Whether in a pot on the terrace, in a planter on the balcony or on the windowsill or of course on the ground in the garden, the geranium is highly appreciated for its beauty and resistance.
Additionally, there are more than 200 species and varieties of geraniums that thrive from spring until the first frost. May your green spaces bloom elegantly and have fun inviting beautiful colors and smells!
What should actually be called pelargonium also helps keep away mosquitoes and other harmful insects. However, to see its beautiful flowers bloom profusely, this plant requires a little maintenance, and in particular good fertilizers, a key element for good plant health.
After ideas for green fertilizers for roses and natural fertilizers for tomatoes, grandma gives you her best ideas for 100% natural fertilizers to quickly and healthily grow a geranium with an exuberance of beautiful flowers.
No need to buy special liquid geranium fertilizer at the garden center!
1) Use milk to have beautiful geraniums
To take advantage of the rapid growth of geranium plantations and ensure maximum flowers, the use of milk is very effective in irrigation. To do this, dilute a tablespoon of milk for every liter of water. The gardener can then use this mixture to water the soil around each geranium. Guaranteed effect!
Good to know: You can also use milk to remove powdery mildew from infested plants.
2) Coffee for your geranium
For spectacular flowering, many gardeners use coffee. If you have leftover cold coffee from the night before, you can save it to water your geraniums. However, be sure to use unsweetened coffee. Otherwise, there is another alternative: coffee grounds.
This natural fertilizer is excellent for flowers, starting with geraniums. In addition to adding nitrogen and phosphate to the soil, this will repel worms that attack the roots. Simply mix a small amount into the soil at the base of your plants.
Alternatively, mix coffee grounds with water for a weekly watering. This will provide a natural makeover to this herbaceous perennial.
3) Be smart: use leftover food
Many food scraps are very beneficial for plants, especially geraniums. This includes pieces of banana peel or egg shells which will keep some unwanted insects away.
Remember to reduce your shells to powder and scatter them at the base of the plants, always mixing them summarily with the soil.
Otherwise, it is also possible to use certain cooking waters. Of course, salt water (which burns plants) or pasta, rice or potato water (too starchy for pelargoniums).
On the other hand, you can safely use unsalted cooking water for your vegetables. Once cooled and used as irrigation, it will provide vitamins and minerals for effective flowering.
Good to know: You can also use nettle manure diluted to at least 5% to water your geraniums. This liquid fertilizer will provide nitrogen and help repel pests.
Gardening tips for those who have a geranium:
_ If pruning is not necessary, remember to remove wilted flowers and yellow leaves as you go. This will prevent the plant from unnecessarily drawing on its reserves and becoming exhausted. The flower buds will only be more beautiful and more abundant!
_ This will give you the opportunity to check the leaves for spider mites. If so, you will find a remedy here. And if they are attacked by snails, spread wood ashes around the plants.
_ Preferably, apply fertilizer biweekly to dry soil and always wait until the soil is dry before watering again.
_ Geranium requires a lot of water, but it should not be drowned. It is also advisable to water regularly in the morning or at night in case of heat to avoid excessive evaporation, especially since this plant needs sun and the rays tend to dry out the soil.
_ In any case, never use water that is too cold as this would cause excessive thermal shock.