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To Chop or not to Chop

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My geraniums are in full swing. Does anyone know if I cut them back after they have bloomed, will i get more flowers later in the season? Any advice appreciate ????

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,146

    Welcome Nelly image  Don't they look gorgeous image 

    I don't have that one, but I have several similar hardy geraniums.  What I do is when they begin to look tired and straggly I shear them hard back, sometimes to just 4 to 6 inches, then I give them a feed and a good watering ... they soon bounce back and give another beautiful performance image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    Yep, like Dove says, chop them right back as soon as they are looking tired or straggly. We had this pink type, and they flowered off and on all summer long. Not all types always re-bloom but at least the foliage will come back looking fresher.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • arneilarneil Posts: 313

    I have a blue one and it never gives a second bloom , but cutting it back tidies it and gives fresh green leaves . A pink one , that is not the same as yours , just keeps flowering whether I cut it or not , very invasive though

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700

    It all depends on soil and how much sun you get. Less sun tends to make plants like geraniums grow slower and even flower longer. Looking at the pictures, the leaves and flowers still look very fresh and it looks like there is still a lot of life in it.

    I would leave it for at least another 3 weeks. Then chop down quite hard. Another option if you have lots of other plants surrounding the area, you could afford to chop half back and leave other half on for a further month, and then chop the remain parts you left behind a month or so later. By then, hopefully, the section that was chopped off regains itself. Keeps the borders green and tidy and helps to prolong the flowers in a more subtle way.

  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150

    I've got that one, think it's called "wargrave pink", it can get quite straggly looking so I chop mine and it bounces back.

  • ForestedgeForestedge Posts: 3,650

    They do tend to get a bit straggly. It does seem a shame to cut it when it is flowering so well.  If you don't mind it flopping about leave it slightly longer, but then do chop it back as it will recover very rapidly as the others have said.

  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    Mine flowers well into September but normally receives a haircut around July when its fully sprawled out 

  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    I have geraniums in  the very dry bed under my front window. At the end of the year I take the hedge trimmer to them. I might  just try cropping them .Nothing ventured. they are very tough plants.




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • Dave HedgehogDave Hedgehog Posts: 377

    The pink varieties seem the most prolific and after flowering, a good haircut will make them flower again as they're deprived of the ability to produce tseeds. In the right conditions (and weather!) it's even possible for them to have a 3rd flurish of flowers lasting into mid-Autumn if they're cut back after the second burst in mid-late Summer.

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