Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Pink Penny Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Pink Penny Cranesbill, Hardy Geranium 'Pink Penny' (Geranium 'Pink Penny').
More about pink penny cranesbill
About Pink Penny Cranesbill
Geranium 'Pink Penny' · also called Pink Penny Cranesbill, Hardy Geranium 'Pink Penny' · flowering
Geranium 'Pink Penny' (PP17656) is a compact, semi-evergreen cranesbill that originated as a mutation of Geranium 'Jolly Bee', selected by Dutch nurseryman Marco van Noort. It bears a near-continuous flush of bright pink, saucer-shaped flowers with a paler centre and dark purple veins and anthers from early summer until the first hard frosts, and the sterile blooms are self-cleaning so no deadheading is required. The single most critical care requirement is a well-drained site in sun, as the plant dislikes sitting in wet soil over winter. True cranesbill Geranium species are not listed as toxic by the ASPCA (which classifies Pelargonium as the toxic 'Geranium') and are widely considered pet-safe.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons pink penny cranesbill isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming pink penny cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill to flower
- Maximise sun. Give pink penny cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill and get the feeding right with the pink penny cranesbill 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
Pink Penny Cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Pink Penny Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my pink penny cranesbill flower?
Pink Penny Cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill bloom?
Give pink penny cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill normally bloom?
Pink Penny Cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill 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 pink penny cranesbill flowering?
Feeding pink penny cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Pink Penny Cranesbill care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Pink Penny Cranesbill light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Pink Penny Cranesbill 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 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library