Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Assess how much light the plant receives daily.
- Check if the plant has been pruned recently.
- Look for signs of overcrowding by nearby plants.
Likely causes
Insufficient Light
Most likelyHow to tell: The stems are long and thin with large gaps between the leaves.
What to do: Move the plant to a spot with better light, though it still prefers partial shade. If you cannot move it, prune it back to encourage bushier growth.
Lack of Pruning
PossibleHow to tell: The plant looks overgrown and sparse after the flowering season.
What to do: Cut the plant back by one third after it finishes blooming. This promotes a fresh, compact flush of foliage.
Find out what's wrong with your bigroot geranium
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
Legginess is a cosmetic issue rather than a health crisis. It is normal for the plant to stretch a bit as the season progresses.
Stopping it coming back
Prune your geranium back after flowering to maintain a dense, attractive shape.
Bigroot Geranium: leggy growth? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your bigroot geranium and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Can I prune it at any time?
- It is best to prune after the main flowering period. This keeps the plant tidy without sacrificing the next season's blooms.
- Will it grow back if I cut it to the ground?
- Bigroot Geranium is very resilient and will typically grow back, but a light trim is usually enough to fix legginess.
More problems with Bigroot Geranium
Back to the Bigroot Geranium guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.