Cut cranesbill geraniums back to 6 to 7 inches in mid summer or after flowers have started to fade. Remove faded flowers in early to mid fall making cuts just above a strong branch or bud. Divide your cranesbill geraniums every 3 to 4 years (dig up the clump, cut into several pieces and replant).

“I recommend shearing the plants back, and they will regrow within weeks. They will re-bloom and fill out again in the same summer,” she says. When the plant begins to die back, cut them back in the fall after the growing season is done (between August and October).

At the end of fall, as the plant begins to die back, cut Cranesbill back to the ground level and cover it with a generous amount of mulch as it enters dormancy. Cranesbill, or Hardy Geranium, can be propagated through division.

Cut plants back hard, to 2-3 inches above soil level, after the first wave of bloom. They will respond with a fresh crop of foliage that looks attractive through the season, and possible sporadic reblooming depending on variety.

Cranesbill geraniums can also be cut back by one third in mid-summer if they become scraggly or cease blooming. This forces new plant growth and a new flush of blooms within a few weeks. Fertilizing them now with a balanced fertilizer will also help to rejuvenate the plant.