Watering is one of the most important steps while seeding or potting Geraniums like other plants. Hardy geraniums have a much greater tolerance to dry soil than wet soil, making them an ideal choice for arid or low-moisture climates.
- Annual Geraniums should be watered when the upper surface of the soil becomes dry; i.e., you should always check the soil moisture before watering.
- Newly planted perennial varieties should have consistently moist soil during their initial growing season. But after they are well-established, these flowers can usually survive on rainfall—unless there’s a severe drought, of course!
In this post, we will discuss how much water a geranium needs and the tips for watering it, which will help maintain its healthy growth and sustainability.
Do Geraniums Need a Lot of Water?
It’s an old quote that everything should be in the right amount. The same goes for the plantation process of geraniums also.
A lot of watering can damage the plant and not let it grow. It can lead its leaves to turn yellow to excess watering.
Before watering the geranium, you must check the dryness of the soil and water them when the soil is slightly wet.
How much water do potted geraniums need?
Geraniums are one of the best garden plants and is available in two different types:
- Geraniums Genus
- Pelargonium Genus
For watering Geranium, we need to spot the type of Geranium first.
Geranium flowers can help you to identify their type.
Geranium Genus has five petals, and all its petals look similar, whereas Pelargonium Genus’ upper two petals look different than its lower three petals.
You should take special watering care during summer for both the Geraniums. Regular watering is needed, but you must check the dryness of the soil before watering.
Drainage should be the first thing to be taken care of before the plantation of Geraniums. It plays a vital role in the healthy growth of both geraniums. If you plan to grow it in a pot, drainage holes should be made in the bottom of the pot for water drainage. Otherwise, it may lead to the decomposition of the seeds.
Geraniums and Pelargonium Genus should not be watered every day. Geranium’s genus should be watered a day before its soil completely dries.
But potted plants require more frequent watering compared to bedded plants. Make sure to pour little water into the plant’s roots before it completely dries away.
Pelargonium Genus should be watered when the soil is a little moist only. You should avoid frequent watering in winter, but the soil should not be totally dried.
Should geraniums be watered every day?
Most of us think that plants should be watered every day. But the scenario is not the same with every plant, and geranium is one of them.
Geranium should only be watered when its soil’s top surface becomes a little dry. We should always wait for the soil to get dried up to an extent before watering.
We should be a little extra cautious for potted geraniums than bedded geraniums, as the pots should have a proper drainage system.
Thus I recommend that instead of watering geranium daily, you should first check the soil’s moisture level to maintain its long and healthy life.
Can You Overwater Geraniums?
Just as overconsumption of food is bad for humans’ health, too much water is bad for the health of plants like geraniums too.
Watering is good, but overwatering can cause serious health issues for geraniums, prevent geraniums’ growth, and lead to a big reason for the plant’s death.
In summer, extra watering can be done but with a proper drainage facility of the soil.
In winter, over-watering should be strictly avoided; otherwise, plants will not be able to survive.
For geraniums to prosper, it is essential that they are planted in well draining soil. Loose earth permits any surplus moisture to dissipate rapidly and sustain the plants’ health and vigor.
Sprinkling loose soil on the surface enhances the germination process and absorbs excess water, reducing the risk of over-watering.
How do you know if Your Geraniums are Underwatered?
One of the most common signs of underwatered geraniums is their yellow or red leaves. Dehydration of geraniums results in bad-quality of flowers and can cause the fall of flower buds.
If they are not watered adequately, they will diminish and stop flowering.
Thus, a good amount of watering should be done with better soil quality and excellent drainage system. It will help to boom the growth of geraniums plant with its pleasant and beautiful flowers.
How often should you water geraniums?
Watering Geraniums mostly depends on the moist level of the soil. Other factors like temperature, climate and weather should also not be ignored while watering geraniums.
Generally, you can water once or twice a week after checking the soil’s moisture.
You can check the moisture level of the soil with your hands. If it’s too sticky, wait for the soil to dry before watering. Dip a finger in the soil; if 5 CM is dried, it’s a good time to water your geranium.
Use this Soil moisture meter to check the soil’s moisture level. It will help you to decide the right time to water your precious geraniums.
You should water the geranium when the needle reaches the “dry” meter section. It would be best to water geraniums till they reach the upper level of the “moist” section but avoid the “Wet” section.
Factors to consider on how often to water a geranium plant?
Watering of geranium plants depends on various factors like where they are grown, whether they are potted or bedded once, what kind of current weather has been like their exposure to sunlight and many more. (chek the sunlight requirements for geraniums)
The most important thing before watering geranium is the moist soil level at which they are grown. If half an inch of the soil is dry, good time to water them and if the upper layer of the soil is still sticky, wait for it to get dry.
Watering Schedule during the seedling stage:
The seedling stage is very important for any plant. When geraniums are seeded, a little extra care is needed while watering them for their healthy and fast growth.
Rather than pouring a lot of water at a time, it is preferred to put less quantity of water but little frequently. This technique gives better results for growing the geraniums.
Splashing water on the geranium seeds helps them be healthier and protects them from decomposing. But this tip will only work if we have a good drainage system in the soil.
Watering Baby Geranium Plants:
This is the stage when geranium is just grown. When the geranium is at this stage, check the moisture of the soil by dipping your finger in the soil up to half an inch; if the soil dries, then it’s the best time to water baby geraniums.
Watering outside planted geraniums:
Outside-grown geraniums get good sunlight exposure, protecting them from various diseases. Thus they stay more healthy and grow faster.
It is good to water outside-grown geraniums once or twice a week. Again if you are confused about when to water them,
- check the soil’s moisture by dipping your finger or with a moisture metre.
- If the soil is wet, wait for it to be dried at least half an inch.
Watering inside planted geraniums:
Inside grown geraniums are a little sensitive as they are not in direct contact with sunlight. Due to this, the soil remains moist for a little longer, and the geraniums have a high chance of getting damp.
But if the leaves are getting yellow or red, then it’s a sign of underwater. So we should keep a watch if they are getting wilted. Always check soil moisture and water them accordingly.
Watering landscaped Geraniums:
As the geraniums are in direct contact with the ground, they can extract direct water from the ground. Thus it requires less regular water compared to potted geraniums.
Watering potted geraniums:
Potted geraniums need more water than grounded geraniums as they cannot get direct water from the ground. So they should be watered frequently depending on the soil moisture in the pots.
Things To Consider:
Various factors play vital roles in watering geraniums. These are weather conditions, exposure to sunlight, season and spacing between plants.
Let’s discuss them briefly and know how they affect geraniums:
Weather
As we know over- watering may damage the geraniums, you should avoid frequent watering during the rainy season.
If you experience rain during the spring season, keep a good track on watering geraniums during this season.
Sunlight
Sunlight is good for geraniums’ healthy growth, but excess heat may destroy them during summer. Geraniums need more watering during summers as the soil gets dried faster.
Geraniums exposed to direct sunlight need extra watering as the soil does not retain moisture for a long time.
Proper watering during summer results in new and fresh geranium growth.
Season
Sometimes you do not need to water your geraniums as the weather remains cooler in winter and fall. During these seasons, watering geraniums once a week results in healthy growth and blooms in geraniums.
Spacing Between Plants
If Geraniums are grown closely, they will require more water as they absorb soil moisture faster and require more frequent watering.
How To Water Geraniums?
Watering Geraniums is a science, and it requires a proper understanding of plant needs.
Therefore, you should know these points before watering them.
- Overwatering and underwatering can destroy geraniums. So keep the correct amount and frequency of watering.
- You should check the dryness of the soil before watering. If the upper surface of the soil is dry up to half an inch, it’s a good time to water them.
- You should ensure a good drainage system of soil, or else it will result in decomposition and destroy the plant.
How Long Can Geraniums Stay Without Water?
Geranium needs to be watered 1-2 times a week. However, watering depends upon various other factors like season, climate, weather and many more.
A droopy and wilted geranium is a sign that your plant needs water.
The overall dryness of the soil decides how often you should water these flowers.
Final Thoughts
You can say that watering is a very sensitive and vital part of growing geraniums. If not watered properly, it can directly show adverse effects on the geranium’s health.
Check the moisture of the soil; if it is dried up to half an inch from the upper surface, it should be watered, and you should ensure good soil drainage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you water geraniums in winter?
Generally, geraniums should be watered about once a week during winter. It is important to check the soil moisture before watering, as overwatering can lead to plant root rot and other problems. If your area receives unusually heavy rains or snowfall, you may need to reduce the frequency of watering slightly.
How often should you water geraniums in summer?
Depending on your local climate zone, you may need to water them more often. During periods of heat and drought, it is especially important to keep the soil moist. If the weather is very hot and dry, you may need to water your geraniums twice a week. During summertime, zonal geraniums require more water than perennial geraniums in winter.
Will Overwatered geraniums recover?
Yes, overwatered geraniums can recover. The first step is to stop watering and let the soil dry out completely. If the plant has wilted, you can also try gently removing some of the excess water from around the plant roots with a paper towel or cloth. Then, wait for a few days until the surface of the soil has dried out before watering again. Be sure to water only when the top inch or so of soil is dry and avoid over-watering in the future.
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