Happy are those who grow geraniums at home. This herbaceous perennial plant offers splendid flowering in summer! Great star of summer and lord of the balcony, the geranium delights the eye with its superb flowers in different colors which bring a real luxuriant touch to the environment. But there’s no mystery: if you don’t maintain them properly, your geraniums will fade. However, certain small, not insignificant details can make all the difference. Want to know the secret to having beautiful geranium planters on your windows and balconies all summer long? Follow these helpful tips.
How to have beautiful geraniums to decorate the windows and balconies of the house?
Geraniums reveal sublime flowers. But, like other plants, they are very demanding and require very special care.
- First important step: Planting, to make them more resistant, you can mix garden soil with sand and peat. This will also allow water to drain more easily. Always opt for rich potting soil, with the addition of a fertilizer specially adapted to this plant which promotes abundant flowering. And to improve the drainage process, don’t hesitate to add a few clay balls.
- Have you noticed with dismay that your geraniums are no longer growing? If their roots seem to be suffocating in the pot, then you should immediately move the plant to a larger, more spacious pot, to avoid crowding the flowers and drying out the stems.
- In terms of watering, balcony geraniums need water, but not too much either. It is best to wait until the substrate is dry to water them, to avoid rotting the roots. Keep in mind that this plant is extremely sensitive to humidity. Due to overwatering, your geraniums can get sick easily. This is why it is absolutely necessary to keep an eye on the drainage. Therefore, do not forget to pierce the pots.
- At least twice a week, check the planters to remove any faded flowers. Flower stems should always be cut in half to stimulate the growth of new shoots. Geraniums need to be cleaned as often as possible if you want them to bloom properly. This prevents the appearance of fungi on dead parts of the plant. As for removing dry leaves from the pots, it is not only for aesthetic reasons, it is mainly to help the new leaves grow in the best conditions. So, to prevent all kinds of diseases, get rid of any stained, browned or dried leaves.
Useful tips to follow for beautiful geranium blooms
If you choose fragrant geraniums with fragrant foliage, which are suitable for both an apartment and a garden, you should know that this species needs a lot of light and that it grows very well in the sun. Consequently, these plants will adapt just as well to the middle of the garden as to a planter on a sunny balcony.
Remember that geraniums need good potting soil mixed with a little sand and a small quantity of clay. The pot must be as perforated as possible to facilitate the flow of water: but, above all, avoid drowning the roots! Caution is required with watering. We repeat, excess water can be fatal to your geraniums.
Some more delicate species look great on balconies, window boxes or hanging pots. These plants need a lot of light, but they should not be exposed to direct sunlight, especially during hot weather. They should only be watered at the root once a day, especially in hot weather.
Little tip : in order to eliminate excess flowers and preserve beautiful flowering, you can water them with boiled and then cooled water.
