Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' (Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw')— schedule & NPK
Also called Mrs Bradshaw avens, scarlet avens.
More about geum 'mrs bradshaw'
About Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw'
Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' · also called Mrs Bradshaw avens, scarlet avens · flowering
Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' is a cottage-garden favourite forming clumps of hairy green leaves topped by wiry stems of semi-double, glowing scarlet-red flowers from late spring through summer. Long-flowering and cheerful, it thrives in sunny to lightly shaded borders. Regular deadileading extends the display, and it associates beautifully with blues and yellows in mixed plantings.
Growth habit: Clump-forming, with a basal rosette of hairy leaves and branching wiry flower stems held above the foliage.
What fertiliser geum 'mrs bradshaw' actually wants — and why
Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for geum 'mrs bradshaw': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed geum 'mrs bradshaw', and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For geum 'mrs bradshaw':
Moderate feeder. A spring mulch of compost plus a balanced general fertiliser supports prolific flowering; reapply a light feed in midsummer if growth flags. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when geum 'mrs bradshaw' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for geum 'mrs bradshaw'
Half strength is the safe default for geum 'mrs bradshaw' — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water geum 'mrs bradshaw' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the geum 'mrs bradshaw' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding geum 'mrs bradshaw'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for geum 'mrs bradshaw':
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding geum 'mrs bradshaw'
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full geum 'mrs bradshaw' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of geum 'mrs bradshaw' with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for geum 'mrs bradshaw'
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising geum 'mrs bradshaw' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does geum 'mrs bradshaw' need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed geum 'mrs bradshaw'?
Moderate feeder. A spring mulch of compost plus a balanced general fertiliser supports prolific flowering; reapply a light feed in midsummer if growth flags. Moderate feeder. A spring mulch of compost plus a balanced general fertiliser supports prolific flowering; reapply a light feed in midsummer if growth flags. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for geum 'mrs bradshaw'?
Half strength is the safe default for geum 'mrs bradshaw' — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding geum 'mrs bradshaw' look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding geum 'mrs bradshaw' year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of geum 'mrs bradshaw'?
Flush the pot of geum 'mrs bradshaw' with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water geum 'mrs bradshaw' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
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- How to fertilise bird of paradise
- How to fertilise hoya
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library