General information
Geraniums are easy-to-grow, trouble free plants. They prefer sun to part-shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Planting
G. 'Sandrine' should ideally be planted by early autumn at the latest, so the plant can establish well in the ground before winter. A slow release fertilizer can be added at planting. If you have heavy soil that gets waterlogged easily, then this is a good time to improve it by adding some sharp grit or sand to the soil to improve drainage.

G. ‘Sandrine' flourishes in cool and moist, alkaline soil, but Geraniums in general are quite easy to grow in the garden and this is no exception. Once established, they are adaptable to a wide range of conditions.

Sun
G. ‘Sandrine' does best in a partly shaded spot where her yellow leaves won't be burned so easily. However it shouldn't be too shady as that will reduce the number of flowers.

Diseases
The diseases that occur in cranesbill type Geraniums, such as downy and powdery mildews and rust, will not seriously infect this cultivar. At the end of the season some downy mildew or a few rust spots may be noticed, but not at levels to cause concern. After winter dormancy, G. ‘Sandrine’ will regenerate with healthy leaves.

If you notice the green leaves suddenly wilting, and the soil has not gone dry, then vine weevil larvae may have found the roots of your Geranium. This can totally destroy your plants. Deal with this by carefully digging your plant out and inspecting the roots for white larvae. These must be removed and killed, and to be on the safe side, you can also dip the roots in a liquid insecticide. Remove some leaves before replanting to prevent the plant from drying out, which can happen when roots are damaged as they can not supply enough water.


Do you have any tips for us? Why not click on the 'React' button at the bottom of this article and share your secrets with all Darwin PlantSpotters fans.