Geraniums (pelargoniums) masterclass: finest professional content material

Superb for borders, pots, baskets and window packing containers, geraniums fill your backyard with color
Picture: Geranium ‘Jackpot Combined’ F1 Hybrid from Thompson & Morgan

For those who love pelargoniums (sometimes called geraniums) and need to develop your individual from seed, cuttings or plug vegetation, we’ve scoured the web for useful content material. With recommendation on overwintering, taking cuttings and troubleshooting suggestions, these skilled backyard bloggers have a wealth of data to share. Right here’s all the things you could find out about rising pelargoniums.

Within the meantime, browse our full vary of geranium and pelargonium vegetation for inspiration.

This text was reviewed by the T&M horticultural staff and up to date on 19 January 2024.

Regal pelargoniums choose somewhat noon shade

Container grown geraniums may be simply moved inside to guard from frost
Picture: Geranium ‘Finest Pink’ F1 Hybrid from Thompson & Morgan

For a complete overview of the way to look after pelargoniums, look no additional than Alexandra Uren’s glorious article for DIY Backyard. Full of details about the various kinds of pelargoniums together with zonals, regals, ivy-leaved, angels, scented-leaved and distinctive varieties, her information shares a great deal of useful recommendations on the way to develop these tender blooms. In line with Alexandra, “most kinds of Pelargonium thrive in full solar, although zonal cultivars will tolerate some shade. Regal cultivars are the principle exception, as they like partial shade, no less than throughout the principle warmth of the day.” Alexandra is your go-to supply for glorious, sensible recommendation.

Pelargoniums are excellent for pots

This showy zonal pelargonium boasts white blooms with deep pink centres
Picture: Geranium ‘Flower Fairy White Splash’ from Thompson & Morgan

For those who’re new to rising zonal pelargoniums, Mandy Watson from MandyCanUDigIt recommends rising them in containers. Hers dwell exterior in a sunny spot all summer time, and when the primary frosts are imminent, she cuts them again to overwinter in her conservatory and greenhouse. In March, Mandy merely will increase watering and top-dresses the pots with contemporary compost. Straightforward to take care of, Mandy’s motto is “deal with them imply to maintain them eager”!

Select Angel pelargoniums if in case you have dry soil

Noel recommends Angel varieties for very dry gardens
Picture: Shutterstock

Pelargoniums come into their very own in drought situations, writes well-known backyard designer Noel at his eponymous weblog Noel Kingsbury. He recommends scented-leaf and Angel varieties for the very best drought-tolerance. For those who’re planting in dry soil, learn all about his experiments with pelargoniums for a Portuguese dry backyard. This is a wonderful useful resource for anybody eager to evoke a scented Mediterranean panorama right here within the UK.

Attempt pelargonium ‘Chocolate’ for a very splendid regal

It was love at first sight when Andrew noticed Pelargonium ‘Shannon’
Picture: Gardens Weeds & Phrases

For these whose ideas are turning to which zonal pelargoniums (geraniums) to develop subsequent season, head over to Gardens, Weeds and Phrases the place you’ll discover loads of inspiration in Andrew O’Brien’s overview of pelargoniums. He recommends ‘Chocolate’, ‘Lord Bute’, and species sort ‘Pelargonium sidoides’, amongst others. Andrew wasn’t a fan of geraniums as a toddler, however has since developed one thing of a fascination for them – his enthusiasm will quickly have you ever hooked too.

Pelargoniums are a good selection for tiny gardens

The blooms of the ‘Rosebud Assortment’ look spectacular in hanging baskets & pots
Picture: Geranium ‘Rosebud Assortment’ from Thompson & Morgan

Do you reside in an city panorama with little house for rising? Over at Mr Plant Geek, Michael Perry presents a contemporary tackle the way to develop geraniums within the metropolis, describing the Zetter townhouse set up, ‘Geraniums on the door’, (a part of the 2018 backyard competition Chelsea Fringe) as a “probability to take a look at geraniums anew.” Right here you’ll additionally discover out why pelargoniums are a pure insect repellent and the way they’re utilized in conventional South African drugs.

If house is a matter, don’t overwinter cheaper zonal varieties

Tejvan says regal geraniums are a should for scorching color show
Picture: Gardeners Ideas

It’s as a result of the genus Pelargonium is native to heat, sunny South Africa that it wants such cautious overwintering, says Tejvan at Gardeners Ideas. For those who’re looking for useful recommendation on how finest to guard your favorite vegetation from the ravages of Jack Frost, take a look at Tejvan’s article on overwintering geraniums. If house is a matter, he says “zonal Geraniums are going to be low-cost and plentiful subsequent 12 months… they will be the ones to sacrifice.”

Prune pelargoniums to organize for overwintering

Katrina removes the larger leaves from her peppermint scented pelargonium 
Picture: @homegrown.backyard

Katrina from @homegrown.backyardprepares her pelargoniums for overwintering in her home by eradicating numerous the leaves and giving the vegetation a prune. She says that this helps to do away with any aphids and pests, and maintains airflow across the vegetation “so that they’re much less more likely to succumb to mildew and fungal issues.” And he or she saves the pruned materials to strike new vegetation. Watch her story on Insta for extra pelargonium suggestions.

Take away all however one leaf when taking cuttings

Take pelargonium cuttings for many new vegetation
Picture: @arthurparkinson_

For those who’re about to go someplace and also you want a fast current, Arthur from @arthurparkinson_ suggests taking some fast pelargonium cuttings for a stunning do-it-yourself reward! If you wish to know the way to do it, watch his mini-tutorial video on Insta. Be sure you take away all however one leaf, he says, to cut back water loss, and pinch out the rising tip to encourage it to root. Observe Arthur, aka Rooster Boy for information on flowers, hens, bees, flamingoes and extra!

Discover ways to clone regal Pelargoniums

Pelargoniums wanting their fantastic finest
Picture: The Pelargonium and Geranium Society

For those who’d like to look at whereas somebody who actually is aware of what they’re doing reveals you the way to take a reducing from a Regal Pelargonium, David Taylor (aka Mr Pelargonium) is the person for you. A member of The Pelargonium and Geranium Society, David is an professional on cloning pelargoniums. The trick, he says, is retaining a part of the stem connected to your reducing to ensure you get loads of development hormone. Do take a second to look at his video as he demonstrates on one of many vegetation from his personal assortment.

Make your individual scented bathtub salts

Ecological gardening proponent Poppy is a hands-on grower
Picture: @poppyokotcha

For those who love the perfume of geraniums, you’ll get pleasure from Poppy’s insta video over @poppyokotcha displaying the way to make your individual bathtub salts utilizing lavender, geranium, and different favorite important oils. A good way to get pleasure from geraniums even after they’re overwintering within the greenhouse, these bathtub salts are tremendous straightforward to make, and an exquisite solution to benefit from the scent of summer time as you get pleasure from a soak within the tub.

Use scented pelargonium leaves for syrups and cocktails

Who knew Pelargonium leaves made such scrumptious cocktails?
Picture: @ourcourtyardgarden

Over at @ourcourtyardgarden, Matthew and Dan use scented Pelargonium leaves to make sensational sundowners! Step one was so as to add the extremely aromatic foliage to a jar of sugar and permit it to infuse for 2 weeks. Then they turned their lemon and rose-scented deal with right into a easy syrup to jazz up gin cocktails. Observe them on Insta for extra enjoyable suggestions.

Uncover the fascinating historical past of pelargoniums

Scarlet pelargoniums like ‘Balcon Pink’ look fantastic en masse
Picture: Geranium ‘Balcon Pink’ from Thompson & Morgan

Learn the way the primary Pelargonium arrived in America, why the Nice Hearth of London made it a well-liked windowsill plant in Nice Britain, and the way Charles Dickens confirmed his love for ‘scarlet geraniums’ by sporting a bloom in his jacket buttonhole for public readings. In an interesting article written by Backyard Historical past Woman, Paula, she explains all this, and extra. Learn her full article for a novel perception into this stunning bloom.

Geraniums are a lot greater than annual bedding vegetation – no surprise they’ve been a staple of the UK gardening scene for over 300 years. For those who’re on the lookout for much more info on rising pelargoniums, go to our devoted hub web page.

Associated posts you may get pleasure from