Last updated on May 6th, 2022
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Dividing your hardy Geraniums is important for keeping the plants healthy and looking their best. If too much growth happens in the same spot it can lead to overcrowding and plants like Geraniums are perennials, which means in order to keep the plant vigorous and performing well year after year, you want to divide them every few years to provide them with enough growing space and revigorate them.
When you divide them, you have the opportunity to take those divisions and multiply your plants by cultivating them somewhere else in your garden. Of course, if you don’t want them at all you can easily dispose of the divisions but chances are you will find a great place to put them somewhere else in the garden, or someone you know will probably be more than happy to plant them in their garden.
When to divide your Geraniums
If you have a hardy Geranium, the best time to divide is going to be every two or three years. If you want to increase how many plants you have, you can divide your Geraniums more often than this, or you can consider taking cuttings from your Geraniums. We have written an article on this here.
Divide Geraniums in spring or autumn
You can successfully divide a Geranium at just about any time of the year, as long as you keep them well-watered afterward. However, you will have the highest level of success if you divide your plant when it’s not actively growing. If your Geraniums flower in the summer you want to divide in the spring or autumn, and if your Geraniums flower in the spring you want to divide in the summer.
How to divide Geraniums
Step 1
When you are ready, you want to gently lift your Geranium out of the ground carefully using a garden fork or spade. With this process you need to be careful not to damage the roots and work outwards from the centre of the crown. Once you have successfully removed the large clump out of the ground, shake off any excess soil so that you can clearly see the roots.
Step 2
At this point, you might need to use garden forks as levers to break apart the root mass into the different sections, but you can also use something like a sharp knife or spade depending on how large your plant is.
Step 3
After you have divided your Geranium you want to put the divisions in the ground as quickly as possible and then water them well.
You can replant your divisions in the same area while also mixing in some good quality garden compost or fertiliser such as bone meal or growmore.
Planting in pots
You can also plant them into pots and keep them over winter inside a greenhouse, or place them somewhere else in your garden that is sheltered. We recommend using a John Innes Potting Compost.
Potential problems to look out for
Be on the lookout for severe dehydration in your newly planted plants. After you divide your Geraniums and replant them elsewhere, don’t let them dry out. This is especially true for divisions that you do in the spring or the autumn.
