of hibernation throughout the winter, when they consume less water and don’t grow as much, geraniums thrive. For additional overwintering tips, see the section below.
Regularly deadhead spent flowers to promote blooming.
Pinch back the stems to encourage bushiness and prevent legginess.
Fertilize approximately every two weeks throughout the active growing months. Half-strength a fertilizer that is water soluble When the plant should be dormant in the winter, avoid fertilizing.
Repotting geraniums can be done in the spring to promote new growth or if they appear to need revitalization.

Overwintering Geraniums

If they receive plenty of sunlight, geraniums that have spent the summer outdoors can be kept indoors. The sun may not be strong enough in northern regions in late winter to promote buds on some cultivars.
Lift the plants before the first fall frost (you can find your local frost dates here), and use a sharp, clean knife to shapely prune the stems back to about 6 to 8 inches. In the low-sunlight environment they are about to enter, they shouldn’t have to maintain substantial amounts of leaves. A simple technique to increase the number of your plants is to save a few stems for rooting.
Place the “mother plant” in the smallest pot you can find—just big enough to hold the roots—and fill it with ordinary potting soil.
The plants should be kept in the shadow for a week before being moved to a sunny location and kept cool.
Geraniums thrive in temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 16 degrees Celsius) at night during the winter, but they can also withstand lows of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and highs of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), provided they are kept relatively dry.
Cut off all the old leaves when the spring growth begins.

Keeping the new growth alive is the only challenge that can compare to getting it to appear. Here is some assistance with that:

Only offer tiny quantities of water when the leaves begin to droop. Don’t feed or fertilize the plants. These plants must have some downtime.
Pinch back your overwintered geraniums in February if you want them to bloom by Memorial Day. Take the plants outside and move them to beds or pots, as you like, once warm weather returns and all threat of frost has passed.
Containers are ideal for growing the Common or Zonal Geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) (as well as outdoors).
Hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers are all extremely popular places to use Ivy-Leaf Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum).

How to Root Stem Cuttings

The majority of geraniums readily take root from stem cuttings when placed in soil, sand, water, perlite, or another rooting medium.

Make a slanted incision 4 inches below the tip of the stem, above the node where the leaves emerge, with a clean, sharp knife. Cut the grass immediately below a node. Remove all except two or three leaves, any buds, and the stipules that resemble leaves at the base of leaf stalks.
To ensure that the cut end of the stem will seal and not rot, roll the stem cutting in newspaper or place it in the shade for 24 hours.
Place the stem in a wet rooting media container and keep it there for two days in a warm, shaded area. Give the cutting indirect sun after that. Just as needed, moisten the medium.
Apply crushed geranium leaves to small cuts to halt the bleeding.
Scarlet geranium is the flower that speaks of foolishness. More floral meanings can be found here.
You won’t have to worry about those bothersome bugs because geraniums are known to be harmful to Japanese beetles.
Keep geraniums out of the reach of curious youngsters and animals (cats, dogs) as they might cause indigestion or vomiting.

Low light, overexposure, and underwatering are common issues. Yellowing leaves are a sign that you are watering your plants either too little or too much. Try to water the geraniums evenly in this situation, and transfer them to a more sunny location.

How may my geraniums be improved?

How to Increase Hardy Geranium Blooms

Give the Right Lighting. Make sure your blooms are receiving enough sunlight.
Maintain Soil Moistness. Keep the soil damp but not soggy.
Detach any leggy growth. Midsummer is the time to prune the plants.
Give Your Plants Food. To promote blooming, apply a fertilizer strong in potash.

How can geraniums be made to smile?

While many people think that growing geraniums is easy, there are occasions when it isn’t. This is particularly true in December when the days are brief and the sun is at its weakest. You see, exposure to good, consistent light is one of the secrets to geranium success. Give them enough of sun for at least half a day, and you’ll be successful. If you don’t fulfill your commitment, plants get lanky, blossoming declines, and your buddies could become spindly animals with only a few leaves clumped at the top.

Strong, all-day sun results in abundant flowering. Be patient if the sun is limited at your home in the winter. Geraniums that were dormant in November could bloom again in February as the sun gets stronger.

Additional information: Geraniums thrive best when indoor temperatures during the daytime exceed 70 degrees and drop well into the 50s during the nighttime. Even while many households find it challenging to tolerate these evening temperatures, geraniums absolutely require them. From February through October, fertilize plants twice per month with a little houseplant fertilizer, and once per month the remainder of the year. Allow soil to somewhat dry between heavy waterings.

If we learn to decipher their signals, plants usually let us know when they’re dissatisfied. Something is wrong when geranium leaves start to yellow, become dry, and fall. In addition to bad lighting, it can be the air being too dry. Do everything you can to raise the humidity, and consider raising the soil’s moisture level a little. Each week, wash the leaves. Place the plant in a place with more humidity, such as the kitchen or bathroom. Yellow leaves may also be a sign that your plant needs to eat. Fertilizer can be helpful often, but avoid the high-nitrogen varieties. They may produce tons of gorgeous foliage but fewer blooms as a result.

How can those lovely geraniums we grew outside in the garden overwinter indoors so they can improve your landscape once more the following year? Cutting the plants back to a compact size is one technique. Then, carefully dig them out of the ground without damaging the minuscule roots. Allow the dirt to adhere to their roots. Replant them in a box lined with plastic or any similar container. Put this container near a window in your basement. Just enough water should be supplied to keep the plants alive but prevent them from growing. Don’t worry about dry soil because the goal of the method is to prevent plants from shriveling. If your plant produces lengthy shoots, cut them off. Our intention is to create a semi-dormant state until June, when planting season begins.

Storage is made a little bit simpler if you live in an older home with a cool cellar that has a dirt floor because the humidity in these areas is usually rather high. Try carefully taking the geranium plants out of the ground. Through the winter, hang the plants from the ceiling in bundles that are tied together. Keep in mind that for the best outcomes, the basement must be rather chilly and humid.

Geraniums that were grown outdoors in the summer can also be overwintered using cuttings. Spray the plants with insecticide while they are outdoors and before you cut them. Take cuttings from the tips of 3- to 4-inch long outside plant stems next. Any lower leaf that might be near to the cut should be removed. Place the cuttings in pots with wet perlite. For a month, keep the perlite evenly moist. The cuttings ought to have rooted at that point. It’s a good idea to cover the cuttings with transparent plastic to prevent evaporation from the pots, but keep the plastic away from the foliage. This helps prevent leaf burning. Small sticks buried in the ground can prevent plastic from coming into contact with plants. Place the cuttings away from the harsh, direct sun. Geranium cuttings need light, but they don’t need direct sunlight just yet. Plants should be moved into pots with high-quality, well-drained potting soil once their roots have developed. After that, place the pots in direct sunlight and nourish indoor plants. Cut back cuttings sometimes as they grow. This encourages branching and the development of plants with attractive contours.

Some geranium lore: They are members of the Pelargonium genus. Only two of the more than 200 geranium species are commonly used in gardening. One is the upright and most well-known geranium, Pelargonium zonale. The “zoned” leaf markings present in several types are the source of the term. The other is an ivy-type geranium called Pelargonium peltatum. Its ivy-like leaves and trailing growth gave rise to its name. Window boxes and hanging baskets are excellent places to plant ivy geraniums. Other hues for geraniums than the traditional pinks and reds have evolved over time. There are many cultivars with fragrant foliage.

How do you keep geraniums in pots from blooming?

Deadhead faded flowers on your geraniums by cutting off the entire flower stalk all the way to the point where it connects to the main stem.

Use a pair of sharp scissors, or even your fingers, to trim or pinch off approximately a half-inch of growth from the end of each stem to keep plants bushy, full, and jam-packed with flowers. This gives the plant a larger appearance and the potential for more flowers while also causing the plant to sprout two new stems.

Repotting your geraniums into a larger container only when necessary, and use a container that is just one size bigger than the previous one, as geraniums bloom best when they are relatively root-bound.

Geraniums are heavy feeders, so treat your plants with a balanced fertilizer as directed on the product label every few weeks during the spring and summer. At the conclusion of the summer, stop feeding.

What appearance do overwatered geraniums have?

Having too much moisture or overwatering is one of the most frequent reasons of yellowing leaves. Geraniums typically have yellow leaves at the bottom when they are overwatered. They could also get water patches that appear pale. If so, you should cease watering right away so that the plants can dry off. Remember that geraniums do not like excessive amounts of water and are drought-tolerant plants.

Geranium yellow leaves can also occur when the water or air are too cold. Since geraniums prefer warm climates, they struggle in cool climates. Geraniums with yellow leaves can be caused by prolonged cold weather, particularly cold, wet weather, or by cold snaps in the spring.

Additionally, a nutrient deficit could be the reason why the geranium leaves turn more yellow than green. Every third watering or once a month, geranium plants should be treated with a comprehensive, water-soluble fertilizer (ideally one with micronutrients). Geraniums’ yellow leaves can be avoided using fertilizer, and the plant will grow larger and produce more blooms as a result.

A geranium with yellow leaves sporadically indicates the presence of a disease. Verticillium, for instance, is a fungus that can result in stunted growth, withering, and brilliant yellow leaves.

What about the yellow-edged geranium leaves? Dehydration or a lack of water are frequently blamed for geranium leaves that have yellow margins or yellow tips. Geraniums require some water even though they can withstand drought. In these situations, you can use your fingers to feel the soil to gauge how dry the plants may be and water accordingly. Trimming the yellowing growth off might also be beneficial.

You can see that geraniums with yellow leaves often only require a little tender loving care in order to recover. If you provide a geranium with what it need, the leaves won’t turn yellow.

Do you need to remove the dead geranium flowers?

Of course, removing all the dead blooms will immediately improve the appearance of your plants, but there are additional benefits to understanding how to deadhead geraniums.

Your geranium will focus all of its energy on producing seeds if you leave the dead flowers on it rather than producing new blooms. By cutting them off, the plant may focus its efforts on developing new blossoms. Therefore, if you keep up with the deadheading, you’ll have enough of new flowers all summer long for your hanging basket ideas or other displays.

Additionally, keeping them organized in this way enhances the air flow around the plant. This lessens the risk of the widespread fungus illness botrytis blight.