Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Blue Cloud Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Blue Cloud Cranesbill, Blue Cloud Geranium (Geranium 'Blue Cloud').

More about blue cloud cranesbill

About Blue Cloud Cranesbill

Geranium 'Blue Cloud' · also called Blue Cloud Cranesbill, Blue Cloud Geranium · flowering

Geranium 'Blue Cloud' is a large, spreading hybrid likely raised as a seedling of 'Nimbus' at Axletree Nursery, Scotland, producing very finely dissected foliage on a sprawling plant that can reach 90 cm tall and 170 cm wide. Pale sky-blue flowers with fine dark purple veins appear from late spring through summer. This is one of the largest hardy cranesbills and may need support or space at the back of a border; it received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2004. ASPCA's 'Geranium' toxic listing refers to Pelargonium; true cranesbills are not confirmed non-toxic by ASPCA, so treat with caution around pets.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons blue cloud cranesbill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming blue cloud cranesbill traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding blue cloud cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get blue cloud cranesbill to flower

Maximise sun. Give blue cloud cranesbill the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for blue cloud cranesbill and get the feeding right with the blue cloud cranesbill fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Blue Cloud Cranesbill flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full blue cloud cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Blue Cloud Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my blue cloud cranesbill flower?

Blue Cloud Cranesbill blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make blue cloud cranesbill bloom?

Give blue cloud cranesbill the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does blue cloud cranesbill normally bloom?