When it arrives
Your plug tray
Pot 72-cell plugs into 4-inch pots and grow on until rooted out, or plant straight into prepared soil in spring once frost danger passes. Keep moist for the first few weeks.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Boom Chocolatta grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 26.0 in
- Mature spread
- 30.0 in
- Bloom
- Early-June – peak Late-June
- Fragrance
- None
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Boom Chocolatta
Hardy Geranium · Geranium pratense
Hardy geraniums (cranesbills) are easy, long-blooming perennials for sun or part shade in average, well-drained soil. Not to be confused with annual bedding geraniums (Pelargonium).
Check my zone & planting dates
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Full sunLight
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Moderate waterAverage drainage
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pH 6.0–7.5Soil
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Zones 4a–8bHardiness
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26″ tall30″ wide
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ResistantDeer · rabbits some resistance
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Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Boom Chocolatta will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 4a–8b
Spring or early fall.
Your year with Boom Chocolatta
JFMAMJJASOND
When to plant
Spring or early fall.
How deep
Set the crown at soil level, same depth as in the plug.
Spacing
18–24 inches apart; trailing hybrids can spread 2–3 feet.
Soil
Average, loamy soil · pH 6.0–7.5
Fix-it tip: Mix compost into sandy or heavy clay soil. Avoid soggy spots; crowns rot in wet winter soil.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates part shade).
In hot regions give afternoon shade. Meadow cranesbill (G. pratense) types prefer full sun; some hybrids bloom all summer.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
New leaves emerge from the crown in mid-spring. Some long-blooming hybrids are late to start and may look like bare crowns until late April or May.
Spring
Cut back old foliage; new growth appears.
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Summer
Long bloom; shear tired plants in midsummer.
Fall
Many hybrids keep flowering until frost; leaves may turn red.
Winter
Dormant; no care needed.
Watering
First season: Water weekly through the first summer.
After that: Moderately drought tolerant; water in long dry spells to keep it blooming.
Feeding
Light feeder; compost in spring is usually enough.
Pruning & deadheading
When plants get leggy or flowering slows in midsummer, shear back by about half to get fresh foliage and more flowers. Cut back in fall or early spring.
Dividing
Every 3–5 years in spring or fall if clumps open in the center. Some long-blooming hybrids rarely need it.
Winter
Cold hardy across most of the US, including Michigan. No winter protection needed.
Summer heat
Most handle Midwest summers; in hot, humid areas they may sprawl and benefit from shearing and afternoon shade.
Plant sprawls and opens in the middle
Likely cause: Normal midsummer flop
What to do: Shear back by half; it regrows quickly
White powder on leaves
Likely cause: Powdery mildew
What to do: Improve air flow; shear and remove affected foliage
Few flowers
Likely cause: Too much shade
What to do: Move to more sun
Too wet or too dry?
Wilting and browning leaves mean too dry; yellowing with a soft base means waterlogged.
Watch for
- Few serious problems
- Powdery mildew
- Slugs in damp shade
- Japanese beetles on flowers
Pets & wildlife
Not listed by ASPCA; no known toxicity reported. Discourage pets from chewing any garden plant. ASPCA's toxic 'geranium' is Pelargonium, a different plant.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: somewhat resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Trailing types spill nicely from pots and baskets.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Hardy perennial; keep outdoors.
Winter chill
Best after a cold winter
Many hardy geraniums bloom the first year, but established plants flower more after a normal winter.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
Works at the front of a sunny lavender bed if the soil drains well. Its loose mounds soften lavender's stiff shape and the blue-violet flowers echo lavender, though it likes slightly more water.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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