GrowSabzHow to grow geranium in pots
Also called cranesbill, pelargonium · Pelargonium x hortorum
جیرانیم
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.4 Levery 3 days, 5 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 18–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 5 L20 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 60–90days from sowing
Geranium keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 60, and the plant then crops for roughly 180 more days — but only if you keep picking. Blooms left on the plant is a signal to stop making more.
Short answer
Grow geranium in a 5 litre container at least 20 cm deep, watering about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil every 3 days, and keep temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 60–90 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does geranium need?
5 litres and 20 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 5 L | 20 cm | Use pots with good drainage to prevent root rot. |
| Grow bag | 5 L | 20 cm | Fabric grow bags provide excellent aeration and drainage. |
| Open ground | — | 25 cm | Ensure well-draining soil and adequate spacing. |
| Raised bed | 10 L | 25 cm | Raised beds offer good drainage and control over soil conditions. |
Watering
How often should you water geranium?
Every 3 days through the growing season, at about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 5 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Bottom watering or at soil level works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- yellowing lower leaves
- stunted growth
- flower bud drop
Too much water
- yellow leaves
- soft stems
- root rot
- fungal growth
Avoid: water on leaves; standing water; soggy soil.
Climate
Can you grow geranium where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 18 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | 0 – 35 °C |
| Germinates above | 20 °C — best at 22 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 30 °C, or below 5 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Medium High sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 35 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for geranium? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Geranium growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for geranium
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why geranium fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 5 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Geranium wants about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Wetting the leaves
Overhead watering in the evening leaves foliage damp overnight, which is exactly the condition fungal disease needs. Water the soil, early in the day.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 30 °C, or below 5 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Shade Loving Plants
Geraniums require full sun to thrive and will outcompete shade-loving plants for light, leading to poor growth for both.
Companions
What to plant with geranium
Good neighbours
Geraniums, especially scented varieties, are known to deter Japanese beetles and other pests that commonly attack roses.
Planting geraniums near corn can help deter Japanese beetles, which are attracted to corn silk.
Scented geraniums can help deter cabbage worms and other brassica pests.
Geraniums can deter Japanese beetles from feeding on grapevines.
Keep apart from
Geraniums require full sun to thrive and will outcompete shade-loving plants for light, leading to poor growth for both.
Geraniums prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.0-7.0), which conflicts with the needs of acid-loving plants.
Geraniums are not heavy feeders; planting them with heavy feeders can lead to nutrient competition and stunted growth for the geraniums.
Problems
Geranium pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Botrytis Blight humidity >85% · temp 18-24
Also known as gray mold. Causes fuzzy gray-brown mold on leaves, stems, and flowers, especially in high humidity and poor air circulation. Can lead to stem rot.
Rust humidity >70% · temp 18-24
Appears as small, raised, rust-colored pustules on the undersides of leaves. Yellow spots may appear on the upper surface. Can cause defoliation.
Bacterial Blight humidity >80% · temp 20-30
Causes V-shaped lesions on leaf margins, which turn brown or black. Stems may develop black streaks and rot. Spread by splashing water.
Oedema humidity high · temp any
Physiological disorder causing corky, wart-like growths on the undersides of leaves. Caused by uneven watering and high humidity, leading to cells bursting.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and secreting sticky honeydew. Can stunt growth and deform flowers.
Whiteflies humidity >60% · temp >25
Tiny, white, winged insects that fly up when the plant is disturbed. They suck sap, weaken the plant, and can transmit viruses. Often found on undersides of leaves.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests that cause leaves to look stippled, pale, and eventually turn yellow and drop. Fine webbing may be visible on the undersides of leaves.
Geranium Budworm humidity any · temp >20
Small caterpillars that bore into flower buds and developing flowers, causing damage and preventing blooms from opening properly. Frass may be visible.
Root Rot humidity high_soil_moisture · temp any
Caused by overwatering and poor drainage, leading to roots turning soft and black. Symptoms include wilting, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth.
Harvest
When to harvest geranium
First picking falls between day 60 and day 90, and the plant then keeps producing for about 180 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Fully open, vibrant flowers
- Healthy, fragrant foliage (for scented varieties)
How much to expect
Storing it: Fresh cut flowers in water; dried foliage for scented varieties.
Questions
Geranium: common questions
How long does geranium take to grow?
About 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 60 and day 90. It then keeps producing for roughly 180 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does geranium need?
At least 5 litres and 20 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 10 litres of soil and 25 cm of depth.
How often should I water geranium?
About 600 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 3 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 5 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does geranium need?
It does best between 18 °C and 24 °C and survives from 0 °C to 35 °C. Seed needs soil above 20 °C to germinate, ideally around 22 °C.
Can I grow geranium in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about 0 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when geranium is ready to harvest?
Fully open, vibrant flowers; Healthy, fragrant foliage (for scented varieties). Once picked: fresh cut flowers in water; dried foliage for scented varieties.