Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Phillipe Vapelle cranesbill (Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle').
More about geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle'
About Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle'
Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' · also called Phillipe Vapelle cranesbill · flowering
'Phillipe Vapelle' is a robust renardii hybrid combining velvety, sage-grey, scalloped foliage with larger, richer violet-blue flowers heavily veined in deep purple through early to midsummer. More free-flowering and slightly bigger than the species, this RHS Award of Garden Merit perennial thrives in sun and well-drained soil, forms a neat mound and dies back over winter.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Mid-season flop: The mound can sprawl open after the main flush. Shear back by up to half to regenerate compact foliage and encourage repeat flowering.
The reasons geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' and get the feeding right with the geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' flower?
Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' bloom?
Give geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' normally bloom?
Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'phillipe vapelle' flowering?
Feeding geranium renardii 'phillipe vapelle' 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 renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Geranium renardii 'Phillipe Vapelle' 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