Growing Cranesbill Geraniums in a Home Garden

Cranesbill geraniums, also known as hardy geraniums, are a perennial flower that can survive in almost any climate. Their compact shape and colorful variety make them a popular addition to a backyard garden or residential landscaping scheme. Even in the fall, the bright red or orange foliage will brighten up your home. Here are a few tips on how to grow great Cranesbill geraniums in your home garden.

Growing Cranesbill geraniums in a home garden: Available colors

You can find Cranesbill geraniums in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, pink, lavender, and white. There is also quite a bit of variation in the petals of the flowers, with some types of Cranesbills having dark veins that accent a light-colored petal. Depending on the weather, the Cranesbill geranium's flowers bloom in early spring and will last all the way until autumn. Even after the flowers have dropped off the Cranesbill plant, the colorful leaves will provide a nice visual accent for your garden. Starting out green, the foliage of the Cranesbill geranium will turn reddish or orange as fall approaches.

Growing Cranesbill geraniums in a home garden: How they grow

Cranesbill geraniums are also popular for home gardens because of their easily controllable growth patterns. The plant generally keeps to a compact area and is more likely to grow upward than to spread out. You can either trim the top growth to keep it short or set up stakes and a support system to allow it to grow tall. These high-reaching Cranesbill geraniums work especially well when planted next to another taller shrub or tree for the flowers to lean on. Overfertilization can lead to Cranesbills that grow a lot of leaves and spread out thinly without developing many flowers.

Growing Cranesbill geraniums in a home garden: Ongoing maintenance

There will be a moderate amount of yearly maintenance required to keep a Cranesbill geranium looking lush and healthy. During the flowering season, keep your plant in its compact shape by deadheading the Cranesbill geranium. This will also help prolong the plant's blooming period. To fertilize your garden's Cranesbill flowers, a balanced formula of nutrient is best. The proper time to add fertilizer is in the early spring before the blooms appear. Do not add too much fertilizer or your Cranesbill may become leggy and spread out too far in the garden. Overwatering the Cranesbill can also lead to problems with root rot or mildew. Other than these easily controllable problems, these geraniums are as hardy as their name implies, resisting most common garden pests and plant illnesses.