Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Biokovo cranesbill, Biokovo Cambridge geranium (Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo').
More about geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo'
About Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' · also called Biokovo cranesbill, Biokovo Cambridge geranium · flowering
'Biokovo' is a wild-collected Cambridge cranesbill forming low, spreading mats of aromatic semi-evergreen foliage studded with white flowers flushed pale pink at the base in early summer. Drought-tolerant, weed-suppressing and colouring richly in autumn, it is a top-rated ground cover and edging plant, named a Perennial Plant of the Year and holding an RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Single early flush: It flowers mainly once in early summer and does not rebloom after shearing. Grow it for its season-long foliage and autumn colour as well.
The reasons geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' and get the feeding right with the geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' flower?
Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' bloom?
Give geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' 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 cantabrigiense 'biokovo' normally bloom?
Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' flowering?
Feeding geranium cantabrigiense 'biokovo' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library