Geraniums are hungry feeder plants and they need fertilizer regularly to thrive and bloom. Without feeding the right fertilizer you won’t get the desired blooms.
But Remember:
Hundreds of fertilizers available in the market today. All the fertilizers aren’t the right choice for your geraniums and the wrong fertilizer can damage your geraniums or make your plant bushy with no blooms or a poor set of
Now the question; what is the best fertilizer for geraniums?
The organic or synthetic type of fertilizer that contains a higher amount of phosphate. Also, the best fertilizer should have other macro and micronutrients to promote healthy plants and blooms.
For your convenience, I have listed and reviewed the best fertilizer for geraniums that will help you to pick the perfect fertilizer for your geraniums.
Without losing your time, let’s get started-
In a hurry? Here is the best fertilizer for geranium plants that you can buy right now considering its overall performance.
Best Fertilizer for Geraniums- Comparisons
| Fertilizer | NPK | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bayer Advanced 701262 | 9-14-9 | |
| J R Peters Jacks Classic Blossom Booster | 10-30-20 | |
| Osmocote Smart Release Plant Food | 15-9-12 | |
| Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Plant Food | 24-8-16 | |
| Jobe's Organics Fertilizer Spikes | 4-4-4 | |
| ALGOplus Geranium Liquid Fertilizer | 4-6-8 | |
| Dr. Earth 707P Organic 8 Bud & Bloom Fertilizer | 3-9-4 | |
| Humboldts Secret Flower Stacker | 0-7-5 | |
| EarthPods Premium African Violet Plant Food | 1.3-2.1-1 | |
| Neptune's Harvest Organic Fertilizer | 2-3-1 |
Best Fertilizer for Geraniums- Reviews
1. Bayer Advanced All-In-One Rose and Flower Care Concentrate
Phosphorus deficiency may be the main reason for the yellow leaves of geraniums. So, they need a higher amount of phosphorus than other nutrients.
Good news:
This fertilizer contains a higher amount of phosphorus. The NPK number is 9-14-9 and this high phosphorus-containing fertilizer can be best for strong roots, green leaves, and beautiful blooms of your geraniums.
It also contains Tebuconazole and Imidacloprid as the active ingredient of fungicide and insecticide respectively that help to keep away your geraniums from different fungal diseases and destructive insects.
Measure the geranium height in feet, take 1-ounce concentration per foot. Mix with 1-gallon water and pour around the base. Avoid spraying on foliage.
Bayer advance also provides this fertilizer in granular form. Sprinkle ½ capful granules for 1 feet geraniums, work in the soil, apply water and get beautiful Blooms.
2. J R Peters Jacks Classic Blossom Booster Fertilizer
It also contains a high amount of phosphorus and potash that is required for strong geranium plants and beautiful booming. It contains 10%,30% and 20% nitrogen,phosphate and potash respectively. Also, it has other essential plant nutrients in an adequate amount.
What is the best part of this fertilizer?
This is the water-soluble instant working fertilizer. It is specially produced in the USA for flowering plants. It can be fed through both roots and leaves.
Mix 1 tablespoon fertilizer with 1 gallon of water for outdoor geraniums and mix ½ tablespoon for indoor or hanging geraniums. Now pour on the roots or spray on the foliage and get the beautiful geraniums with incredible blooms.
3. Osmocote Flower and Vegetable Smart Release Plant Food
Osmocote 274850 is the best fertilizer for outdoor and indoor hanging and in-ground geraniums. It contains three essential plant nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) that are most important to vegetative growth, root formation, and blooming of the geraniums.
The NPK number of this fertilizer is 15-9-12. That means it contains 15% nitrogen,9% phosphate, and 12% potash. It is high potash fertilizer for geraniums that help your plant to produce more robust blooms.
Also, it contains 8 other important essential plant food (i.e- Magnesium, Sulfur, Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Zinc) in an appropriate amount. The appropriate ratio of all essential nutrients helps to prevent the leaves burning of geraniums.
It doesn’t contain calcium. Sound sad? It can be ignored if your geraniums are planted with the right potting mix.
If you want to get beautiful geraniums with lots of blooms and green leaves, this smart release granular plant food may be the right pick for you.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of plant food, mix with the topsoil, water the geraniums, and get beautiful blooms.
4. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food
Want to know what is the best part of this fertilizer?
This is the instant working water-soluble fertilizer. The plant can absorb the nutrient instantly after applying.
To apply this fertilizer to your geraniums-
Take 1 teaspoon for outdoor geraniums and 1/2 teaspoon for indoor geraniums. Mix the fertilizer with 1 gallon of water and spray it on the base of the geraniums. For your convenience, they also provide ready to use plant fertilizer.
According to the experts, this is the best water-soluble fertilizer for geraniums that can provide the required food instantly to your geraniums for growing and blooming.
5. Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer Spikes
And good news:
All the nutrients are derived from organic materials such as feather meal, bone meal, and sulfate of potash.
What is the secret of this fertilizer?
It contains Biozome (a blend of beneficial microorganisms) that makes the geraniums healthy and resistant.
Also, it is a slow-release spike fertilizer. That’s why geraniums can absorb food according to their need and has a lower possibility to wash and runoff.
Easy to use and odorless organic active ingredients make this fertilizer convenient to indoor geraniums. If you want the best organic fertilizer for geraniums, Jobe’s organics all-purpose fertilizer Spikes is for you.
6. ALGOplus Geranium and Patio Plants Liquid Fertilizer
The NPK number of this fertilizer is 4-6-8. And the 4-6-8 ratio is perfect for healthy plants with healthy and long-lasting blooms. Also, it contains other essential nutrients of geraniums to meet the nutritional demand of geraniums.
The equally distributed nutrients can help to make your geraniums smile with colorful blooms and vigor green leaves.
Can I be totally honest with you?
This is the best fertilizer for indoor hanging geraniums. Why am I telling you this? Of course, there are some reasons for it.
Firstly, It has no inorganic chemical. This nature-friendly fertilizer is derived from 100% mineral-based components.
Secondly, the good balance, colorless, and odorless liquid form make it suitable for indoor uses.
To apply this water-soluble fertilizer on geraniums-
Mix 10 ml of liquid plant fertilizer into 1 gallon of water and pour it on the base of geraniums Or mix 5 ml with 1 gallon of water for spraying onto the foliage.
7. Dr. Earth 707P Bud & Bloom Fertilizer
How the geraniums benefit from this fertilizer?
The geraniums can absorb 3%, 9%, and 4% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium respectively from this fertilizer that is essential for root growth, vigor leaves, and colorful blooms.
On the other hand, it also contains beneficial soil microbes plus mycorrhizae. The soil microbes accelerate soil health as well as plants.
To get better root establishment; long-lasting abundant buds and blooms, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of the fertilizer on the base of the geraniums, top dress the soil and water.
8. Humboldts Secret Flower Stacker – Best Flowering Plant Food
It acts as a stimulator that can activate the different enzymes. The active enzymes can increase the photosynthesis rate of the plants. That means you will get a healthy plant with more flowers applying this on geraniums.
This fertilizer is specially designed to increase plant growth and flower density. It contains no, 7% phosphorus, 5% potassium, and vitamin B1 that promote stem, leaf, root development, and early flowering.
In my opinion, this is the best geranium food in the flowering stages. Why? Because of the high amount of phosphorus and potassium. Moreover, vitamin B1 helps to strong rooting that optimizes this fertilizer for use in vegetative stages.
Mix 1 ml in 1 gallon of water for applying vegetative state to develop the root system and 2 ml in 1 gallon for applying the flowering stage to vibrant flowers.
9. EarthPods Premium African Violet Plant Food-Easy Organic Fertilizer Spikes
Earthpods African Violet Plant Food is specially formulated for African violet plants but it also the best organic spike fertilizer for geraniums. It is a slow-release spike that contains 75 eco-friendly natural ingredients such as minerals, humic & fulvic acid, and bled of beneficial soil root bacteria & fungi.
The NPK number of the spikes is 1.3-2.1-1. You can see that the fertilizer doesn’t contain a high amount of NPK. So you can apply more without the fears of leaves burning. Moreover, it also contains some other essential plant nutrients including 0.9% magnesium,3.7% calcium.
Good news;
It has no urea nitrogen and all these organic ingredients always remain in available form. So the plant can absorb nutrients instantly after applying.
Push the on Earthpod near the root and water the plant. The fertilizer will breakdown and provide essential nutrients to your geraniums. They also provide flower bloom booster fertilizer that you can apply for long-lasting blooms.
Personally, I like the spike type fertilizer for potted geraniums because of its ready to apply formula. So, pick this best fertilizer for potted geraniums as well as outside geraniums.
10. Neptune’s Harvest Organic Hydrolized Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer
Thereafter, the combination of hydrolyzed fish and seaweed extracts makes this a magical fertilizer for geraniums as well as other flowering plants.
It contains 2% nitrogen, 3% phosphate, and 1%Potash. But sad news- the manufacturer didn’t mention the other micronutrients. Though the seaweed contains some micronutrients in itself.
Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid fertilizer per gallon of water to apply indoor geraniums and mix 2 tablespoons of liquid plant fertilizer per gallon of water to apply outdoor geraniums. This best value fertilizer gives you vibrant and long-lasting blooms.
How often to Fertilize Geranium Plants?
Geraniums will be happy if they get food regularly. But what does the word regularly mean here? Don’t you know the answer? Don’t worry! You are not alone.
Fertilize your geraniums every 2-3 weeks. If you plant the geraniums with the good potting mix, feed every 3-4 weeks. Never apply fertilizer to newly planted geraniums. You should add fertilizer only to the growing periods.
Indoor hanging geraniums (ivy geraniums) need lower food than the outdoor geraniums. Keep this in mind while feeding the potted ivy geraniums.
How to Know Which Fertilizer Is Needed for Geraniums?
Generally geraniums like high phosphate fertilizer. But sometimes plants need specific fertilizer to meet up the deficiency. To find the deficit nutrient, you have to observe symptoms.
Nitrogen Deficiency
First, lower leaves turn yellow, then the upper leaves growth stunted. To treat yellow leaves on geraniums, you should apply nitrogenous fertilizer.
Phosphorus Deficiency
The side portion of the leaves turn dark green and the lower parts of turn brown. If there is a severe condition, the lower of geraniums turn reddish-purple color and die.
Potassium Deficiency
The burn type sign showed at top of the leaf that comes towards the bottoms of leaves. It is called necrosis.
What Kind of Fertilizer is Best for Geraniums?
Different types of fertilizer available today. Liquid, Granular, Spike are the most common type of fertilizer. But what kind of fertilizer is best for geraniums?
This is almost impossible to answer the question in a word. All have some pros and cons. Don’t worry, I am giving you a quick guide that may help you to decide what type of fertilizer will be for your geraniums.
If your geraniums need instant feeding, pick the liquid plant fertilizer (our pick: Miracle-Gro Ready-To-Use Orchid Plant Food Mist). Liquid fertilizer is also best for indoor geraniums.
If you need to feed the plant slowly on a regular basis, pick the slow-release granular or spike fertilizer(our pick: Bayer Advanced 701262/Jobe’s Organics Spikes). Dry fertilizer is better for outdoor geraniums.
The Fertilizer Application Rate
Fertilizers need to thrive and blooms of the geraniums. But the bad news: over fertilizing can prevent blooming. So, fertilizing dosages should be right for healthy geraniums.
What is the right fertilizer dosage for geraniums?
It will depend on the brands as well as the NPK number of the fertilizer. You will get direction from the manufacturers. You should follow those strictly to get rid of unwanted damage.
Best Time to Apply Fertilizer to Geraniums
Applying fertilizer in hot and warm can burn the plant leaves. Fertilize the geraniums in cool and cum weather. Early morning and early evening may be the best time to apply fertilizer to the geraniums.
Homemade Fertilizer for Geraniums
Don’t have the budget to buy the best plant food for geraniums? So what? Follow the simple step to make geraniums fertilizer at home.
Methods 1:
Items Required:
- Epsom Salt
- Baking Soda
- Ammonia
- Water
Steps:
- Take 6 grams of Epsom salt, 6 grams of baking soda, and 1 grams of ammonia.
- Mix with 1 gallon of water and pour the water on the base of the geraniums.
Note: 1-gallon water is sufficient for 5-6 geraniums plants. Ammonia can burn the leaves of the geranium. So, you can eliminate ammonia.
Method 2:
Items Required:
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Water
Steps:
- Take gallon hot water.
- Add 100 g yeast into the water to dissolve.
- Add 60 grams of sugar.
- Wait 1-3 days for fermentation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
#How to Keep Geraniums Blooming?
Only proper care can help to keep geraniums blooming. Aerated sunny location, pinching, watering, deadhead, fertilizing, and pest management are related to geraniums care. Remember without proper care, geraniums don’t bloom.
So, how to take care to keep blooming geraniums?
1. Location
Place the geraniums where they can get at least 4-6 hours of sun. They are sun-loving plants. Getting very low light is one of the important reasons for not blooming. Because they hate shade. Geranium leaves may turn red because of cool temperatures.
2. Pinching
Pinch back the geraniums on stems about ½ with the help of scissors or sharp fingernails. It can help to get bushier and healthier plants. That further helps to produce more long-lasting blooms and flowers.
3. Watering
Wet the soil about 6 inches water. Water the geraniums when the surface soil becomes completely dry. Frequent watering is harmful to the geraniums. Less frequent, more water is the basic watering rules for geraniums.
Always apply water at the base of the plant. Because wet leave can help to develop fungus and others foster diseases.
And consider that the geranium pots have a proper drainage hole and the mixer doesn’t contain any compact soil. Compact soil and no drainage hole can be the cause of the root rot and red leaves of geraniums.
Loose, crumbly texture loam soil with high organic matter is the best soil for geraniums.
4. Deadhead
Deadheads spent blooms regularly. Regular deadhead is the key thing to keep geraniums blooming. Don’t remove only the spent flower, remove the buds and stems of the spent flower at the base.
Watch the video to understand how to deadhead geraniums without any tools?
5. Fertilizing
Too much fertilizer is also an important cause of not flowering. Feed well-balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Also, read the fertilizer label to get to know the recommended dosages. Generally, 1 tablespoon fertilizer in 1 gallon of water is sufficient for growing geraniums.
6.Pest Management
Keep the geraniums free from garden pests and insects. Proper fertilization and watering may help to get rid of insects and pests. Thereafter, you may use organic insecticidal soap to kill the insects.
#How to Fertilize Geraniums?
Measure the fertilizer by following the label instructions and pour the fertilizer solution or sprinkle the granule around the plant.
Always apply fertilizer in well-hydrated conditions. Water the plants before and after the fertilizer. Applying fertilizer in Wilted and non-hydrated conditions may cause the plant leaves to burn.
Want to know how do you fertilize geraniums in pots?
There are no extra rules for fertilizing potted geraniums. Just don’t apply all the fertilizer in on place.
#Do Geraniums Like Epsom Salts?
Magnesium sulfate is the chemical name of Epsom salts. It contains 10% magnesium and 13% sulfur. Both minerals help to get the green and bushy geraniums and also help to increase the nutrient absorbability of geraniums.
Every third or fourth watering, Mix 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon water and feed the potted or outdoor geraniums.
#Why the Leaves on My Geraniums Turning Yellow?
Overwatering and nutrient deficiency may be the reason for yellow leaves of geraniums. Geraniums are warm-loving drought-tolerant plants. They don’t like shade and too much water.
To control yellowing leaves-
Place the geraniums plants in sunny areas, water only when the upper soil dry, and apply well-balanced fertilizer regularly.
If the geranium leaves turn white, don’t apply fertilizer. Powdery mildew can be the cause of white leaves of geraniums. It is a fungal disease. Fertilizer promotes fungal growth. To prevent this, apply the fungicide for powdery mildew.
Also, grow the resistance variety to get rid of these geraniums problems. Here is the list of best geraniums for pots-
- Pelargonium xhortorum’vancouver centennial’-Red steller zonal geranium
- Pelargonium xhortorum’First Yellow’- Yellow zonal geranium
- Pelargonium ‘Frank Headley’- Fancy leaf zonal geranium
- Pelargonium’Royal Lavender’ – Ivy geranium
- Pelargonium xpeltatum focus hot pink – Ivy geranium
To learn the planting times and how they look like, Check on the geranium growing guide.
#Are coffee grounds good fertilizer for geraniums?
Geranium is a flowering plant and they need a lower amount of nitrogen. And you know, coffee grounds are a source of nitrogen that is required for producing green leaves. So, you can feed coffee grounds in growing stages to healthy green leaves.
But never apply too much nitrogen. Because too much nitrogen makes your plant bushy and promotes vegetative growth instead of flowering.
#Is Miracle Grow Good for Geraniums?
Miracle-Gro is a well-renowned brand today. They have been producing good and quality fertilizers for almost 70 years.
They produce both organic and inorganic fertilizer and both organic and inorganic fertilizer are free from toxic compounds.
So, you can apply Miracle-Gro to your geranium to produce healthy plants and blooms.
Conclusion
Feeding geraniums is important to ensure growth. A good potting mix can suppress the hunger of geraniums a lot. Thereafter, there is no alternative to regular fertilizing for healthy and beautiful geraniums.
I hope you found the best fertilizers for your geraniums. Now: feed the plants regularly for vigor, bushy, beautiful, and healthy plants.
You know the fertilizer is not only the key thing for beautiful geraniums. Besides, sufficient sunlight, perfect watering, and proper care at all are also important.
