Why is it necessary to heavily prune geraniums?
The web introduces some tips about pruning geraniums, why it's necessary to heavily prune them, and any mistakes are welcome for correction!
Many flower enthusiasts are aware of the need to prune geraniums, but not many understand the concept of heavy pruning, or may not even know that geraniums require heavy pruning. Some may hesitate to prune because their geraniums still have many autumn flowers, while others worry that heavy pruning might cause black stems due to the hot weather.
Seeing so many questions from flower enthusiasts, I had another long conversation with geranium expert @ronnie123w. I summarized our conversation as follows for those who love geraniums, sincerely hoping that geraniums can bloom beautifully in every enthusiast's home.
1. Why is it necessary to heavily prune geraniums?
Some enthusiasts ask, aren't geraniums perennial plants? I've almost grown it into a tree, how should I prune it? Theoretically, geraniums are perennial plants, but they are usually cultivated as 2-3 year plants (different varieties have different durations). After this period, they will still survive but will bloom poorly, which is not meaningful for us in terms of maintenance. By propagating new seedlings, we can get plants with good blooming performance. If we don't heavily prune geraniums, their branches will continuously lignify from the second year, and lignified branches won't produce new buds. Although they will bloom at the top, the flowers will be few.
2. Why should geraniums be heavily pruned in autumn?
Heavy pruning of geraniums in autumn is not to obtain cuttings but to allow the plants to recover their energy. After blooming in spring and summer losses, geraniums are almost exhausted by autumn. Heavy pruning at this time gives them a chance for a rebirth, with new branches full of vitality and ready to burst again next year.
3. What temperature is suitable for heavy pruning of geraniums in autumn?
Heavy pruning of geraniums can start from the end of the dog days, but it also depends on the local temperature. This temperature is not about the daytime but the nighttime. If the night temperature drops below 25 degrees Celsius (in the humid southern regions, it can wait until the night temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius), it is suitable for heavy pruning. Heavy pruning is not better the later it is done, especially for large-flowered and angel varieties that need low temperatures for vernalization. If pruning is too late, they may not grow well before cooling down, leading to problems during vernalization.
4. How to heavy prune?
Prune at least 3CM above the root or lignified branches (more for taller varieties) using a sharp pair of scissors to make the cut as flat as possible. My heavy pruning last Sunday was criticized by @ronnie123w, who advised me to buy a sharp pair of scissors to avoid uneven cuts. After pruning, there may be some old leaves left, which is not a big deal. New buds will usually sprout in 3-10 days depending on the variety, and the old leaves can be removed after the new leaves grow out.
5. Is it necessary to fertilize after heavy pruning? Can it be done simultaneously with repotting?
No fertilizer is needed after heavy pruning, and it should not be done simultaneously with repotting. Wait until the new buds have fully grown before repotting, and fertilizing can start according to personal preference after repotting.
6. Do spring seedlings need heavy pruning?
Even if the seedlings that have survived summer are not very large, they still need heavy pruning.
7. Can geraniums that are too weak be pruned?
Some enthusiasts say, "My geraniums are too weak to prune; I'm afraid they'll die after pruning." I think if the geraniums are that weak, it's not certain they'll survive even without pruning, so it's better to try pruning (I've tried it, and it's indeed quite risky).
8. Do angel geraniums need heavy pruning?
Angel geraniums also need heavy pruning, but it should be done in halves, meaning prune half first, allow new buds to grow, and then prune the other half. I've seen some enthusiasts say they've never pruned their angel geraniums and the flowers still bloom beautifully. This can also be tried, or if there are two angel geraniums, prune one and not the other, and compare them when they bloom next spring to gain experience.
9. Do large-flowered geraniums need heavy pruning?
Large-flowered geraniums also need heavy pruning, and the timing of pruning must be mastered to ensure growth before the temperature drops, otherwise, there will be problems during vernalization.
10. Why do some enthusiasts' geraniums survive the summer but die in autumn?
This question has troubled me for a long time. It seems unrelated to heavy pruning of geraniums, but after discussing with @ronnie123w, I learned it's quite relevant. About two years ago, I saw @深夜种花的男子 write on Weibo that his geraniums all survived the summer but died within a short time after entering autumn, and they were all expensive varieties. When I mentioned this issue to @ronnie123w, she analyzed that in hot regions, geraniums are already weak after a summer, and when the temperature drops in autumn, the growers may think it's time to fertilize to help the plants recover quickly, but this actually harms them. If heavy pruning is done in time in autumn, this problem would not occur.
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