Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Claridge Druce geranium (Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce').
More about geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce'
About Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce'
Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' · also called Claridge Druce geranium · flowering
One of the most vigorous oxonianum cranesbills, 'Claridge Druce' makes a robust, weed-smothering mound of grey-green semi-evergreen leaves topped with rose-pink, dark-veined flowers all summer. Extremely tough and shade-tolerant, it thrives in difficult dry spots and rough ground, but it self-seeds enthusiastically and can colonise widely if not deadheaded.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Prolific self-seeding and spread: Its greatest vigour is also its drawback: it seeds and spreads aggressively. Deadhead promptly after flowering and edit seedlings to keep it within bounds.
The reasons geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' and get the feeding right with the geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' flower?
Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' bloom?
Give geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' normally bloom?
Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'claridge druce' flowering?
Feeding geranium x oxonianum 'claridge druce' 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 x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' 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