PERENNIALS > GERANIUMS > FEEDING
By KERSASP SHEKHDAR Kersasp Shekhdar, Gardener Kersie is a professional and vocational writer who learnt the basics of gardening as a toddler, courtesy of his grandfather. He is an active gardener with a preference for flowering plants. Roy Nicol, MHort (RHS), MCIHort - Horticulturist Roy is a Professional Gardener and Horticultural Consultant, specialising in large garden year-round maintenance and garden development. He is an RHS Master of Horticulture and uses his research in the application of no-dig methods in ornamental garden settings. Roy has been a Professional Gardener for more than six years and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Professional Gardener's Guild and Association of Professional Landscapers (Professional Gardener). Emily Cupit, Photographer & Videographer Emily is a Gardening Writer, Photographer and Videographer from Derbyshire, UK. She is the Founder of Emily's Green Diary - a community of more than 75,000 people who share in her gardening journey. Gary Carroll, Owner at Cranesbill Nursery Gary is the Owner of Cranesbill Nursery. He worked as a Gardener at the five star ‘Sails in the Desert’ hotel at Ayer’s Rock Resort in the outback and as a Gardener at the 17th Century National Trust property, Moseley Old Hall.
Reviewed By ROY NICOL 
Contributions From EMILY CUPIT 
IN THIS GUIDE
- Watering
- Feeding
GERANIUM GUIDES
Container Growing
Cuttings
Deadheading
Feeding
Growing From Seed
Pruning
Varieties
Winter Care
Geraniums have been a constant in British gardens for about two centuries, reaching their zenith of popularity in the Victorian Era.
They have never fallen out of favour and are still one of the UK’s top garden flowers.
Geraniums are usually divided into two kinds: Pelargoniums, ‘Tender Geraniums’ or ‘Garden Geraniums,’ and Cranesbill Geraniums or ‘Hardy Geraniums.’
No matter which kind you have, these plants produce flowers that radiate a laid-back, gentle charm all their own.
Geraniums are also much admired for their floriferousness and prolonged blooming seasons.
So how do you ensure that your Geraniums will display copious blooms from before summer until after summer?
Geraniums are famed for doing very nicely, in any old soil – the only condition is that it must drain very well.
What they are also well known to do is to respond very well to correct fertilising.
Watering
First, though, a word about watering these undemanding charmers.
Where watering Geraniums is concerned, less is more.
Indeed, in some rainy regions of the UK which experience frequent showers you may not need to water Geraniums in open ground for a good spell.
Aside from this, “keeping them well watered in their first few months of establishment is important,” says Gary Carroll, the owner of the specialist Geranium retailer, Cranesbill Nursery.
During the growing season the aim is to keep the soil consistently moist but it should never be soaked through.
When there is no rain, about half-an-inch of water twice a week should suffice.
Potted plants on the balcony may not get rain, of course, but, more importantly, container soil dries out quicker all other things being equal.
As a rule, water container-grown Geraniums with about half-an-inch of water twice a week though the cultivar, the size of the container, and the type of soil are also factors to consider.
Better yet, check that the container’s soil is moist down to 2 to 3 centimetres before deciding whether or not to water.
Geraniums cannot tolerate waterlogged soil and can succumb to root rot.
These plants are also rather susceptible to mildew.
You can go some way toward preventing these diseases by avoiding getting the foliage wet and by watering at soil level, and watering in the mid-morning.
Do not continue to water (Hardy or Cranesbill) Geraniums through the winter.
Pelargoniums, which require overwintering indoors or in a frost-free greenhouse, should be watered infrequently and conservatively so that the soil dries out between waterings but the roots don’t dry out too.
Feeding
At the start of spring, feed the plants with a balanced fertiliser.
For potted plants use a liquid form; for open ground ones, granular.
Repeat once more after about 20 days.
“One relatively weak liquid feed or a few chicken manure pellets will be fine for Geraniums,” explains Gary.
“If you feed Geraniums too much, you can end up with all foliage and no flowers.”
Miracle-Gro All Purpose is another good choice; it is available in both granular and liquid forms.
As soon as the flowering season gets underway, start to feed Geraniums with a high-potash formulation, for example a 5-5-10.
Apply such a fertiliser every fortnight until the end of summer.
Fertiliser formulated for tomatoes will do very well for Geraniums.
Comfrey, renowned for its fertilising qualities, when composted becomes a first-rate high-potash fertiliser.
Apply fertiliser away from the central root system – we suggest that for Geraniums you apply fertiliser at only about 70-75% of the strength or volume recommended by the manufacturer – again, less is more.
Gary recommends that you also mulch your Geraniums with compost or leaf mould in the spring to maintain your plant’s vigour.
Geraniums are among those plants that take well to Epsom Salts.
In spring you could substitute one feeding of balanced fertiliser with a feeding of Epsom Salts.
If at any time during the summer you observe yellowing foliage or even legginess, sub a high-potash feeding with one of Epsom Salts.
Epsom Salts should be diluted at one teaspoon in four litres of water.
Westland makes an Epsom Salts gardening product.
If you follow these watering and feeding guidelines, you will get the best out of your Geraniums as they adorn your garden or patio with a succession of delightful blooms all summer long.
