Guide
Geranium Care: 7 Best Tips to Keep Geraniums Blooming – Spring to Fall
May
Nothing brightens up your outdoor space quite like geraniums in full bloom. Their vibrant clusters of colour instantly lift your mood and transform any space. But perhaps you’re wondering how to keep Geraniums blooming from the first warm days of spring until autumn’s cool embrace. Well, we have good news – it’s simpler than you might imagine. With these 7 golden rules, you’ll keep your geraniums blooming all season long. No green thumb required!
Why Geraniums are The Perfect Flowering Companions
If you’re looking for plants that flower abundantly with minimal fuss, geraniums should be your first choice. With the right care, these flowering champions will reward you with an incredibly long blooming period.
• Geraniums (botanically belonging to the genus Pelargonium) are renowned for their exceptional flowering capacity, often blooming continuously for 5-6 months.
• They come in an incredible range of colours and flower forms – from single to fully double blooms, in shades from purest white to deepest red and everything in between.
• Unlike many flowering plants that bloom in waves, geraniums can produce flowers consistently throughout the growing season with proper care.
• They’re remarkably resilient, quickly resuming flowering even after brief periods of stress or neglect.
• Even when summer heat causes many plants to pause flowering, geraniums often continue producing new buds without hesitation.
Geraniums are true marathon bloomers in the flower world. In warm climates, these flowering champions can bloom nearly year-round! In most regions, expect your geraniums to begin flowering in late spring (May), reaching peak performance through summer, and continuing until the first frosts of autumn (October or November).
- In southern regions with mild winters, geraniums may bloom from March through December with proper care.
- In cooler northern areas, expect a concentrated bloom period from June through September.
- Indoor geraniums with adequate light can produce flowers all year, with a slight slowdown during the darkest winter months.
In short, geraniums are designed to bloom prolifically. This makes them the ideal choice for gardeners who want maximum floral impact with minimum effort. Whether you’re experienced with plants or just starting out, these flowering stars will reward even basic attention with impressive displays.
Follow these seven essential tips to keep your geraniums flowering from spring’s arrival right through until autumn’s first frosts. Mother Nature will handle the rest, leaving you free to simply enjoy the colorful show.
Read more: How to Grow Geraniums—a Beautiful Flower for Your Summer Garden
Tip 1: Choose the Perfect Sunny Location for Maximum Flowers
Geraniums come from South Africa, which explains their love for sunshine and warmth. The more sun they receive, the more abundantly they’ll flower. A position that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily will give you the best results.
Don’t worry about that hot summer sunshine – geraniums absolutely thrive in it! Even the intense midday sun won’t bother these sun-lovers. In fact, it’s exactly what they need to produce the greatest number of flower buds.
Has your balcony or garden got a slightly shadier spot? Geraniums will still perform reasonably well with 4-5 hours of direct sun, but they won’t flower quite as prolifically. For partially shaded locations, opt for lighter coloured varieties, particularly whites and pale pinks, which typically bloom better in less sunny situations.
What ‘full sun’, ‘partial sun’, and ‘shade’ actually mean. In a full sun location, the sun shines directly for 6+ hours daily. This is ideal for maximum geranium flowering.
Partial sun areas receive 4-6 hours of direct sunshine, sometimes with protection during the hottest part of the day. Geraniums will flower here, just not quite as abundantly.
Shady spots get less than 4 hours of direct sun each day. While geraniums might survive, flowering will be significantly reduced. Consider other flowering options if this describes your space.
Tip 2: Get the Timing Right for Spring Planting Success
The key to maximising your geranium’s flowering season lies in getting them established at exactly the right time. Plant too early and a late frost could damage them; too late and you miss out on weeks of beautiful geranium blooms.
The traditional advice is to wait until after the last frost date for your region, typically mid-May in many areas. However, with changing climate patterns, you might safely plant a week or two earlier in protected areas. When soil temperatures consistently stay above 10°C, your geraniums will establish quickly and start their flowering cycle sooner.
Have you purchased geraniums early and already planted them? Then check our advice on how to protect geraniums from unexpected late frosts. A simple garden fleece or even a newspaper cover on chilly nights can save your plants and preserve those developing flower buds.
Tip 3: Use Quality Soil and Proper Containers for Healthy Geranium Blooms
Investing in quality potting mix and appropriate containers sets the foundation for season-long flowering. Special geranium compost provides the perfect balance of nutrition, drainage, and moisture retention your plants need.
Choose pots at least 20cm in diameter with good drainage holes. Terracotta containers are excellent as they allow soil to breathe. For a 40cm balcony box, three plants spaced 20cm apart is ideal. In hanging baskets, limit to 3-4 plants in a 30cm basket to prevent overcrowding.
Extra: Planting secrets for maximum Geranium flowers
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Plant with the root ball just below soil level – not too deep
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Remove the lowest leaves to encourage more flowering
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Firm soil gently around roots without over-compacting
Read more: 3 Essential Steps for Soil Preparation
Tip 4: Master the Watering Balance for Continuous Flowering
These plants are remarkably drought-tolerant thanks to their slightly succulent stems and leaves, but consistent moisture produces the most flowers.
The finger test is the simplest way to determine when to water. Insert your finger about 2cm into the soil – if it feels dry at that depth, your plants need watering. If it still feels moist, check again tomorrow.
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Skip watering if the soil feels cool and moist – overwatering reduces flowering.
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Water when the top 2cm of soil feels warm and dry to the touch.
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Water urgently if soil is pulling away from the edges of the pot.
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Water in the morning, directing water to the soil, not the leaves or flowers. Provide about half a litre per plant, adjusting based on weather conditions. Always ensure excess water can drain away to prevent root rot.
Unlike some plants, geraniums don’t give obvious visual cues when they need water. Their thick stems and fleshy leaves store moisture, so by the time they show signs of wilting, they’ve already been stressed enough to drop developing flower buds. Regular checking and consistent watering maintains the steady moisture balance that supports continuous bloom development.
Tip 5: Feed Regularly for Spectacular Flower Production
Let’s be clear: Feeding is essential for continuous geranium blooms. While your plants won’t die without fertiliser, they certainly won’t flower as abundantly or for as long as they could.
Think of fertiliser as fuel for flower production. For the most spectacular display, geraniums need regular feeding throughout their growing season. A balanced approach works best – either a slow-release fertiliser applied when planting, or weekly applications of liquid geranium feed.
Phosphorus is the key nutrient for encouraging flowering, so look for fertilisers with a higher middle number in the NPK ratio (such as 10-15-10). During peak flowering season, a weekly dose of liquid fertiliser added to your watering routine will keep the blooms coming non-stop.
A balcony is decorated with wooden planters filled with vibrant pink and red geraniums. The geranium flowers create a stunning display against the white railing, with their blooms standing out beautifully against the lush green foliage. In the background, a small table with a coffee cup suggests a perfect spot to enjoy the floral display.
3 easy ways to fertilise geraniums
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Mix slow-release fertiliser into the soil when planting (simplest method)
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Add liquid fertiliser to your watering can once every 7-10 days (most effective)
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Insert fertiliser sticks into the soil every 8-12 weeks (convenient middle ground)
Tip 6: Deadhead Strategically to Encourage Geraniums to Flower
Deadheading is the most crucial maintenance task for continuous flowering. Removing spent Geranium blooms before they set seed signals the plant to produce more flowers, potentially doubling your blooms over the season.
To deadhead properly, grasp the stem 2cm below the faded flower and snap it off with a quick bend – no tools needed. The stem should break cleanly at a leaf node to encourage branching. This task is easier after watering when stems are more flexible.
Just as important, remove any dead or fading leaves while deadheading. These continue to draw valuable nutrients from the plant that could support flower production. Always remove leaves at the nub where they connect to the stem to prevent rot and disease.
Make deadheading a regular habit every few days. For trailing varieties, don’t forget inner stems that often get overlooked. This simple 5-minute task significantly boosts flowering performance.
Quick tip: For special occasions, float fresh geranium blooms in a shallow water bowl for an elegant indoor display.
Tip 7: Solve Common Problems Quickly to Maintain Flowering
Even well-tended geraniums occasionally face issues that interrupt flowering. Quick identification and action ensure rapid recovery.
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Yellow leaves and reduced flowering: When leaves yellow between veins, suspect iron chlorosis from high soil pH. First aid: Apply liquid iron supplement and water with diluted vinegar solution (1 tablespoon in 4 litres) to lower pH gradually.
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Buds browning and dropping: Usually caused by inconsistent watering. Geraniums need stable moisture for bud development. First aid: Establish regular watering based on the finger test. A thin mulch layer helps maintain moisture levels.
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Reduced flowering in heat: During heat waves, geraniums may temporarily pause flowering as a survival strategy. First aid: Provide afternoon shade, increase watering frequency, and consider relocating containers to morning-sun-only positions. Early morning misting helps preserve developing buds.
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Pest interference: Aphids and other small insects can drain energy from developing buds. First aid: A strong water spray dislodges most pests. For persistent problems, apply insecticidal soap in evening, focusing on buds and growing tips.
Bonus: Clever tricks to extend flowering into late autumn
As summer transitions to autumn, a few professional tricks can help you squeeze extra weeks or even months of geranium blooms.
In mid-August, give your plants a rejuvenation pruning by cutting them back by about one-third. This might seem counterintuitive, but it stimulates a fresh flush of growth and flower production that can continue well into autumn.
Adjust your fertiliser routine in late summer, switching to a formula higher in potassium and lower in nitrogen (look for numbers like 5-10-15). This encourages stronger stems and more cold-resistant flowers that will continue opening even as temperatures begin to drop.
As autumn approaches, move container geraniums to the most sheltered, sunny spots you have available. South-facing walls are ideal, as they absorb heat during the day and release it slowly overnight, creating a microclimate that keeps your geranium flowering weeks longer than they would in more exposed positions.
Instructions for extending the flowering season:
• Prune plants back by one-third in mid-August
• Switch to a high-potassium fertiliser
• Move to a sheltered, sunny location
• Protect from early frosts with garden fleece
• Consider bringing special favourites indoors to extend flowering even further
With these seven key tips, you’ll enjoy the absolute maximum flowering period from your geraniums – a non-stop colour show from spring right through to the first serious frosts of autumn. Just a bit of targeted care yields months of beautiful blooms!
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