Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Broad-Petalled Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Broad-Petalled Cranesbill, Broad-Petalled Geranium, Hardy Cranesbill (Geranium platypetalum).

More about broad-petalled cranesbill

About Broad-Petalled Cranesbill

Geranium platypetalum · also called Broad-Petalled Cranesbill, Broad-Petalled Geranium · flowering

Geranium platypetalum is a robust herbaceous perennial native to the Caucasus region and northern Iran, forming dense mounds of large, deeply lobed, softly hairy leaves. It thrives in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade and is prized for its violet-blue flowers with darker veining produced in early to mid-summer. The single most important care task is cutting back hard after flowering to encourage a flush of fresh foliage. According to ASPCA guidance, true Geranium species (cranesbills) are non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons broad-petalled cranesbill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming broad-petalled 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 broad-petalled 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 broad-petalled cranesbill to flower

Maximise sun. Give broad-petalled 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 broad-petalled cranesbill and get the feeding right with the broad-petalled 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

Broad-Petalled 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 broad-petalled cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Broad-Petalled Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my broad-petalled cranesbill flower?

Broad-Petalled 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 broad-petalled cranesbill bloom?

Give broad-petalled 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 broad-petalled cranesbill normally bloom?