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Cutting back hardy geranium

mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 235
in Problem solving
I have read in a couple of places you should cut hardy geraniums right back after flowering to promote a second bloom, and they recommend now. My geraniums still look good, should I do it now anyway or can I wait 2-3 weeks?

Posts

  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    I cut a lot of these to ground level for a client (Geranium macrorrhizum) two weeks ago during the hot spell .
    Using a powerful strimmer (there were a lot of them) , I took them right down to the roots.
    Yesterday we called back to see the same clients , the  Geraniums were again in full leaf and some were developing secondary flower stems .
    Admittedly this is one of the 'tougher' species , but you cannot help admiring the resilience of some plants .
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited July 2020
    It's your call Mandy. If you have several you could cut half back now, and cut the rest back in a few weeks, by which point the ones you cut back now will be ready to pick up the baton.

    Bear in mind not all of them reliably reflower. You should delay cutting those back as long as possible. Good rebloomers include Rozanne, Anne Folkard, Ann Thompson and quite a few others, mostly sterile hybrids. 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    Some of mine are cut back several times during the year to keep them tidy. Don't always reflower but always produce fresh new foliage.
  • mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 235
    I did most of mine but left a couple for comparison. The foliage is growing well and they do look much tidier
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