Potted geranium advice

[eeyoresmom]

I am determined to keep my hanging baskets of geraniums beautiful this year. For the past 23 years I've hung them under the eaves of my front porch where they get full sun. After about a month the leaves start turning yellowish and the plants thin out and get "leggy" I tend to give my plants (as well as people), too much attention and I think I may be over watering. I only feed them a dilute solution once a month. Any advice? I got them 2 days ago so the countdown has begun

 

[jerseygal]

Good luck with them! I typically have very good luck with geraniums, but then again I have afternoon sun, but most of morning up until about 11am is shady and cooler. One summer they didn't do well because they got too much water, a very wet summer. I want to plant geraniums at my parents grave for Mothers Day, but I am nervous that they won't last. I am three hours away, so its not like I can "baby" them all summer(Wish I could). Any suggestions for other plants that may last well on a grave for summer? THANKS in advance!

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Do you buy your flowers from the same place every year. Sounds funny but I switched where I buy my flowers and have better luck. Always bought from little mom-pop shop that went out of business so I bought a couple of plants from Home Depot and some from Lowes. Did the for about 3 years and the Home Depot plants struggled and didn’t really bloom fully or look as nice. I guess their supplier isn’t as good as Lowe’s

 

[mamamary]

My geraniums start out beautiful but by August or so they also thin out and start to look sad.

 

[jerseygal]

Do you buy your flowers from the same place every year. Sounds funny but I switched where I buy my flowers and have better luck. Always bought from little mom-pop shop that went out of business so I bought a couple of plants from Home Depot and some from Lowes. Did the for about 3 years and the Home Depot plants struggled and didn’t really bloom fully or look as nice. I guess their supplier isn’t as good as Lowe’s

We purchase ours from a farm where they are grown. We typically go on vaca end of May, first week of June, so we can't plant till after that. Don't have anyone that I would ask to water them, can't depend upon rain, so we always wait. They hold up so nicely all summer. This year, we wont be able to plant until June 16th, oh well, have fun stuff like Aruba trip and future DIL bridal shower, can't wait for both!Want to upload a file, but it fails to upload, says too large or something. Anyone have any suggestions? Been a long time since I uploaded, seem to forget the nuances. Thanks!

 

[cabanafrau]

Geraniums like full sun, crowded roots and don't like overwatering. Water only when the top inch of soil is dry. Occasionally pinching off new growth helps keep them bushy.

 

[MIGrandma]

I've never had good luck with geraniums, I think I overwater.

I used to have potted flowers, hanging baskets too, but I don't like asking someone to water them when we go up north camping so I would load them all up in the back of my car and take them with me, then bring them back home, every time. I finally just gave up on having flowering plants in pots/baskets.

I have a perennial flower garden and enjoy that instead. The only annual I plant in that every summer is a row of zinnias right in the front.

 

[cabanafrau]

I've never had good luck with geraniums, I think I overwater.

I used to have potted flowers, hanging baskets too, but I don't like asking someone to water them when we go up north camping so I would load them all up in the back of my car and take them with me, then bring them back home, every time. I finally just gave up on having flowering plants in pots/baskets.

I have a perennial flower garden and enjoy that instead. The only annual I plant in that every summer is a row of zinnias right in the front.

Sounds very much like my situation. What's worse is, I know what to do with geraniums, but if they're in a pot I cannot seem to get it right.

I've been working on redoing different areas of the front and back yards with perennials for quite a few years now. I'm working towards having something(s) constantly blooming all through the season. Last year was my most successful and I'm hopeful that a few of the plants that put on spectacular shows last year will do the same again. I'm in the planning stage right now for my last major area to be redone. I'm so excited at being able to get some plants I've been wanting for a long time and had no place suitable for them. The problem is with plants my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I have difficulty meshing the reality of space available with everything I'd like to put in there. The only annuals I use are two flats of begonias at the front of the beds in front of the house. They're not water hogs and will grow in the mostly shadiness of the two enormous maples at the curb.

 

[MIGrandma]

Sounds very much like my situation. What's worse is, I know what to do with geraniums, but if they're in a pot I cannot seem to get it right.

I've been working on redoing different areas of the front and back yards with perennials for quite a few years now. I'm working towards having something(s) constantly blooming all through the season. Last year was my most successful and I'm hopeful that a few of the plants that put on spectacular shows last year will do the same again. I'm in the planning stage right now for my last major area to be redone. I'm so excited at being able to get some plants I've been wanting for a long time and had no place suitable for them. The problem is with plants my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I have difficulty meshing the reality of space available with everything I'd like to put in there. The only annuals I use are two flats of begonias at the front of the beds in front of the house. They're not water hogs and will grow in the mostly shadiness of the two enormous maples at the curb.

What kind of perennials do you have? I think this is the 4th or maybe 5th year for my perennial garden. I have things like a rhododendron, sage, daffodils, hyacinths, cat mint, butterfly bushes, milkweed, coreopsis, lavender, bee balm, black eyed susan, shasta daisies, hollyhocks, zebra grass, and several more I can't think of right now.

I do have a few hostas out there but I think they get too much sun so I'm going to pull them out and put something else in their spots. Won't do that until closer to Memorial Day though, and not sure yet what I'll get to replace them. I so enjoy every spring, walking out there to see what is coming back up.

I learned something new about my catnip plant, that if I deadhead it after it blooms it will bloom again. I had not known that!

 

[cabanafrau]

What kind of perennials do you have? I think this is the 4th or maybe 5th year for my perennial garden. I have things like a rhododendron, sage, daffodils, hyacinths, cat mint, butterfly bushes, milkweed, coreopsis, lavender, bee balm, black eyed susan, shasta daisies, hollyhocks, zebra grass, and several more I can't think of right now.

I do have a few hostas out there but I think they get too much sun so I'm going to pull them out and put something else in their spots. Won't do that until closer to Memorial Day though, and not sure yet what I'll get to replace them. I so enjoy every spring, walking out there to see what is coming back up.

I learned something new about my catnip plant, that if I deadhead it after it blooms it will bloom again. I had not known that!

I have sage salvia and Russian sage, lavender, black eyed susan(including a new burgundy variety found at a farmer's market last year), tiger lilies, phlox, a rainbow of colors of cone flowers, poppies, day lilies, columbine, clematis, iris, tulips, daffodils, alium, bachelor's button, sedum, a couple roses, crane's bill, an unusual variety of azalea with tiny pink blooms, hydrangea, lilacs and a Scotch broom.

Have been having different problems with different types of roses for the past several years, so those may need removing. We have hosta coming out of our ears, but I don't really consider that so much a blooming plant even though they do put out purple or white blooms.

For my new area I'm planning a different variety of hydrangea, different colors of phlox, tiger lilies, Russian sage, peonies, bee balm and sage salvia.

Typing all of that out I realize that my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach. Every time I think I'm done I remember another plant I have out there. In my defense the bachelor's button and the regular black eyed susan I only purchased a single pot of each & have given segments to everyone I can convince to take some and the hostas were here when we moved in.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Good luck with them! I typically have very good luck with geraniums, but then again I have afternoon sun, but most of morning up until about 11am is shady and cooler. One summer they didn't do well because they got too much water, a very wet summer. I want to plant geraniums at my parents grave for Mothers Day, but I am nervous that they won't last. I am three hours away, so its not like I can "baby" them all summer(Wish I could). Any suggestions for other plants that may last well on a grave for summer? THANKS in advance!

I have a house on cape cod and use it only on weekends. I use a gel like product that keeps water in the soil. It comes in a pouch and you add these tiny crystals to the soil. When you water the crystals soak up the water and expand exponentially, slowly releasing the moisture to the plant. It's worked very well for me considering my cape house pots are tiny clay ones and should be watered daily.