Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Small-Flowered Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Small-Flowered Cranesbill, Small Geranium (Geranium pusillum).

More about small-flowered cranesbill

About Small-Flowered Cranesbill

Geranium pusillum · also called Small-Flowered Cranesbill, Small Geranium · flowering

Geranium pusillum is a slender, softly hairy annual native to Eurasia and now naturalised widely in North America, typically found on arable field margins, roadsides and disturbed ground. It bears very small pale lilac-pink flowers from June to September and is an undemanding plant that thrives in lean, freely draining soils. The most important care point is that it dislikes rich, moist soils — excessive fertility produces leafy growth at the expense of its delicate flowers. True cranesbill Geranium species are not listed as toxic to pets by the ASPCA, and this species is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Poor flowering in rich soils: In fertile or recently manured ground, plants produce abundant foliage but very few flowers. Move to a lean, well-drained spot or avoid amending the soil with compost or fertiliser.

The reasons small-flowered cranesbill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming small-flowered 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 small-flowered 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 small-flowered cranesbill to flower

Maximise sun. Give small-flowered 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 small-flowered cranesbill and get the feeding right with the small-flowered 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

Small-Flowered 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 small-flowered cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Small-Flowered Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my small-flowered cranesbill flower?

Small-Flowered 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 small-flowered cranesbill bloom?

Give small-flowered 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 small-flowered cranesbill normally bloom?