Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Clarke's cranesbill, Kashmir cranesbill (Geranium clarkei).

More about clarke's cranesbill

About Clarke's Cranesbill

Geranium clarkei · also called Clarke's cranesbill, Kashmir cranesbill · flowering

Geranium clarkei is a rhizomatous hardy perennial native to the alpine meadows of Kashmir and the western Himalayas, where it grows in moist, grassy habitats. It forms spreading clumps of finely divided, deeply cut foliage and bears large, upward-facing flowers in white or soft lilac with pale purple veining from early to midsummer. The most important care tip is to divide clumps every 3-4 years in spring to maintain vigour, as established mats can become congested. Considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Congested clumps losing vigour: Old clumps flower less freely after 3-4 years; lift and divide in spring, replanting the healthy outer portions and discarding the woody centre.

The reasons clarke's cranesbill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming clarke's 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 clarke's 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 clarke's cranesbill to flower

Maximise sun. Give clarke's 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 clarke's cranesbill and get the feeding right with the clarke's 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

Clarke's 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 clarke's cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Clarke's Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my clarke's cranesbill flower?

Clarke's 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 clarke's cranesbill bloom?

Give clarke's 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 clarke's cranesbill normally bloom?