Geraniums are popular potted plants, known for their vibrant blooms and attractive foliage. Understanding how and when to prune them significantly enhances their appearance and overall health. Proper pruning helps potted geraniums flourish, encouraging a desirable growth habit and abundant flowering.
Benefits and Timing for Pruning Geraniums
Pruning potted geraniums offers several advantages for the plant’s development and display. It promotes bushier growth, preventing the plant from becoming long and spindly. Removing spent flowers encourages the plant to produce more blooms, leading to a continuous display of color. Regular pruning also improves air circulation within the plant, which contributes to its general well-being and helps maintain its desired shape and size.
The timing for pruning depends on the type of pruning and the plant’s growth cycle. In early spring, for geraniums overwintered indoors, remove any dead or brown leaves and trim unhealthy stems. This prepares the plant for vigorous new growth as temperatures warm. Throughout the blooming season, consistently remove faded flowers to encourage continuous flowering and prevent the plant from diverting energy into seed production.
For general shaping and size management, particularly if bringing plants indoors for winter, a more substantial pruning can be done in late summer or early fall. This involves cutting back stems by about one-third to one-half. Pinching, which involves removing just the tips of new stems, can be done from spring onward to encourage side branching and a more compact, full appearance.
Pruning Techniques and Tools
Clean, sharp bypass pruners or sturdy scissors are suitable for most pruning tasks on potted geraniums. Sterilize your tools with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide before and after use to prevent the spread of plant diseases. For simple deadheading, using your fingers to snap off spent blooms can also be effective.
Deadheading
Deadheading is the removal of faded flowers. Locate the flower stalk and cut it off below its node or joint where new growth emerges. This signals the plant to produce more flowers rather than expending energy on developing seeds.
Shaping and Maintenance
For shaping and maintenance pruning, cut stems back to encourage a bushier form and manage the plant’s overall size. When making cuts, prune just above a leaf node, which is a small bump on the stem where a leaf or new shoot can grow. This encourages new growth from that point, leading to a fuller plant. For young or newly overwintered plants, pinching off the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of stems promotes the development of two new stems from the cut, increasing density.
Hard Pruning
When a geranium becomes leggy, characterized by long, sparse stems with few leaves, hard pruning or rejuvenation may be necessary. This involves cutting back the plant by about one-third to one-half of its height. Focus on removing woody or excessively long stems to encourage fresh growth from the base. While this can seem drastic, it revitalizes the plant, leading to a more compact and vigorous specimen.
After Pruning Care
After pruning, providing appropriate care helps the geranium recover quickly and channel its energy into new growth. Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to root issues.
Following a significant pruning, the plant will benefit from a nutrient boost to support new development. Consistent fertilization is important for healthy geraniums and abundant blooms, whether through slow-release granules applied at planting or a weekly liquid feed.
Proper placement after pruning also contributes to a successful recovery. Ensure the potted geranium receives adequate light, especially if it was hard-pruned or overwintered indoors. A sunny window or a location with ample natural light is ideal. Monitor the plant closely for signs of new growth and promptly remove any new dead or yellowing foliage. It is also important to dispose of all pruned material away from the plant to prevent the potential spread of any diseases.