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Geraniums are known mostly for their beautiful purple petals and aromatic leaves. Different varieties of geraniums all have their special fragrances.
Isn’t that awesome? Planting and taking care of geraniums has to be one of the easiest things a gardener will ever do.
Follow these guidelines about watering geraniums and we’re sure you’ll enjoy growing geraniums as much as we do.
Geraniums are originally from South Africa but they made their way to Europe in the 17th century, where they remain popular flowers. Between 250 and 300 species of them are known, of which many thousands of varieties have been developed.
Although the most commonly identified geraniums are purple, they exist in an array of colours. They come in red, white, coral, orange and rose hues.
Geraniums are hardy, drought-tolerant plants so they don’t do too well in cold, harsh weather.
Major types of Geraniums:
Hardy Geranium
Sometimes they are also called wild geraniums or cranesbill geraniums. Hardy geraniums are perennials that will tolerate some shade and require very little care as they grow in the wild. They will go dormant over the winter and sprout new growth in the spring.
Zonal Geraniums
Zonal geraniums are easy to grow, flower well and are heat and drought-tolerant. With their upright growth, they are perfect for flower boxes.
Sometimes referred to as garden or house geraniums, the zonal geranium flower is a cluster of buds. They don’t open everything at once. It starts with the upper flower buds and then the lower buds open.
Zonal geraniums get their name from the colour of the leaf, which has a dark brown circle in the centre of the leaf.
Regal Geranium
Also known as Marsha Washington geraniums, they prefer cooler summers. This variety of geranium makes a good houseplant and overwinters well indoors.
Ivy Geranium
The leaves have a glossy and ivy-like appearance and are best for hanging baskets on a sunny balcony as they drape over the basket. Ivy geraniums can be placed in partial shade and require slightly more water than other geraniums.
They look great as ground cover on a slope.
Scented Geranium
Scented geraniums smell lovely in warm weather. They have a velvety texture on their fragrant leaves. Some varieties have scents such as citronella (to keep mosquitoes away), rose, mint and lemon.
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How Do You Water Geraniums In Pots?
Growing geraniums in pots are such a good idea. For one, they can be relocated indoors once the winter season arrives.
They just love to show off those shades in hanging baskets and window boxes.
Pots used for planting geraniums should have drainage holes on their bottoms. This would allow for excess water to drain off after watering.
Watering geraniums in pots are easy since you only have to do so when the top inch of the soil feels dry. Water till the water comes out of the drainage holes.
As a rule, geraniums should not be watered more than two times every week. To determine if it is time to water potted geraniums, feel the soil to see if it is dry.
If it is, lightly sprinkle until the soil is moist but do not allow it to become soaked. When your geraniums need more water, you’ll usually know because of the yellowish leaves.
Geraniums in pots need more water than those in the garden because their soil dries out faster. While being careful not to overwater geraniums, do not wait for them to wilt before irrigating them.
How Often Should You Water Geraniums?
Did you know that you can use geranium leaves to flavour iced teas, lemonade, pastries and salads?
That is the reason why you should care for your geranium plant by providing sufficient water. Water geraniums once or twice a week for the best blooms.
As a general rule, geranium roots will rot if left to stand in water for long periods. You can check the soil moisture by sticking your finger one or two inches deep.
Alternatively, you can make use of a moisture meter which has “wet”, ” moist” and “dry” calibrations. Water when the needle is at the upper section of the “dry” mark.
Exactly how often to continue watering geraniums will depend on several factors like:
1. The local weather
2. Your soil type
3. How big your pots are
4. Whether you are growing it indoors or outdoors
5. The kind of geranium you are growing
6. How big your plant is
7. The overall level of humidity
Watering geraniums is best done in the morning to make sure your plant is not thirsty throughout the day. This way, the soil can also dry out gradually.
Can Geraniums Be Overwatered?
Yes, geraniums can certainly be overwatered. They should not be watered every day to avoid the risk of overwatering.
In some cases when the weather is so hot that the soil dries out quickly, you can water the plant every day.
It’s best, however, to let their planting soil dry out between watering, but not for too long.
It’s very easy to overwater geraniums, especially as a new gardener with little experience. If you do not let the soil dry out sufficiently before watering again, this can happen.
If you are overwatering geraniums, they will develop pale water spots on their leaves. Either this or the bottom half of the plant will begin to sport yellow leaves.
Your geranium may also develop fungus growth due to overwatering.
On the other hand, geranium leaves with yellow edges show that your plant is not getting enough water. In any case, just trim off the yellow parts and begin to water correctly.
Watering geraniums should be done from the base and not the leaves to prevent fungal infections.
Other signs of overwatering are:
- The stems become soft
- Plants are weakened to the point where they are overrun by fungi(treat with a fungicide containing copper)
- Verdina may appear on the ground
- Roots get damaged and die
Do Geraniums Prefer Sun or Shade?
Geraniums must get full sun for up to eight hours daily. Anything less will make your geranium flowers look sad and droopy.
Geraniums do not do well in partial, dappled shade. Those planted beneath shade must receive more than eight hours of sun every day.
Although they require full sun for a few hours each day, they can stop flowering when the weather is extremely hot. To remedy this, simply move the plant somewhere it can receive some shade under a tree.
You can avoid this “heat-check” by planting heat-tolerant geraniums; these include the ‘Americana,’ ‘Orbit,’ ‘Cascade,’ and ‘Summer Showers’ series.
If your geraniums aren’t blooming, it may be due to a lack of sunlight. If geraniums are faced with a situation where they don’t get enough sunlight, they won’t have the energy to create their beautiful flowers, or at least they won’t be able to create many of them.
So make sure they get about four to six hours in direct sunlight and about six to eight hours in indirect sunlight.
If you want your geraniums to bloom all year round, but your climate doesn’t offer the right conditions, you can grow them in your own home. Keep in a well-regulated temperature. To make up for the lack of sunlight, you can buy an LED grow light.
Conclusion
When it comes to watering geraniums, the answer depends on a variety of factors. For example, will the geranium plant be planted in a pot or on the ground?
Is it exposed to direct sunlight or does it only get little light? Partial direct sunlight? How has the weather been lately?
Geraniums are perennials and if you feed them occasionally and water them properly they will live long.
