Geranium care: Watering, diseases & Co.

Geraniums impress with their colorful flowers. With the right care - the right cutting, watering and fertilizing - diseases can be avoided.

geraniums (pelargonium, also geraniums) belong to the cranesbill family (Geraniaceae). Most of the approximately 250 game species are native to South Africa, but arrived in the early 16th century. century to Europe. Erroneously they were then placed in the genus geranium classified. pelargonium and geranium differ, however, in the structure of the flowers. Pelargoniums owe their popular name as geraniums to this taxonomic faux pas. Since its successful entry into Europe, the geranium as such has not only been established linguistically, but through intensive breeding new color variants are constantly emerging. The flowers of the numerous varieties shine from May until the first frost in an attractive spectrum of colors from white to red to violet. But it is not only their appearance that makes them one of the most popular bedding and balcony plants in Germany. They are also less susceptible to diseases and pests, can also dry out and can be multiplied and overwintered very easily. In summer you can see the colorful variety of their carpets of flowers on almost every balcony. But in order for your own balcony to shine in a sea of ​​flowers like the balconies of the typical Upper Bavarian wooden huts, the care has to be right.

Geraniums are not exactly high-maintenance. But in order for beautiful flowers to appear in large numbers on strong shoots, your geranium needs a lot of fuel in the form of water and regular fertilization. Using scissors also strengthens healthy growth and is essential before the South African beauties overwinter. In this article you will learn everything about watering, fertilizing, cutting and overwintering geraniums so that you can know that your balcony favorites are completely happy.

Water geraniums properly

Geraniums not only gobble up nutrients, they also need a lot of water. Although geraniums can also dry out without being damaged, they only bloom particularly luxuriantly if they are regularly watered with room-temperature rainwater. However, care must be taken that the plants are not constantly wet. Therefore: It is better to water vigorously once than frequently with small amounts of water. Only water again when the soil has dried and avoid waterlogging.

Summary watering geraniums:

• Water regularly and vigorously
• Avoid waterlogging

tip: If your geraniums look limp and wilted despite sufficient watering, this may be due to root damage caused by waterlogging.

Fertilize geraniums properly

Geraniums are heavy feeders. This, combined with the frequent cultivation in pots, means that you will not be able to avoid fertilization. You should fertilize the hungry plants from planting into October. You can use the following fertilizers for geraniums:

• compost and horn shavings
• Specific flower fertilizer
• Mineral fertilizers like blue grain

When planting, you can click one long-term fertilizer such as compost and horn shavings. As a rule, three liters of compost per square meter and a handful of horn shavings are worked into the potting soil. After that, you do not need to fertilize for three to four weeks. Instead of compost or horn shavings, you can also work a primarily organic long-term fertilizer into the soil.

When choosing fertilizer, you should make sure that the nitrogen content (recognizable by the "N" of the NPK ratio) should be larger. The phosphate content (P), on the other hand, should be the smallest. Our Plantura organic flower fertilizer is the ideal choice. It consists mainly of organic components. In this way you not only protect the environment, you also protect the microorganisms in the soil supported, because the nutrients are in complex form and first have to go through the soil life be unlocked. As a result, organic fertilizers also have a natural long-term effect. You only need to fertilize once in the spring and top up every now and then. mineral fertilizers are, however, given every one to two weeks in the irrigation water. How exactly you at Fertilizing geraniums You can read about how to proceed here - you will also find valuable information about the nutritional needs of exotic species.

Summary of fertilizing geraniums:

• When planting, slow-release fertilizers such as compost, horn shavings or organic fertilizer use
• Afterwards, fertilize occasionally; mineral fertilizers: every one to two weeks in the irrigation water
• Our recommendation: Primarily organic fertilizers with a high potassium content and phosphate like ours Plantura organic flower fertilizer use

Cut geraniums properly

Geraniums are generally very tolerable when it comes to pruning. With standing geraniums, you can create smaller and larger standard trunks or bushes by topiary and let your creativity run free. Those who tend to live on a small creative footing can be content with clipping off the tips of the new shoots in spring to early summer. That way the plants don't shoot into the weed. The mother plant is encouraged to branch and the nipped shoots are ideal for growing cuttings. You can find out how this works below.

In rainy weeks, there is an increased risk of rot or mold growth on wilted flowers. To avoid this, you should regularly remove (clean out) the faded inflorescences by hand. This also strengthens the formation of new flowers, because removing the flowers suppresses seed formation and new flowers sprout. It is optimal if you carry out this care measure weekly. In a certain subspecies of hanging geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) cleaning is not necessary because they clean themselves. The varieties are particularly popular 'Cascade' or 'villa'.

The last time of the year the geraniums are cut back in September/early October before they are moved to their winter quarters. The long, unwoody shoots are shortened to about four inches, leaving two to three knots per shoot. In addition, all leaves are removed. After a successful hibernation, the spring pruning takes place at the beginning of budding (around the beginning of February). Since geraniums bloom on the new shoot, a radical pruning leads to a particularly large number of flowering shoots.

Summary cutting geraniums:

• In summer: Occasionally trim the shoot tips for a better growth habit
• Weekly: Clean out dead buds to minimize risk of mold and rot
• Early February and September/October: radical pruning

tip: When cutting back hanging geraniums, if you leave out one or more main shoots and only the If you cut back the side shoots coming from it in spring, you can also use them as climbing plants keep.

Geraniums overwinter

Unfortunately, geraniums do not survive the frosty winters outside of their sunny African homeland. So that you can still enjoy your geraniums for years to come, they must be placed in a protected winter quarters before the first frost. This is ideally a dark, cool room such as a basement. Your geraniums will remain in this until spring after the following preparation:

• Carefully dig up the geranium
• Gently tap the soil from the roots
• pruning as mentioned above
• Cover the roots in a pot or bag with sand and potting soil
• Place geranium in winter quarters

It is only poured in such a way that the root ball does not dry out completely. There is no fertilizer at all during the hibernation.

More details on Overwintering geraniums, you can find out in our special article.

The most important geranium diseases at a glance

With the right site conditions and proper care, geraniums are floriferous plants. However, the pests or diseases listed below can still occur.

Geranium rust on geraniums

Especially with wet leaves, the susceptibility to geranium rust is increased. You can recognize an infestation when the leaves turn yellow to brownish and pustules appear on the underside of the leaves. Spots or rings are visible on the upper surface of the leaf, which quickly spread. Since geranium rust is contagious, you should remove and dispose of affected leaves as soon as possible when an initial infestation occurs. You can also support the plant with a plant strengthener and should definitely avoid watering the plant from above. The geranium should also be protected from rain.

Botrytis on geraniums

At the so-called botrytis (also called gray mold) is a common fungal disease. Similar to geranium rust, there is an increased susceptibility to wet and cold weather. If your geranium shows rotten spots with gray spore coating, it is most likely affected. Then you should first remove infested parts of the plant and keep the plant drier in principle. Spraying with bio-active agents with field grass and oats provides additional strength.

Aphids on geraniums

Even aphids often target geraniums. An infestation often occurs in the winter quarters when the plant is dark and grows little. When the aphids suck, the geranium leaves curl, making the infestation recognizable. If this is the first aphid infestation, rinse the geranium thoroughly with water. If they occur more frequently, you can also fight the aphids with soapy water.

Spider mites on geraniums

While gray mold and geranium rust usually appear in wet weather, geraniums can suffer from dry, warm weather spider mites be infested. The infestation can be recognized by silvery dots on the upper side of the leaf and webs on the underside of the leaf. It is usually sufficient to control the geranium by rinsing it with water and treating it with a plant strengthener.

Whitefly on geraniums

Especially in wind-protected, warm locations and in winter quarters, geraniums are susceptible to infestation white flies. The pests settle on the underside of the leaves and cause yellow spots on the leaves by sucking. Affected leaves then dry up and fall off. To combat you should remove infested leaves and with low infestation yellow boards attach. Ichneumon wasps are well suited for natural control by beneficial insects.

Summary of the most important geranium diseases:

• With geranium rust, the leaves turn yellow to brownish; sometimes pustules appear on the underside of the leaves; spots or rings are visible on the upper surface of the leaf, which quickly spread; contagious
• In the case of an infestation of botrytis or gray mold, rotting spots with gray spore coating appear
• An infestation by aphids can be recognized by the wavy leaves
• Spider mites leave silvery spots on the upper side of the leaf and webs on the underside of the leaf
• Whiteflies settle on the underside of leaves and cause yellow spots on the leaves by sucking; affected leaves dry up and fall off

In this special article you will also learn what you can do if your Geranium yellow leaves exhibit.