Caring for Potted Geraniums
It is no surprise that geraniums are very popular with home gardeners as they are extremely colorful. For those people who have little experience in gardening, the huge choice of geranium varieties can seem quite daunting and can make the choice of plant very difficult. “New” gardeners may also think that these pretty plants are difficult to care for, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Think about why you want a geranium prior to purchase. The more common geraniums with large red flower heads are an ideal choice for jazzing up a tired garden bed and they are also a great addition to window boxes and pots. Still other varieties of geranium are more suitable for a window box. These include climbing or “hanging” geraniums: these create a beautiful display as they spill over the sides of the window box or pot. Small areas with “container” gardens will benefit from the impact of geraniums with double flowers or variegated leaves and even pink or white varieties can look spectacular in a small space.
Some people are attracted to “multi-purpose” flowers. If you want a useful plant that is also decorative, you should perhaps consider a variety of geranium known for its ability to repel mosquitoes. Some geraniums are pleasantly perfumed and their petals are excellent when included in potpourri.
Although geraniums have differences, they are also similar in many aspects. The varieties we grow in gardens are known as “Pelargonium” or “zonal” geraniums and, although they are commonly sold as annuals in cooler climates, they are able to survive for many seasons in warmer areas of the world.
When you are choosing a geranium, check it carefully. A shorter plant with many short branches is a better choice than a tall, thin plant as it is by nature stronger and more likely to produce many blooms over a number of seasons. Be careful not to choose a plant that is root bound. One that has many roots showing through the drain holes of the pot is obviously, at the very least, partially root bound. If it is possible, lift the plant out of the pot to see if the roots are growing freely in the soil. Any plant that is root bound will have had its potential growth compromised.
Geraniums should be treated the same as any other new addition to your garden. Before they are replanted into the desired position in the garden, window box or pot, be sure to give them a good watering to reduce any transplant shock and to give them a good chance. Once this is done, carefully remove the geranium from the pot and tease the roots out to encourage them to grow out from the root ball. The plant should then be placed into its position in the ground or pot and the hole filled so that the plant is stable but the stem is not buried. Press the soil down around the plant and give it a further watering. This will ensure that there are no air pockets around the roots as these will damage the root system. Complete the treatment of the plant with a good covering of suitable mulching material, taking care to leave a space around the stem of the plant. Whilst mulch is beneficial to the health of the plant as nutrients, it can encourage disease and rot if it is placed up against the stem.
A regular feeding with a general “all purpose” plant food as the plant develops and removing dead flowers will ensure that the geranium flowers continually up until coldest part of the year.
Geraniums can be potted up before the cold of winter hits and then brought indoors, where they will reward you with pretty flowers throughout the winter season, provided they are placed in a sunny spot so that they remain healthy or you can have a landscape with matching borders stones to add more beauty on it.They can then go back outdoors in spring.
If there simply isn’t enough room in your house or you don’t have a sunny spot indoors, you can prolong the life of a geranium by removing it from the soil (make sure you shake it all off to avoid a mess). Once this is done, hang it upside down inside a paper bag in the laundry until the cold weather has finished. With a bit of water and a repotting, you might be able to resurrect the “dead” plant for another chance at life.
