How do you cut back leggy geraniums?
How do you cut back leggy geraniums?
Unlike their common geranium cousins, hardy geraniums don't flower more when you deadhead, or cut off individual spent flowers. But many varieties of geraniums do reflower after the first burst of blooms if you shear off the entire plant to about 2 inches from the ground after the flowers finish blooming.
How do I make my geranium bushy?
Herbaceous perennials that flower in early summer, such as hardy geraniums (pictured), alchemilla and stachys, can be cut to the base as soon as the main flush of blooms starts to fade. Pruning encourages new growth and a second flush of early blooms in late summer or early autumn.
Can I prune geraniums in summer?
After the growing season is finished, pruning back the geraniums will help them stay healthy and dormant during the colder months. Wait until the flowers have died and the geranium has gotten a little leggy, in late summer or early to mid-fall.
Where do you prune geraniums?
In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.
Why are my geraniums so leggy?
Spindly geraniums can also be the result of poor light conditions. In addition to pruning, allowing more space between plants and locating them in full sun can oftentimes alleviate the problem. Excessive moisture is another cause for leggy geraniums.
Should you deadhead geraniums?
You should deadhead whenever your geranium blooms begin to look brown or weak. To deadhead your geraniums, rather than simply pulling off the top flowers, you need to go a little deeper in the plant and snap the stem below its node or joint, where new growth begins.
Should I pinch off geraniums?
A lush, abundantly flowering geranium (Pelargonium spp.) is your reward for timely pinching when the growing season just begins. Pinching off individual leaves doesn't increase bloom, but pinching back the leaf stems can encourage branching and more flower bud production on a young plant.
Why do geranium leaves turn yellow?
One of the most common causes for yellowing leaves is too much moisture or overwatering. Generally, on over-watered plants, the bottom portions of geraniums have yellow leaves. They may also develop pale-looking water spots. Water or air temperature that is too cool can also result in geranium yellow leaves.