Growing
Geums:
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.
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 field voles who like to nibble the
leaves when all else is froz
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.