Gardeners are being urged to do one task now to make their geraniums bloom next spring. Geraniums have a long flowering season, with many varieties blooming from mid-summer until the first frosts, and they can be pruned back to stimulate new growth and a second flowering period.
However, hardy geraniums can also benefit from being separated in autumn to really reenergise the plant for next year. This not only allows gardeners to create many new flower pots for free from one plant, but it also gives each plant more space for root and foliage growth, which encourages better flowering in the long term.
Gernaiums are the perfect plant to separate, because they stick together in sizeable chunks which are easy to replant, and autumn is the ideal time to do so, because it gives the plants time to settle into the soil.
Homes and Gardens advised: “The plants quickly develop into large clumps that can get overgrown and will benefit from rejuvenating by dividing every 3-5 years. This can be done in fall or spring.
“To divide hardy geraniums in September, use a sharp spade to dig up the plant as it is dying back and shake off some excess soil.”
You can use hand forks to separate hardy geraniums in plant pots, and the method works just as well with full-sized gardening forks in the flower border.
After removing the plant from a medium-sized pot, you can lever two hand forks against one another to separate the clumps. Then, make sure each smaller chunk of the plant has a few shoots.
Replant the smaller shoots into several pots that can be spread around the garden, and make sure you use plenty of compost to help nourish the plant as it grows throughout the year.
Hardy geraniums are not the only plants that can be separated in autumn. The gardening experts advised that peonies and irises can also be divided at this time of year, to help boost their growth next spring.