Those who grow geraniums at home are lucky. This herbaceous perennial offers splendid flowering in summer! A great star of summer and the lord of the balcony, geraniums delight the eye with their superb flowers of different colours that bring a truly lush touch to the environment. But there is no mystery: if you do not take care of them properly, your geraniums will wither. However, a few small details, not insignificant, can make all the difference. Do you want to know the secret to having beautiful geranium pots on your windowsills and balconies all summer long? Follow these useful tips.

Geraniums on the windowsills – Source: spm

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 soil, with the addition of a fertilizer specially adapted to this plant that encourages abundant flowering. And to improve the drainage process, do not 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 stuck in the pot, then the plant should be immediately moved to a larger, more spacious pot, to avoid crowding the flowers and drying out the stems.
• When it comes to watering, balcony geraniums need water, but not too much. It is best to wait until the soil is dry before watering them, to avoid rotting the roots. Keep in mind that this plant is extremely sensitive to humidity. Overwatering can easily cause geraniums to get sick. That is why it is absolutely necessary to keep an eye on drainage. Therefore, do not forget to pierce the pots.
• At least twice a week, check the pots to remove wilted flowers. Always cut flower stems in half to encourage the growth of new shoots.  Geraniums should be cleaned as often as possible  if you want them to bloom properly. This prevents the appearance of fungus on the dead parts of the plant. As for removing dry leaves in pots, it is not just for aesthetics, it is above all to help new leaves grow in the best conditions. So, to prevent all kinds of diseases, get rid of stained, browned or dried leaves.

Diseased geranium leaf – Source: spm

Useful tips to follow for a beautiful flowering of geraniums

If you choose scented geraniums with fragrant foliage, which are suitable both in the apartment and in the garden,   you should know that this species needs a lot of light and grows very well in the sun  . Therefore, these plants will fit equally well in the middle of the garden as in a planter on a sunny balcony.

Remember that geraniums need good soil mixed with a little sand and a small amount of clay. The pot should 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, too much water can be fatal for your geraniums.

Some more delicate species do very well on balconies, in window boxes or hanging pots. These plants need plenty of light, but should not be exposed to direct sunlight, especially when it is hot. They should only be watered from the root once a day, especially when it is hot.

A little tip   : to remove excess flowers and preserve a beautiful bloom, you can water them with boiled and then cooled water.