Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Geranium 'Ann Folkard' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Ann Folkard cranesbill, Magenta trailing geranium (Geranium 'Ann Folkard').

More about geranium 'ann folkard'

About Geranium 'Ann Folkard'

Geranium 'Ann Folkard' · also called Ann Folkard cranesbill, Magenta trailing geranium · flowering

'Ann Folkard' is a long-flowering hybrid cranesbill with sprawling, scrambling stems carrying vivid magenta-pink, black-eyed flowers from early summer to autumn. Its yellow-green young foliage sets off the bright blooms. Vigorous yet rootbound-friendly, it weaves through neighbouring plants, fills gaps in borders and holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons geranium 'ann folkard' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming geranium 'ann folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' to flower

Maximise sun. Give geranium 'ann folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' and get the feeding right with the geranium 'ann folkard' 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

Geranium 'Ann Folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Geranium 'Ann Folkard' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my geranium 'ann folkard' flower?

Geranium 'Ann Folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' bloom?

Give geranium 'ann folkard' 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 geranium 'ann folkard' normally bloom?