Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Pelargonium 'Clorinda' (Pelargonium 'Clorinda')— schedule & NPK
Also called Clorinda scented pelargonium, Cedar rose geranium.
More about pelargonium 'clorinda'
About Pelargonium 'Clorinda'
Pelargonium 'Clorinda' · also called Clorinda scented pelargonium, Cedar rose geranium · herb
Pelargonium 'Clorinda' is a vigorous, large-growing scented-leaf pelargonium with rough, lobed cedar-and-eucalyptus-scented leaves and unusually large, showy rose-pink flowers blotched with deeper markings. A robust unique-type tender perennial, it is grown both for fragrant foliage and one of the best floral displays among scented kinds, and it needs full sun with sharp drainage.
Growth habit: Large, upright and vigorous, becoming a substantial bushy plant with rough aromatic leaves and big heads of rose-pink flowers.
Watch for — Foliage at the expense of flowers: Shade and high-nitrogen feeding give leaves rather than its prized blooms. Provide full sun and feed high-potash in the growing season.
What fertiliser pelargonium 'clorinda' actually wants — and why
Pelargonium 'Clorinda' is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed.
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 pelargonium 'clorinda': 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 pelargonium 'clorinda', 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 pelargonium 'clorinda':
As a heavy flowerer, feed fortnightly from spring to late summer with a high-potash (tomato-type) liquid feed, using a balanced feed early in the season. Avoid excess nitrogen, which favours its already-vigorous foliage over bloom. Stop feeding in winter. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when pelargonium 'clorinda' 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 pelargonium 'clorinda'
Half strength is a sensible default for pelargonium 'clorinda' — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water pelargonium 'clorinda' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the pelargonium 'clorinda' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding pelargonium 'clorinda'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for pelargonium 'clorinda':
- Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour.
- Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge.
- Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants.
Signs you are under-feeding pelargonium 'clorinda'
- Pale, slow regrowth after cutting and small leaves.
- A tired, stalled plant that cannot keep up with harvesting.
- Yellowing older leaves in a long-spent pot.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full pelargonium 'clorinda' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Pot-grown pelargonium 'clorinda' builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for pelargonium 'clorinda'
Organic options
A diluted seaweed feed or worm-casting tea keeps soft growth coming without overdoing it. UK: dilute seaweed or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Gentle, hard to overdo, flavour-friendly.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced liquid feed at half strength through harvesting — UK: Phostrogen, Baby Bio or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro all-purpose at half strength. Fast regrowth; just do not overdo the nitrogen.
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 pelargonium 'clorinda' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does pelargonium 'clorinda' need?
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed. Pelargonium 'Clorinda' is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
How often should I feed pelargonium 'clorinda'?
As a heavy flowerer, feed fortnightly from spring to late summer with a high-potash (tomato-type) liquid feed, using a balanced feed early in the season. Avoid excess nitrogen, which favours its already-vigorous foliage over bloom. Stop feeding in winter. As a heavy flowerer, feed fortnightly from spring to late summer with a high-potash (tomato-type) liquid feed, using a balanced feed early in the season. Avoid excess nitrogen, which favours its already-vigorous foliage over bloom. Stop feeding in winter. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
What strength of feed for pelargonium 'clorinda'?
Half strength is a sensible default for pelargonium 'clorinda' — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
What does over-feeding pelargonium 'clorinda' look like?
Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour. Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge. Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants. Over-feeding pelargonium 'clorinda' with strong nitrogen is the usual mistake — it grows fast and lush but the leaves turn bland and it bolts to flower sooner, ending the useful harvest early.
Should I flush the soil of pelargonium 'clorinda'?
Pot-grown pelargonium 'clorinda' builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Keep reading
- Pelargonium 'Clorinda' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water pelargonium 'clorinda' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise basil
- How to fertilise herb garden
- How to fertilise mint
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library