When you’re a Southern African native, what do you miss about moving elsewhere? The sun. The consistent warmth and long, bright days.
If you thrived in that kind of ample light, you’d understand why your Pelargoniums (the “geraniums” filling your pots) crave it so much. Show these bright Southern souls a warm welcome, and watch them shine!
How to Keep Geraniums Blooming All Summer: A Complete Care Guide
1. Provide Adequate Sunlight
Typical for Southern transplants, it’s full sun or nothing. With less than 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily, your geraniums’ summer show will likely get canceled, replaced by lanky stems and a quite disappointing lack of blossoms.
Even big sun-lovers have their limits, though. When summer heats up, especially in really hot climates, its brutal afternoon sun can be too much. It causes scorched leaves and serious wilting.
If your summers regularly hit those high temperatures, give your potted geraniums a little afternoon reprieve with some shade or temporary cover.
2. Water Consistently but Avoid Overwatering
Your Pelargoniums crave sunlight, but their roots despise soggy conditions. The key: water consistently, but never overwater. Wait until the top inch of soil feels dry. If it feels dry to that first knuckle, it’s time to water.
When you do water, do it deeply. The idea here is to encourage roots to seek moisture downwards, which creates a more robust plant better able to withstand stress. Mornings are the prime watering window. An evening watering leaves leaves damp overnight, conversely inviting trouble.
Wherever your geraniums live, it’s vital that water never lingers around their roots. Make sure their bottom holes are completely clear (*giggles*), allowing excess water to drain away freely.
Otherwise, expect the nightmare of waterlogged roots leading to decay and the plant’s swift decline. You certainly wouldn’t want your geranium crew to stage a rootiny, would you?
3. Deadhead Spent Blooms Regularly
Want your geraniums to live up to their all-summer-bloom promise? Prepare for regular deadheading to become your new favorite chore. Because your Pelargoniums are smart.
As flowers fade, plants naturally shift their energy toward making seeds. So when you remove their spent blooms, you effectively trick them with, “Nope, not done yet, keep those blossoms coming!“
Removing faded flowers is easy. If the stem of a faded flower is soft, simply pinch it off right with your thumb and forefinger. Should the stem feel tougher, or you’re dealing with a larger flower cluster, then grab some clean, sharp scissors.
Cut back to the nearest set of healthy leaves or a visible leaf node. Do not just lop off the flower head. Take it down to a healthy growth point to encourage new branching and, most importantly, new blooms.
4. Fertilize Appropriately
Ever wonder how some geraniums just keep blooming? Often, it comes down to their feeding routine. These aren’t the hungriest plants out there, but giving them consistent food makes a difference for flower power.
Pick up a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer, something like a 10-10-10 mix will do nicely.
You’ll want to apply this every four to six weeks during their main growing season. Just remember to mix it properly and closely follow the directions on the package. Getting that dilution right will help you avoid burning their precious roots.
And that brings us to a point: resist the urge to overfeed. It’s surprisingly easy to sabotage your own efforts. Too much fertilizer will often prompt your plant to prioritize bushy growth. You’ll get a lot of green, yes, but those gorgeous flowers you’re hoping for will become much less frequent.
5. Prune for Shape and Air Circulation
Your geraniums looking a bit gangly? Annoyingly long, sprawling stems, maybe not as many blooms as you’d like? Time to grab your pruners! A bit of strategic cutting will transform them.
Snip back their leggy bits, and watch your plant fill out into a lovely, bushy shape.
Plus, getting rid of dense growth means air can f-really move around. That’s a huge win against pesky diseases. Moreover, every time you prune, you’re practically inviting more flowers to show up. And that is a huge win for shape and blossoms.
6. Monitor for Pests and Diseases
Look, nobody wants unwelcome visitors, especially not on their lovely geraniums. But sometimes, tiny troubles like aphids or microscopic spider mites try to set up shop. Make it a habit to eyeball your plants regularly.
Spot something? Don’t wait. Hit the infestations fast with a good insecticidal soap or neem oil. Oh, and remember that good air circulation we just mentioned? It’s your plant’s secret weapon against nasty fungal diseases, too.
7. Prepare for Extreme Weather
True, geraniums are notorious suntanners, but even they have a breaking (scorching?) point. When a serious heatwave hits, give them a break. Pop some temporary shade over them.
Now, if you live somewhere with proper winters, and your geraniums are in pots… they will not survive a freeze!
Get them inside before that first frost arrives. A nice (south-facing) sunny window makes a perfect winter home until spring rolls around again.
The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Happy Geraniums
As you could see, geraniums don’t need much at all! Just the right sun. And smart watering. A little deadheading love. Some timely food. And of course, a watchful eye, no slacking.
Even better news, this regular upkeep is also a beauty regimen and their secret to staying healthy, gorgeous, and happy for years.
Seriously, they’ll thrive so much, your neighbors might start asking for their secrets. Whether you tell them or not depends solely on how much you like your neighbors.
