Geraniums not blooming

[Jayne Doe]

Any suggestions? They are otherwise big and healthy.

[Cereus-validus]

Too much fertilizer?

Give us a clue as to what you are doing.

[Vox Humana]

Are we talking true geraniums or pelargoniums (like zonal geranium)?

[Jayne Doe]

No fertilizer - maybe I should try some Miracle Grow? They get plenty of sun and adequate water. They are plain old pink geraniums; nothing fancy.

[Jim Voege]

Assuming you are talking about Pelargoniums (what is typically grown as an annual bedding plant in the temperate zones), not the hardy perennial, if you are growing them in containers the rule of thumb is to apply liquid fertilizer every 10 days, every 14 days if you have planted them in the ground. I'm also assuming you didn't plant them in containers with store-bought potting soil that already contained fertilizer.

Also, what do you mean by "adequate" water? One of the nice things about Geraniums is that they are quite drought tolerant. They are one of those plants that you really don't need to (and probably shouldn't) water unless the top inch of the soil is bone dry. Then give them a thorough soaking. Bear in mind that if you have them in a container, this could still mean having to water them daily, depending on how crowded they are.

Jim

[Jayne Doe]

They are in a large container. The plants themselves are twice the size they were when I originally purchased them - so I must be getting some part of it right. I'll try fertilizing the next time they are due for watering and see if that helps.

[Jim Voege]

Jayne, be sure to use a fertilizer with a high middle number like the standard Miracle Gro formulation (15-30-15).

Jim