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Preparing Geraniums for Your Garden

By Jos Van Hage

Geraniums are one of the most popular bedding plants in the world. Native to South Africa these versatile plants can be seen growing in many different situations. They do very well in containers such as flowers boxes and hanging baskets as well as being planted directly into the flower bed. Over the past few years there have been many new varieties that have become available and yet the most popular type is still the red ones.

Geraniums can be saved from year to year successfully if they are taken indoors before the first killing frost in the fall. When indoors they can be treated as any other houseplant until they have finished blooming. After they have finished blooming the plant should have half of its growth cut off. Then store it in a cool dark area such as a cold room or a heated garage where the temperature is around 10 Celsius. The plant will go semi-dormant and so will need a minimal amount of water, only enough water to prevent the soil from going completely dry. You will notice that the plants leaves will drop off and the stems will become woody.

In February the stems should be trimmed again to one third of its original height. Now you want the plant to start producing new growth so place it in a warm (20-25 Celsius) south window-facing window. Pick up on the water allowing the soil to go slightly dry to the touch before giving it a thorough water and also start fertilizing with 12-36-12. Once the new growth begins remove the plant from its original pot and shake off any excess soil and then replant it into a pot just large enough to hold the root ball and filling in any space with new good quality potting soil. Continue to water and fertilize and soon the new shoots will be 3-4 inches long which is when they are big enough to make cuttings with. To make a cutting you want to use a sharp knife and cut the new shoot on an angle just below the node where the leaves arise. Remove the bottom leaf closest to the angled cut and dip the bottom end of the cutting into a rooting hormone (Stim Root #1). Plant the cutting in a good fine textured soil such as ‘Starter Mix’ and then place it in a warm sunny location. Keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize every other week with a weak solution of 10-52-10 which will encourage root growth. Once the plant has grown roots and is established change the fertilize to 20-20-20 and fertilize every other week..

After the cuttings have taken root and are producing new growth the tips of the new growth should be pinched out which will encourage bushier plants. Continue to let the plants grow and when they become too large for the container they are in they should be transplanted

into larger pots. By the end of April the weather should have warmed enough outside to start hardening the plants off. Hardening the plants off is done by placing the plants outdoors during the day in a protected spot and then bringing them at night. This will toughen up the plants and by mid to end May after threat of frost has passed the plants can be left outside. This is also when you want to change the fertilizer to a flowering fertilizer such as 15-30-15 which contains less nitrogen. Continue to fertilize with 15-30-15 weekly throughout the summer.

Geraniums also be started by seed and this is done in now. Seeds are available in the garden center. Plant the seeds in a loose sterile medium such as starter mix. Always spray the surface of the medium with ‘No Damp’ which will help prevent Damping Off which is a fungus disease causing the young plants to wild and die. After the seeds have been sown make sure that the soils surface is moist by spraying it with a fine mist of water and then cover the top of the container with a clear dome creating a greenhouse affect. To get the seeds to germinate more successfully place the container with the planted seeds on a warm surface so that the bottom of the container is warmer than the top. The top of a fridge, or a heated floor or a purchased heating pad from the garden center is ideal. Once the seeds have germinated and you see the young seedlings remove the dome and give the young plants lots of light. Grow lights work very well as this time of year there is not always a lot of natural light. After the new plants have 3-4 leaves they should be transplanted into individual pots and have the tips removed just as you would for the cuttings. Continue to care for them as you would the cuttings.

Jos.


Jos Van Hage owns three Art Knapp's Garden Centres in the Prince George area:
-Highway 97 South at the Old Cariboo Highway
-Highway 97 North
-Highway 16 West



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