Although the plant is not edible, the fragrant leaves of rose, mint, chocolate, and lemon scented geraniums can be used to impart delicate flavors to sugars, preserves, and drinks. Whatever species or hybrid you grow, geraniums need protection from winter freezes , summer heat, and soggy soil. Geraniums require between six to eight hours of full sun each day to bloom well, so allow them to soak up those rays by placing the container on the south side of walls, on patio tabletops, or as an accent in sunny areas of the garden.
Geraniums have a tendency to stop flowering during especially hot weather, so just move your container somewhere where it will receive some afternoon shade if you live in a hot climate.
Although geraniums do require moisture, they will likely rot if their potting mix stays wet for too long. To prevent this, water only when the top inch of the soil is dry, and make sure that moisture can easily drain through drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
Geraniums are relatively drought-tolerant plants—they can survive a fair amount of neglect but should be never be allowed to dry out completely. To keep your geraniums in bloom, deadhead faded flowers by removing the entire flower stalk down to where it meets the main stem. Doing so causes the plant to grow two new stems and creates a fuller look and the potential for more blooms.
Geraniums bloom best when they're somewhat root-bound , so repot your geraniums into a larger container only when necessary, and use a container only one size bigger than the previous one. Geraniums are heavy feeders, so fertilize your plants every few weeks during the spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer according to the product label. Stop feeding at the end of summer.
Gardeners in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11 can cover up and protect their geraniums on frosty nights, but gardeners in colder zones should overwinter them indoors. Bring your geraniums indoors before the first hard frost and place them in a sunny window, or let them go dormant in a cool, dark place. Keeping geraniums in bloom indoors can add some cheer to the drab winter months. The key is to keeping them healthy is maintaining temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, providing six to eight hours of sun per day, allowing the top inch or two of soil to dry out before watering, and keeping an eye out for any diseases or pests.
Keep an eye on your overwintering geraniums for signs of a spider mite infestation. There is no cure for bacterial diseases, but you can mitigate the issue by removing infected leaves and stems and by placing infected plants away from healthy ones. Wash your hands after you touch the infected plant s. Hi everyone! I came to this page for the basic caretaking tips of my geraniums. My mom always loved geraniums she passed away in February so I really wanted to keep these thing alive lol!
Long story short, the wit and wisdom section was right up her alley Just creeping out a little bit over here with not one but two Mary Alice's and then the naming of the four plants with the same name.
Was looking for japanese beetle resistant plants. Saw geraniums. So why have they eaten mine to the stem? However, geranium leaves contain a substance that can paralyze the beetles for up to a day, making them more vulnerable to predators or angry gardeners. For this reason, geraniums are used as a bait plant to trap and dispose of hungry beetles.
It's planted in the ground, not a pot. My parents always planted Geraniums in pots, but they were always leggy and tall and never spread out. What is the technique for pinching them back? Do I need to do it with shears, or can I use my fingernails or should I say what's left of my fingernails since I began spring gardening.
Also: When fall comes, can I uproot it, put it into a large pot, and bring it into the house over the winter? Skip to main content. You are here Gardening » Growing Guides. How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Geraniums. By The Editors. Geraniums may be grown as houseplants or as annual flowers. During the warmer months of the year between your local frost dates , they can be kept outdoors in a sunny location.
When buying geraniums, pay close attention to color and size. Healthy leaves will have no discoloration on or below them and stems will be sturdy, not straggly. Be sure to avoid any plants with obvious signs of pests as well. Common houseplant pests include mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites. Place plants in pots with drainage holes to avoid root rot. Use a well-draining potting mixture not heavy, clayey soil when planting in containers. Geraniums do not like to sit in soggy, compacted soil.
For maximum bloom, place the plants in an area where they will get hours of sunlight. How to Care for Geraniums Allow soil to dry to some extent between waterings, then water thoroughly. During the winter, water much less, but do not let the roots dry out entirely.
Geraniums do best when given a period of dormancy through the winter months, during which they use less water and do not grow much. See below for more overwintering instructions. To encourage blooming, deadhead spent flowers regularly. To promote bushiness and curtail legginess, pinch back the stems. During active growing months, fertilize every 2 weeks or so. Use a water-soluble fertilizer at half strength. Geraniums can be re-potted in spring to encourage new growth—or if they look like they need to be refreshed.
Overwintering Geraniums Geraniums that have spent the summer outdoors can be kept as houseplants, provided they get lots of sun. In northern climes, the sun may not be strong enough in late winter to stimulate buds on some varieties. Before the first fall frost find your local frost dates here , lift the plants and, using a sharp, clean knife, cut the stems back in a shapely fashion to about 6 to 8 inches.
They should not have to support great masses of leaves in the low-sunlight environment they are about to enter. Save a few stems as cuttings to root—an easy way to multiply your plants. Keep the plants in shade for a week, then place them in a sunny spot they need all the sun they can get and keep them cool. When new growth appears in the spring, cut off all the old leaves. Do not fertilize or feed the plants. It is critical that these plants get rest. If you want your overwintered geraniums to bloom for Memorial Day , pinch them back in February.
Once warm weather returns and all danger of frost has passed, take the plants outdoors and transplant them to beds or pots, as you wish. How to Root Stem Cuttings Most geraniums root easily from stem cuttings in soil, coarse sand, water, perlite, or other rooting material. Using a sharp, clean knife, make a slanted cut 4 inches below a stem tip, above a node where leaves emerge.
Trim cutting to just below a node. Remove any buds, all but two or three leaves, and the leaflike stipules at the base of leaf stalks. Roll the stem cutting in newspaper or put it in the shade for 24 hours, so that the cut end will seal and not rot. Push the stem into a pot of moistened rooting medium and store it in a warm, shady place for 2 days. After that, give the cutting indirect sun. Moisten the medium only as needed. The Common or Zonal Geraniums Pelargonium x hortorum thrive in containers as well as outdoors.
Cut back in late summer and take cuttings to insure against winter losses. Most geraniums need protection in winter — move pots indoors in autumn to ensure they grow back the following year. Geraniums can be grown in garden soil of any types but will benefit from a neutral or alkaline soil.
Grow in a position of full sun in containers, hanging baskets or flower beds. When growing geraniums in containers choose a peat-free multi-purpose compost with added slow-release fertiliser. Geraniums look spectacular when planted with other summer bedding plants. Here, Monty Don demonstrates how to plant pelargoniums and lavender in pots, for a beautiful display:. Geraniums are often grown as annuals and are composted at the end of summer. To overwinter geraniums, lift plants that are in garden soil or large pots and pot them into a smaller pot.
This should be done before the first frost. Remove any damaged leaves and faded flowers. Cut plants back by about a third and position in a frost-free but bright place. In spring, apply a general liquid feed and increase watering.
Plant out only once all danger of frost has passed, usually from late May. If growing geraniums as house plants, you can let the plant carry on flowering into autumn, even winter.
Keep indoor geraniums away from radiators or open fires. Here, Monty Don explains how to reinvigorate overwintering geraniums by cutting them back hard before they start into growth:. Take cuttings from the new growth of overwintered plants in spring.
Cuttings can be taken in late summer if preferred. To remove cutting material, cut above the third joint below the growing tip. Pinch out any flowering buds that are forming. With a clean knife remove all but the top two leaves. Recut the base of the cutting just below lowest joint.
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