If you like geraniums, surely you have some in your house. The problem is that it can happen that the appearance they have now is not the one you bought it with. AND Maybe you wonder how to have beautiful geraniums.
If so, and you want to know those little expert tricks to restore vitality to plants, in addition to making them look much better, pay attention because we are going to reveal them to you.
How to have beautiful geraniums
Having beautiful geraniums is not difficult. The problem is that, sometimes, we don’t realize the needs of these typical Spanish (more specifically, Andalusian) plants. But if you do, things will change.
And what do you have to pay attention to? In the following:
The light
For geraniums, light is a fundamental part of them. They need good lighting and for this you have to place them in a place where they get the most light.
Now, the problem comes in summer. Many times it is thought that having the plants in the sun in summer, with what it burns, is not the best and in the end they end up putting them in shade.
Well, in the case of geranium this would be very bad. It is adapted to withstand high temperatures and full sun. Therefore, it is not a good idea to remove it from where you have it if it is sunny. Keep in mind that we have discussed that it is a typical Spanish plant, and we have mentioned Andalusia, which is characterized by being where it is most sunny and hot in Spain.
Our recommendation is that you leave it in a place where it receives at least 8-10 hours of light. And of them, most of direct sun. Of course, it does not mean that you do not watch it and control it in case the leaves or flowers burn. If that happens, it is because it is not fully adapted and it will have to be covered a bit.
Remember that when you buy the plants, they come from nurseries or from areas where direct sun does not hit them. And therefore, they are not adapted. You will have to let them spend some time to achieve it.
Flowerpot
In general, geraniums are kept in pots. It is rare to find them planted in gardens, although it can also happen. But when we have them in pots, one of the common mistakes that is made is not thinking about that pot and the plant you are planting.
And it is that, to have precious geraniums, it is necessary that you give the plant a suitable pot. Have you ever considered it?
A geranium needs depth in the pot, but not width. So if you are looking for a good pot, try to make it narrow but deep. In this way, you will allow the roots to develop correctly and, with this, you will encourage the flowering of the plant. For example, a pot 30-40 centimeters in diameter may be suitable for thembut with some depth (minimum 20 centimeters).
In addition, sometimes it is convenient to hang them so that, when they grow, the branches do not hit the ground.
Irrigation
There is no doubt that watering is always one of the most important care for plants. If you go too far, they die; if you fall short, they die. AND Finding the middle ground is sometimes not easy.
Therefore, if what you want is to have beautiful geraniums, irrigation must be controlled as much as possible. And they are plants that love water. But if you miss it, it’s very easy for it to rot. What’s more, getting water on the leaves or flowers is the worst thing that can happen because that will only cause you to end up running out of the plant.
So how do you water? Here are many factors to take into account to be able to give you an exact frequency in your specific case.. The weather, the season, the location, the temperature… are many things that affect irrigation.
In general, we can tell you that, in spring, it is watered 1-2 times a week, the same as in autumn; in summer watering is increased to 2-3 times a week. AND in winter it is spaced out more, perhaps 1 a week or every 10 days.
But, as we have told you, this is not always the case. It may be that you live in a very hot area in summer and need watering every day. And others where only twice a week is enough.
To help you, it is best to check the soil, not only the top layer, but also the middle and bottom layers. And how would it be done? Try to have a stick that you can stick into the ground and see if it gets wet or damp. If so, it would not need watering. If it comes out rather dry, then yes.
You can also make use of some devices that help you water or even the plant itself that waters itself.
the fertilizer
During the spring and summer it is important to give the geraniums some compost. It needs, especially to grow and to be beautiful, many nutrients that will help it to flourish and also to maintain its health.
Now, a mistake that is made is to think that, with chemical fertilizer (a special fertilizer for geraniums) it is covered. And the truth is that no. This will only help it to flourish, but not to give it the nutrients for its health and to grow healthy.
That’s why, When paying, keep in mind that you will need:
- Organic fertilizersuch as humus, manure, compost… Adding a little every year in spring will be enough.
- chemical fertilizer, is soluble in irrigation water. It is applied during the spring and summer following the manufacturer’s instructions (although we recommend that you do not give the full dose of fertilizer, but a little less).
If you do not want to apply too much fertilizer in the same season, you can add the organic one in autumn, to protect it in the face of winter, and the rest in spring and summer to encourage it to flower on you.
As you can see, these are easy tricks to have beautiful geraniums. Try them to see if you notice that your plant responds and over time you will see how it grows and becomes more leafy. Can you give us any more tricks?
