My Geraniums Have Stopped Flowering

(Question)

My red geraniums in my front flower pots were doing well but one has stopped flowering. Why? Just taking a break?

(Answer)

Could be.  Geraniums may want to rest a bit when the weather has been really hot — as it has been for the last several weeks in southern Ontario!

To encourage the geraniums to bloom, make sure

  • you are not over-watering the plants (the roots should not be waterlogged, or the plant will suffer)
  • the soil in the pots is well-drained
  • the plants get at least 6 hours of sunlight every day (you may need to move them to a sunnier spot)
  • you fertilize the plants – e.g., with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) every couple of weeks
  • to deadhead the spent blooms

And I hope you’re not like me – – I tend to over-stuff my pots and planters so that the plants grow beautifully at first but end up competing for space, water and food….sometimes I have to remove a few plants so that all may thrive.