How To Grow Geraniums As Houseplants

Geraniums should be planted in window boxes, tubs, hanging baskets, or other big pot containers with the recommended soil mixture. Each container has to drain well. The potting soil should be very organic and well-drained. Garden loam, peat moss, coarse sand, or perlite can all be used in equal amounts to create an excellent mixture. Commercial soil mixtures that have been expertly made may also be adequate. Before you locate one that works well for your specific growth conditions, you might need to try a few.

Watering: Make sure your plant has enough moisture by checking on it daily. Geraniums benefit from the soil drying out a little bit in between waterings. Each time you water, use enough water so that some runs off the bottom of the container. Only apply water when necessary, checking the soil’s moisture level to a depth of 4 to 6 inches.

For container-grown plants, soluble or slow-release fertilizers work best. Fertilize your plants every two months from March to October. Reduce the amount of fertilizer as necessary if plants are being cultivated indoors during the winter or in areas with poor light levels. Before applying fertilizer, make sure the soil is moist and follow the label’s instructions.

Light & Temperature: Geraniums need bright light to remain in bloom all year long. Geraniums grow best on windowsills with a south or west orientation, particularly in the winter. Artificial light is appropriate if there isn’t enough strong natural light in the house. The plants might provide satisfactory results if they are positioned 12 inches beneath a 40-watt, daylight-cool fluorescent bulb for 16 hours per day. Ideal temperatures are between 55 and 70 oF at night and between 65 and 70 oF during the day. Place geraniums away from extreme temperatures and drafts.

How are geraniums maintained indoors?

Once the roots have established, new top growth appears. Rooting might take one to four weeks, depending on the type of plant, light, and temperature. To keep the pots from drying out if you set them in a south window with direct sunlight, you might wish to loosely cover them in a clear plastic bag. Yellowing leaves typically result from overwatering or too cold of a climate.

The plants in their original containers or the ones you brought inside from your outside beds will be substantially smaller once you have taken cuttings from them. Take out any dead branches, brown or yellow leaves, flowers, or flower buds. Place them in a warm, well-lit area with modest water. You might want to take another round of cuttings in late winter or early spring depending on your needs and those of your friends.

For them to grow and bloom indoors, they require at least four hours of daily direct sunlight at regular room temperature. While they are actively growing, water them sparingly, making sure the potting mix is moist but never waterlogged. Between waterings, let the top half inch of the soil dry out. When there are signs of growth, apply a diluted 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer every three to four weeks.

For many years, I’ve kept ‘Shone Helena,’ a magnificent salmon-pink geranium, in my sunroom, where it blooms for most of the winter.

How long can geraniums be grown indoors?

One of the most dependable types of garden flowers is the geranium (Pelargonium spp.). Around the world, they are grown as indoor plants, as garden annuals in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 8, and as perennials in zones 9 through 11. If given the right care, a common geranium can live for 40 years or longer. The most frequent causes of geranium death are overwatering or underwatering, insects or illness, and cold snaps. They might eventually grow long and unsightly, at which point they should either be replaced or removed.

Location

Geraniums enjoy the sun and don’t mind being drenched in it over extended periods of time. Put them there if your room has a window that faces south or west. Geraniums need exposure to direct sunlight to develop and bloom, even when cultivated indoors.

Soil

Remember that the correct soil is essential! Be careful not to fill the drainage holes with earth. Use potting soilless. Use soil that is loamy and well-drained instead of garden dirt.

Watering

The most crucial step is now, and it determines whether your geranium plant will live or die. Geranium doesn’t need routine watering because it is a drought-tolerant plant. Only water the soil when it feels dry. Do not overwater!

Temperature

Don’t put your geranium plants in places that are too hot, too cold, or drafty. If a room is warm, geranium adapts to it effectively. But the ideal temperatures are between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Can you grow geraniums indoors or outdoors?

Gardeners have traditionally favored geraniums. They smell wonderful, are colorful, and are simple to grow. How to cultivate geraniums in your house and garden is provided here!

(Note: This page is about Pelargonium plants, sometimes known as geraniums or storksbills. This is not a page about “hardy geraniums, also referred to as cranesbills.

Geraniums are normally kept indoors to overwinter, even if they may be kept outside throughout the warmer months of the year. In contrast, if given enough light, they can bloom all year long indoors.

Geranium or Pelargonium? A Case of Mistaken Identity

Early in the 18th century, Dutch traders who were traveling through South Africa brought the plants that we now refer to as “geraniums” to Europe. Botanists misclassified these new plants into the same genus because they resembled the hardy wild geraniums that are already present throughout Europe.

Botanist Carl Linnaeus of Sweden included them in the genus Geranium in 1753. Pelargonium, which refers to the long, sharply pointed shape of their seedpod, was used to reclassify these new “geraniums when it was later revealed that they differed from European geraniums in the shape of their petals, the number of stamens, and other features.

However, people still refer to them by their old common name, “geranium,” even if we really mean “pelargonium.”

You can grow geraniums as annual blooms or as indoor plants. They can be kept outside in a sunny area throughout the warmer months of the year (between your local frost dates).
If keeping geraniums as indoor plants, make sure to do so in the late summer or early fall when overnight lows begin to consistently fall below 55F. (13C).
Pay great attention to the size and color of geraniums when purchasing them. Healthy stems and leaves will not be straggly or discolored on top of them or underneath them. A plant with evident insect indications should also be avoided. Mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites are typical indoor plant pests.
To prevent root rot, put plants in containers with drainage holes.
When planting in pots, use a well-draining potting mixture rather than heavy, clayey soil. Geraniums dislike being planted in mucky, compacted soil.
Place the plants where they will receive 4-6 hours of sunlight per day for the best bloom.

How to Care for Geraniums

After letting the soil somewhat dry between waterings, water it again well.
Water plants significantly less throughout the winter, but make sure the roots are not completely dried up. Given a time of hibernation throughout the winter, when they consume less water and don’t grow as much, geraniums thrive. For additional overwintering tips, see the section below.
Regularly deadhead spent flowers to promote blooming.
Pinch back the stems to encourage bushiness and prevent legginess.
Fertilize approximately every two weeks throughout the active growing months. Half-strength a fertilizer that is water soluble When the plant should be dormant in the winter, avoid fertilizing.
Repotting geraniums can be done in the spring to promote new growth or if they appear to need revitalization.

Overwintering Geraniums

If they receive plenty of sunlight, geraniums that have spent the summer outdoors can be kept indoors. The sun may not be strong enough in northern regions in late winter to promote buds on some cultivars.
Lift the plants before the first fall frost (you can find your local frost dates here), and use a sharp, clean knife to shapely prune the stems back to about 6 to 8 inches. In the low-sunlight environment they are about to enter, they shouldn’t have to maintain substantial amounts of leaves. A simple technique to increase the number of your plants is to save a few stems for rooting.
Place the “mother plant” in the smallest pot you can find—just big enough to hold the roots—and fill it with ordinary potting soil.
The plants should be kept in the shadow for a week before being moved to a sunny location and kept cool.
Geraniums thrive in temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 16 degrees Celsius) at night during the winter, but they can also withstand lows of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and highs of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), provided they are kept relatively dry.
Cut off all the old leaves when the spring growth begins.

Keeping the new growth alive is the only challenge that can compare to getting it to appear. Here is some assistance with that:

Only offer tiny quantities of water when the leaves begin to droop. Don’t feed or fertilize the plants. These plants must have some downtime.
Pinch back your overwintered geraniums in February if you want them to bloom by Memorial Day. Take the plants outside and move them to beds or pots, as you like, once warm weather returns and all threat of frost has passed.
Containers are ideal for growing the Common or Zonal Geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) (as well as outdoors).
Hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers are all extremely popular places to use Ivy-Leaf Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum).

How to Root Stem Cuttings

The majority of geraniums readily take root from stem cuttings when placed in soil, sand, water, perlite, or another rooting medium.

Make a slanted incision 4 inches below the tip of the stem, above the node where the leaves emerge, with a clean, sharp knife. Cut the grass immediately below a node. Remove all except two or three leaves, any buds, and the stipules that resemble leaves at the base of leaf stalks.
To ensure that the cut end of the stem will seal and not rot, roll the stem cutting in newspaper or place it in the shade for 24 hours.
Place the stem in a wet rooting media container and keep it there for two days in a warm, shaded area. Give the cutting indirect sun after that. Just as needed, moisten the medium.
Apply crushed geranium leaves to small cuts to halt the bleeding.
Scarlet geranium is the flower that speaks of foolishness. More floral meanings can be found here.
You won’t have to worry about those bothersome bugs because geraniums are known to be harmful to Japanese beetles.
Keep geraniums out of the reach of curious youngsters and animals (cats, dogs) as they might cause indigestion or vomiting.

Low light, overexposure, and underwatering are common issues. Yellowing leaves are a sign that you are watering your plants either too little or too much. Try to water the geraniums evenly in this situation, and transfer them to a more sunny location.

Can geraniums survive the cold inside?

If you can give geraniums lots of bright light, they make good indoor winter plants. They won’t become spindly if placed under grow lights or a window with direct sunlight from the west or south. Just be sure to place the plants somewhere that keeps them from drafts that could make them go dormant.

Tip

Aphids, spider mites, and fungus gnats are common indoor garden pests to watch out for while growing geraniums indoors. If your geranium is in good health, it will continue to grow and bloom—just not as vigorously as it would in the open air. Consider letting your plant lie dormant until spring if it appears to be struggling.

Bring Plants Indoors Once It’s Cold

Before it’s time to close the windows and turn on the heat for the winter, bring your plants inside. As a result, the geraniums have more time to become used to the lower humidity levels that occur indoors throughout the winter.

Are geraniums healthy indoor plants?

Pelargonium species, which come in pots, make great indoor plants that may be grown all year round. They normally become available in March through June, and if given enough light inside the house, they will bloom continuously. There are several fresh varieties, like vining and hanging basket cultivars. They are available in many different types of containers and at varying stages of development.

How frequently ought I to water my house geraniums?

Difficulty of Care: Easy to Moderate
The brightest environment with a few hours of morning or evening sunshine is optimal for geraniums. Lack of this kind of light can cause weak health in plants and possibly plant mortality.
As long as you check for pests (Aphids, Slugs & Vine Weevils on the leaf, with the latter’s larvae in the soil, too), specimens sold outdoors in garden centers are still acceptable to come indoors. Make sure to give a sunny, bright area to lessen the impact of environmental shock and unexpected flower loss.
In the heat of the sun, geraniums absorb moisture very quickly, therefore it’s crucial to frequently hydrate your specimen. Between waterings, let the top third dry out; in the fall and winter, cut back a little. In the spring and summer, we’d say once every five to seven days is acceptable.
Depending on the season, fertilize with a fertilizer labeled for houseplants every two to four weeks. While the plant is in bloom, you can replace this feed every two weeks with “Tomato Food” or “Flowering Plant” fertilizer, both of which contain high potassium levels that are great for controlling flowering.
Every two years, repot in the spring using a potting mix labeled “Houseplant” and the next-largest pot with drainage holes.
Since geraniums are generally evergreen and are not susceptible to frost, expect little to no leaf loss during the fall and winter months!
Learn more about growing perennial flowers at the height of summer by scrolling down to “Dormancy Care & Annual Flowers.”

How are geraniums maintained indoors during the winter?

Geraniums are incredibly simple to store for the winter—just place them in a cardboard box or a paper bag and secure the top. The following advice will help them survive:

Maintain geraniums in a cool, dry area with a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees F.
Once a month or so, remove dried leaves from the bag or box and check for mold.
Check the stems quickly at the same time; they should be stiff. Throw away any dried-out, shriveled stems you uncover.
If you see that the plants are becoming really dry and crispy, give them a brief soak in water.
Plants with stems that appear to be blackened or mildewed should be disposed away.

Geraniums are typically kept in a sack upside down. Although the exact cause is unknown, one idea holds that it does so by pushing moisture into the stems. Whatever the cause, storing them in this manner is neither harmful nor necessarily harmful.