Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Victor Reiter Junior meadow geranium, Dark-leaved cranesbill (Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior').
More about geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior'
About Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior'
Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' · also called Victor Reiter Junior meadow geranium, Dark-leaved cranesbill · flowering
'Victor Reiter Junior' is a meadow cranesbill grown as much for its dusky purple-bronze young foliage as for its violet-blue, white-centred flowers in early to midsummer. Compact and clump-forming, the dark leaves contrast strikingly with the cool flowers. Fully hardy, it suits sunny borders and reblooms after a midsummer trim.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Lax growth after bloom: Stems sprawl once flowering fades. Cut the whole plant back to refresh the dark foliage and prompt a second flush.
The reasons geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' and get the feeding right with the geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' flower?
Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' bloom?
Give geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' normally bloom?
Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'victor reiter junior' flowering?
Feeding geranium pratense 'victor reiter junior' 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 pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Geranium pratense 'Victor Reiter Junior' 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