When geraniums get too straggly, their stems can be cut back to strong-growing side-shoots. You don't have to do this; you can cut to an axillary bud (bud in the axil where the leaf meets the stem). But I find this is not so reliable and can lead to loss of the bud. Be careful not to cut too close to the new shoot (leave at least 5 mm of stem).I usually cut back one or two long stems per plant at one time (you can cut them all back if you don't mind the complete loss of flowers for a few weeks), choosing shoots which will help shape the plant appropriately. The idea is to get as many new shoots growing from as close to the base as possible, helping to keep the plant compact.
Don't forget to make new plants from the cutting material. If you don't want to pot them up, just stick them in the compost around the plant. They will probably grow into new stems and should soon blend and appear to be part of the main plant. This principle is called 'multi-planting' and is something we shall be dealing with very soon.
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