Today we are talking about a popular summer bloomer for balconies and gardens – geraniums. They are easy to care for and a real classic in outdoor areas. The flowering plant delights the eye with flowers in white, red and pink. But in order for them to bloom lushly, you have to fertilize them regularly. Today’s article is all about how and when to fertilize geraniums. Let yourself be informed so that you can enjoy beautiful flowers on the balcony and in the garden.
Fertilize geraniums – a few useful tips
Geraniums – general care tips
Geraniums are also called pelargoniums and they bloom in summer. The magnificently blooming flower can hardly be confused with any other. Standing or hanging, geraniums make a real addition to any outdoor space. While some may find the colorful blooms a bit old-fashioned, others see them as great eye-catchers. Pelargoniums are not very demanding, but fertilization is an important point in their care.
the right earth
The substrate for the plant must be good quality potting soil. Special soil for balcony plants is also suitable. The reason: The geraniums do in fact have a particularly high need for nutrients and these substrates supply them with it. After hibernation, it is advisable to change the substrate. For this reason, you should use high-quality potting soil when planting.
Geraniums fascinate with their delicate flowers
location and Giessen
The best place for pelargoniums is warm and full sun to partial shade. Even exposed to direct sunlight in summer, the plants remain undamaged. Proper watering plays a major role in flowering. Indeed, geraniums have a large water requirement of four to six liters of water per week. So they need to be watered every day. However, many species store water in their tissues or leaves, which is why the plants can survive for a certain time without watering.
Protection from the cold
Pelargoniums are sensitive to cold and must therefore be protected from frost. The potted plants can only be taken outside from mid-May. Otherwise you should protect them with a fleece on the cold nights.
The overwintered geraniums can be put back in the light. It is advisable to let the plant gradually get used to the light. But you should cut them back first.
Enjoy a colorful sea of flowers on the balcony
Fertilize geraniums – the prerequisite for a great bloom
In addition to a lot of water, the geraniums also need a lot of nutrients, because they are heavy consumers. Immediately after planting, they are supplied with the nutrients in the fresh potting soil. The reason: it is usually submitted with fertilizer. After that, however, weekly fertilization is recommended. Especially during the main flowering period, the plants should continue to be supplied with nutrients.
Especially the geraniums in the balcony boxes should not be forgotten to fertilize, because they use up the nutrients in the soil very quickly. If you fertilize the geraniums regularly and correctly, they will thank you with large-scale growing flowers and numerous green leaves. They are also less susceptible to diseases and pests. On the contrary, the geraniums grow slowly and poorly. From a beautiful sea of flowers could then be no question. The pelargoniums then only form leaves and no flowers.
The vigorous flowering plant needs a lot of “feed”
How and when do you fertilize the geraniums correctly?
One should focus on long-term fertilizer for a year-round supply of nutrients. The explanation is as follows: a large part of the nutrients are still released in the first few months. So the oversupply of long-term fertilizer turns out to be somewhat pointless, because anyway you have to fertilize the geraniums by hand again and again throughout the year.
However, an important rule applies here: Pelargoniums must be fertilized frequently and less frequently. It is also important to give the fertilizer in the right proportion. The rare fertilization in larger doses is not particularly healthy for the plant.
If you want to promote flowering, you should choose fertilizers with a lot of magnesium and potassium. Therefore, special liquid fertilizers best for the geraniums. Geranium fertilizer is of course another suitable option. You can also fertilize the geraniums with blue grain or coffee grounds.
The frequency of fertilization cannot really be determined. The soil, the season, the plant size and even the fertilizer are all important. For example, if long-term fertilizer was used when planting, the plant does not need any fertilizer for the first two or three months. It is advisable to apply a fertilizer every two to three weeks thereafter. But if this is too weak, you can also fertilize every week.
Persistent blooms are only possible if the plant gets enough nutrients
Geraniums bloom all summer long
A classic garden bed and balcony plant
Regular fertilization provides disease resistance
The soil should be structurally stable and well aerated
Provide new nutrients through regular fertilization
Of course, the special geranium soil is best suited because it stays loose and absorbs water better