Geraniums are one of the most popular plants for decorating a garden or balcony. They bloom for a long time, stand the test of time, and require little care. Geraniums are also natural mosquito repellents. But it happens that geraniums don’t bloom or their leaves turn yellow.

Here are the secrets to a healthy plant and perfect flowering!

The Light

Geraniums need lots of light, especially if you want them to bloom! Expose them to light, if possible to the south or southeast.

The optimal temperature for the plant is between 15 and 25 degrees. Geraniums hate cold and wind, so it’s important to keep them protected in winter by placing them in a bright but not too windy spot in your garden or balcony.

If the temperatures are too cold, you can cover the geraniums with a nylon tarp.

The water

Water often, especially in summer!

Geraniums need a lot of water: the soil should always be moist. Therefore, in case of high temperatures, water once or several times a day.

In cold weather, on the other hand, water only occasionally, taking care that the soil does not dry out.

Sometimes, the water you normally use may not be suitable for geraniums due to too high a calcium content.

You can fix this problem by leaving the water in the watering can overnight, with a little peat moss at the bottom, which will give the water an optimal pH for your plant.

Attention:

When watering, don’t create water stagnation, at the risk of root rot. Also avoid watering the leaves, which can develop fungus or mold.

The Pots

One of the secrets of a healthy plant is the pot in which you plant it.

Geraniums can be potted in any shape, but size is what matters.

The ideal pot size is at least 20 cm in diameter and at least 15 to 20 cm deep: these are the optimal dimensions to allow the plant’s roots to develop freely.

If, on the other hand, the geranium is very large, it is advisable to opt for larger pots, up to 40 cm in diameter.

At the bottom of the pot, you can place gravel, which will give it weight and prevent the wind from blowing the plant down.

The Soil

Geraniums need slightly acidic soils.

Although it has strong roots, which are adapted to all types of soil, the plant grows best in light, porous, clay-rich soils – you’ll find suitable soils for your geraniums in nurseries.

The plant should normally be repotted with fresh soil in late winter or early spring.

Before replanting, clean the roots of the old soil.

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Don’t forget to fertilize your plant!

The best time to fertilize is during the flowering period, i.e. from spring to late autumn, and the most suitable fertilizers are those that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

The must-have natural fertiliser is coffee grounds: two tablespoons of sun-dried coffee grounds are enough to give your plant a significant dose of nutrients!

During the warmer months, you can also fertilize the plant every 15 days if you want it to flower abundantly.

Cleaning

Cleaning geraniums requires a little more care, including removing dried flowers and leaves.

In order for new flowers and leaves to appear, the old ones should be removed with scissors: before using them, however, remember to disinfect them with alcohol to prevent the plant from becoming infected.

Diseases & Parasites

Like many plants, geraniums attract pests that can damage them and lead to their death.

If the leaves turn yellow and the surface of the plant feels sticky, aphids or spider mites may be the cause.

In this case, you can combat them with a natural remedy based on Marseille soap or by putting a few drops of cinnamon essential oil in the irrigation water.

However, one of the biggest dangers to geraniums is the lycene geranium: this is a parasite that can infect the plant and cause it to die in a short time.

Natural remedies consist of cleaning the leaves and branches of geraniums with a cotton ball soaked in water and garlic to eliminate possible larvae.

There are several natural remedies for mealybug, including flaxseed oil diluted in water, alcohol, or Marseille soap.