I hope this guide will help you care for your annual geraniums. Few plants offer as many options as geraniums. Although commonly called geranium, this well-known potted plant is actually a Pelargonium. Annual geraniums are evaluated as part of the U of M flower trials and research. If keeping geraniums as houseplants, be sure to bring them indoors in late summer or early fall, when nighttime temperatures start to regularly dip below 55°F (13°C). Both require plenty of sunlight, careful watering and light levels of fertilization. Annual geraniums are popular indoor and outdoor flowering plants. If we take care of time, the geranium … You might be surprised to know that these common plants are not geraniums at all. The most common issue with zonal geranium leaves are yellowing or fully yellow leaves. With just a bit of care on your part, annual geraniums will last the entire gardening season. Pelargoniums are related to perennial geraniums, which only adds to one’s confusion when shopping for geraniums, as most nurseries and garden centers now carry both zonal (annual) geraniums as well as perennial geraniums. Thanks! For many gardeners, this isn’t a big deal, but if there are any labeling errors or other seeds accidentally mixed in — and you’re wanting a very specific geranium type and color — you may be in for a surprise when the seedlings grow and begin to flower. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "petscri-20"; Geranium care outdoors and geranium care indoors are very similar. I also live in South Jersey. A complete geranium care guide! amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; The spent blooms are easily recognizable: If you just snip off the dead flower heads, you will soon be left with a brown stem sticking out of your plant. You can dig them up and plant them into a pot. Thankfully. Thomas Jefferson is said to have maintained a small collection at the President’s House. Prune the plants back by approximately one-third. Verbena bonariensis: garden must-have or invasive weed? Your blog was just what I needed. Well, I’ve gone and done just that: planted several annual geraniums in our garden beds, in addition to the usual containers I plant as well. Keep your garden snips handy to remove any dying leaves. Planting geraniums can be extremely easy and rewarding. 3. If you notice any of the geranium plant’s flowers getting moldy when there’s a lot of rainfall, remove those entire flower heads immediately. Geranium care is not rocket science. After taking in so many unusual plants and flowers, it was refreshing to see a display with annual Geraniums! Prune the plants back by approximately one-third. The variety of flower colors, leaf shapes, colors, and growth habits make this plant ideally suited for home landscapes. Geraniums are not fickle at all – with a few simple steps, you can help them survive the winter so you can enjoy them year-round. For proper geranium plant care, avoid letting your geraniums to wilt. If you want to start your geraniums from seed with plans to plant them in the ground in the Spring, you need to start your geranium seeds in late-January to mid-February. You can read her post — which includes a helpful video — by clicking here. Although some annuals will come back every year because they easily drop their seeds back into your garden bed, annual geraniums will not return the following season. How to grow annual geraniums from cuttings, Garden Ideas from the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show, Pelargoniums: An Herb Society of America Guide, helpful list of Geranium Diseases from Penn State. Snip off the yellowing leaves, ease up on watering and also fertilize. If you prune off the tops of the plants, you will encourage the plant to produce more leaves and new growth around the base for a more compact, bushier looking plant. Avoid over-watering and keeping the rootball too wet as this can cause root-rot. Plants bloom during late spring, producing flowers in shades of red, white, purple and pink. Cycles of wilting and revival will result in poor flower production and the dropping of leaves. Although most varieties prefer sun, they will tolerate partial shade as well. The truth is, I’ve always loved geraniums. Place the glass near a sunny window but don’t place it in full sun. It’s an enjoyable and informative guide! Note to self: Don’t just put these guys in containers — pop a few into the ground. Soil should be kept moist, and seeds should remain covered until germination, after which the cover can be removed. As fall fades into winter and temperatures begin to drop, simply bring your pots inside to protect your pretty plants. With over 300 species, they’re available in a wide range of bloom color and types, foliage and even scent. Fast forward to today, and these workhorses of the Summer garden come in every color imaginable, including peach and orange shades, rose and fuchsia colors, yellows, pale purples, deep magentas, and various pinks, reds and of course white. In 1631, the English gardener John Tradescant the elder bought seeds from Rene Morin in Paris and introduced the plant to England. Miracle-Gro is a familiar example. Thanks SO much for your feedback, Irene! Geraniums can tolerate some drought. Maybe that’s what started my love of geraniums at an early age! Inspired by the ones I photographed up close at the Philadelphia Flower Show . If you prune off the bottoms of the leaves around the base, you will encourage more growth vertically for a taller looking plant. (And I’m so glad I don’t have any examples from my own garden to show you! If you are planting into a bed or bord… Try feeding the plants with a water-soluble fertilizer more regularly. Water well. I can never have enough pretty craft paints to work with, and I love to make things look time-worn with distressing and aging. By 1724, several varieties had been introduced to Europe. I wrote. Seeds must be started indoors, never sow directly into the ground outside. Known as “over-wintering,” this process involves digging up garden perennials and moving them into a cool, yet sheltered environment for the winter. The temperature should average 65-70 °F during the day. You can cut the top leaf off, as this will encourage two new stems to form from the single base stem, and encourage a bushier growing habit. When I attended the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago, I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of planting combinations and garden ideas there. I’m looking forward to your feedback, comments and questions. Stick the geranium cuttings into a glass or jar of water. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Yes. Geranium care in pots is very similar to that of garden care. Thomas Jefferson’s first geranium cuttings soon multiplied to generations of gardeners as they were passed to friends and family. How much water do geraniums need? Pinching is a technique used to encourage a fuller, bushier geranium plant. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, it means almost the same thing as the leaves turning red: the plant is stressed. From the moment you pick it up, you’ll notice these nozzles are different. Choosing a type of geranium you want to grow. Caroline and Joyce don’t suggest planting seeds directly in the garden. Depending on your zone, this might be anywhere from August to late October. Those nodes will go into water or soil — the two primary methods of propagating geraniums — to begin rooting.