How to Deadhead Ivy Geraniums

Ivy geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) provide the aesthetic qualities of two kinds of plants. The trailing, ivy-like leaves spread over a three-foot area in a garden bed, while the bright geranium flowers bloom all summer long in shades of red, white, pink and lavender. Ivy geraniums grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, although you can grow them as annuals in other places. Deadheading, which is the removal of dead flowers, throughout the blooming period forces the plant to produce more flowers instead of forming seeds.

Shears

Instructions

- 1
  Grasp the stem beneath the wilting geranium flower, just above the top most leaf, between your thumb and index finger. Pinch the stem, breaking off the flower. Repeat for each dying or dead flower on the plant.
- 2
  Inspect the ivy geranium for dead and dying blooms once or twice weekly throughout the flowering period, which typically lasts from early summer through fall. Remove the old flowers promptly so they don't set seed, which makes the plant flower less.
- 3
  Pinch or cut back the entire plant with shears if it becomes leggy or stops flowering completely. Remove up to 1/3 of the plant's height to force new growth and branching, which results in new bud production.

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