Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Max Frei cranesbill, Compact bloody geranium (Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei').

More about geranium sanguineum 'max frei'

About Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei'

Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' · also called Max Frei cranesbill, Compact bloody geranium · flowering

Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' is a compact, tidy selection of bloody cranesbill prized for its dense low mound and prolific deep magenta-pink flowers from early summer to autumn. The finely cut dark foliage turns vivid red in autumn. More restrained and uniform than the species, it is excellent for edging, the front of sunny borders, gravel gardens and groundcover.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Mid-season decline: Flowering and foliage can flag in late summer. A shear-back by one-third renews the mound and triggers fresh blooms.

The reasons geranium sanguineum 'max frei' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming geranium sanguineum 'max frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' to flower

Maximise sun. Give geranium sanguineum 'max frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' and get the feeding right with the geranium sanguineum 'max frei' 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 sanguineum 'Max Frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my geranium sanguineum 'max frei' flower?

Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' bloom?

Give geranium sanguineum 'max frei' 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 sanguineum 'max frei' normally bloom?