Geum

Soil and Site:

Geums thrive in most garden soil except very dry ones where they will grow slowly and flower poorly. The rivale types enjoy moist soils and tolerate some shade. The taller border types (based on Geum chiloense) like some sun and good soil.

Seasonal Care:

Spring: Protect from slugs if damage is seen. This is not a big problem in our garden but each site is unique. Now is a good time to lift and divide plants as this keeps them vigorous. 

Summer: Most Geums first flush of flower is late Spring / early Summer. Keep well watered and deadhead by pull off the spent flower stems at their base. This encourages more flower production.

Watch out for tiny caterpillars that roll the central leaves and eat them from inside. Not a big problem but a little vigilance in early June is worth it.

In very dry conditions some Geums may be slightly affected by powdery mildew. If it bothers you cut off all the mature leaves keeping the small, new ones starting to grow from the base.

Autumn: Keep deadheading to get more flowers!

Winter: Geums will remain evergreen through winter but the old leaves become brown by the end of winter and make the plants look scruffy. You can give the plants a good haircut in late winter or pull off old leaves. If keeping plants in pots over winter watch out for vine weevil grubs.

Using Geums:

Geums tend to have a mound of foliage and flowers either on spikes or just above the foliage so place them at the front of the border. The colours are to some extent all on the warm side of the colour wheel so they associate well with other warm and hot colours.

Propagation:

Geums can be propagated by:

Division - dig up in spring or autumn and break up into separate plants each with roots. Plant out straight away. Discard old weak parts.

Seed - Varieties like Mrs Bradshaw can be raised from seed. Geums do hybridise so saved seed may not come true. Sow in early Spring in heat or May in the open.