Best Tips to Keep Geraniums Blooming: Spring To Fall

Did you know that Geraniums will bloom from early Spring to late Fall if you know how to take care of them? Today I’m sharing my best tips to keep geranium flowers blooming all season long. Plus, you will learn whether geraniums are perennials or annuals and how to save them from year to year.

I have had great success growing Geraniums for several years. I don’t claim to be a master gardener or an expert. However, I was taught this trick by an eccentric master gardener, and it has served me well for many years.

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This is the lesson I learned from my eccentric but very talented friend. She said the best tip to keep geranium flowers blooming all summer long is to break off the blooms almost as soon as they appear! What???? I was shocked and upset when one day, she started to remove all the beautiful blooms from my plant. Although she explained why, I still wasn’t so sure. However, I’ve never forgotten her or her tips, and here is how I know she was right.

What Are The Best Care Tips for Geraniums

First, geraniums are hardy, need less water, and enjoy a sunny spot.

There are some types of geraniums that are perennial and can survive in the ground in warmer climates. However, in this post, I’m referring to potted geraniums.

I always have several on my front porch, which receives intense evening sun, and they thrive there.

I shared this outdoor kitchen tour and used several of my geraniums to brighten the space.

#1 Tip – Deadhead to Keep Geraniums Blooming

This is so super easy to do because they pinch off so easily. Just follow the bloom stem to the point it connects to the larger stem, and you will feel a slight nub. Break at the nub and remove the bloom.

Dead Head from the base of the stem.

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#2 Tip – Remove Dead or Fading Leaves

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#3 Tip – Water REGULARLY But Not Too Often

#4 Tip – Decorate With Your Geranium Flowers

How To Save Geraniums While on Vacation?

Here is another tip my friend shared with me about keeping my geraniums looking good all summer long. Remove all the blooms before you go on vacation.

If you plan to be gone for several days, you are not going to miss these blooms anyway.

Nutrients will be saved, and most likely, you’ll return to a plant full of blooms.

After one week on vacation, the above blooms were waiting for me when I returned home.

Watering While On Vacation

If you are like me and don’t have a sprinkler system, keeping your plants alive while on vacation is a challenge. However, you don’t want to come home to dead flowers.

To keep the geraniums watered, move all plants to a central spot that is slightly shady but will still get rain.

Place them inside tubs or containers that will hold water, or use these watering spikes for short trips.

If you are on an extended vacation, plan to have someone check on your plants and provide a water hose that is convenient.

Are Geraniums Perennials?

Are geraniums perennials? That’s a good question!

There are some variations of geraniums that are perennials. However, most will freeze and not return next spring. A lot depends on how the geraniums are planted and the hardiness zone you live in.

In our Zone 7 area, I’ve never had one to survive even a mild winter if left outdoors. However, you can save geraniums from year to year with these tips to overwinter them.

I’ve had good success dividing my geraniums at the end of the season and therefore have several new plants once spring arrives.

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A Brief Friendship Has a Life-Changing Impact

My friend was a talented interior designer as well as a master gardener. She shared so many design ideas with me that I still use them today in my home decor. She died shortly after I met her, but her impact on my design style lives on. In addition, every time I remove a geranium bloom, I think of her.

Resources

Click any image to see all resources.

More Tips and Links

• How to Keep Your Porch Looking Fresh All Summer.
• How to Overwinter Plants
• Outdoor Kitchen Tour with geraniums.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

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