A child's Fiscars brand scool scissors works very well to snip off those spent blooms, leaving the rest of the buds there to open up. THe variety of pellie I grow most tends to due this a lot, so I snip if I am trying to get things looking really spiffy. (Like when I bring them to fair.) And, fussing over my pellies is kind of relaxing, so I don't mind grooming them a bit. The Fiscars scissors can pop right into the dishwasher when you are done, so you don't risk spreading any nasties. (I got rust for the first time last year, and learned to be diligent in cleaning.)The pointed ended ones work best for taking out individual spent blooms.

On another post, I just mentioned too, a purple handled pet toenail scissors that works very well for trimming spent bloom stalks too. Don't know a brand name. But for the task of getting in between the buds to snip out spent blooms, the pointed Fiscars school scissors works best for me. (I have small hands, so child's scissors are no problem for me.)

Jean

I have 2 pelargoniums and put them in my garden.. ARe they
a geranium that prefers to stay in pots.. Can I dig them up for the winter. I have not seen this specimen in or around in this area, and would like to keep them.
Carolyn in Fairview, tn

Pelargonium flowerbuds open sequentially, it's the nature of the beast. Some pellie flower heads remain beautiful even as the center blossoms begin to wither,especially the double-petalled. Others - usually single-petalled - simply make a mess scattering petals as if at a wedding. There's an enormous difference among cultivars and unless you know what you're getting, or read mailorder catalog descriptions, or get some reference books, it remains a lottery.