Place your geraniums in areas with good soil drainage and partial to moderate shade. 56 hours after a heavy rain, if you see pools of water, look for another location or increase the level 23 inches by amending the soil with organic material. Geraniums don’t care about the type of soil they are in, but they can’t live in wet ground or water that isn’t moving. After being established, these plants can withstand a little drought.
When to Plant
After the risk of frost has passed, spring is the best time to grow geraniums. Depending on the soil and air temperatures, anticipate top growth and more roots to form within a few weeks of planting. From late spring to summer, flowers will start to bloom.
How to Plant
- For planting in an outside setting, choose a location where the soil drains well and your geraniums will get some sun to some shade. Create holes in the ground, point the roots downward, and tuck them there. Put the growth points in the ground, and space the plants about 12 inches apart “apart.
- When planting in containers, pick a container that will fit your plants’ mature size and fill it with high-quality, well-drained soil. Almost any potting soil that is sold commercially will do. Make sure your containers have enough drainage holes because geraniums shouldn’t ever sit in damp soil. Create holes in the ground, point the roots downward, and tuck them there. Put the growth points in the ground, and space the plants about 12 inches apart “apart.
- After planting, give the earth a good soak to let the soil settle around the roots.
How to Grow
- If it doesn’t rain during the growing season, water occasionally, but remember that weekly thorough waterings are preferable to lighter drinks every day or two. During active growth times, the amount required is roughly 1″ of water every week.
- After the first round of flowers has faded, prune the plants by 25–50% to maintain their shape and promote a second round of color.
- When the foliage starts to wilt and fade in the late fall as the colder weather approaches, trim off any remaining leaves.
- Every third or fourth year, in the fall, cut the huge Geranium clusters in half vertically with a sharp spade.
- Share with friends or replant the divisions.
Geranium Tips & Tricks
- If necessary, add compost, finely crushed bark, or decomposed manure to the soil to increase the drainage.
- For variation, think about including other plants in your container, including small to medium Hostas or tuberous Begonias.
- Unless you are planting Sanguineum, which can withstand full sun in northern climates, give your geraniums some shade.
- Expect your geraniums to be delivered potted or “bare root,” which means the plant is dormant and the soil has been removed from the roots so you won’t have to worry about spreading any diseases from the soil to your yard.
- Keep in mind that after the fall foliage is removed, the following spring will bring fresh growth.
How deep do you put geranium bulbs?
The lovely woodland flora are simple to grow as well. This is how:
- Pick your planting spot wisely. Make sure there is space for the tuberous cranesbill blooms to grow because they can be rowdy.
- These plants may grow in almost any type of soil, but they thrive in soil that is moderately fertile and well-drained—conditions that are similar to those in their natural habitat.
- Full sun is acceptable, but some shadow or dappled light is preferable, particularly if you are in a region with scorching summers.
- In the spring or fall, bury tubers approximately 4 inches (10 cm) deep. After planting, thoroughly water. Once established, tuberous geranium plants can withstand drought.
where to grow geraniums
Geraniums don’t care too much about soil types, preferring it to be moist and well-drained like other plants, but once established, they may live in the rain shadow of buildings, shrubs, or trees.
when to plant geraniums
Geraniums can be planted in the spring, from March to May, to establish themselves before the heat of the summer and provide you with blooms all season. In order to give them time to create a strong root system and begin blooming for you in the spring, you may also plant in the autumn between September and October when the soil is still warm.
How are dried geranium roots planted?
What could be more enticing than daydreaming of spring gardens during the chilly, dark winter months? If you’re like most gardeners, you might find yourself browsing printed plant catalogs or internet nurseries when the snow is swirling outside. Even though it can take a few months until they ship, you can quickly stock your virtual shopping cart with must-have plants. And do you recall reading the small print regarding how your package of perennials would be shipped when it eventually arrives? When choosing plants, it’s easy to overlook whether a plant will be transported bare-root, in a nursery pot, or in liner. What should a gardener do if they obtain a bag of roots that is completely devoid of any signs of life?
Breathe deeply and unwind. Those dried-out roots will eventually transform into a gorgeous addition to your yard! How to plant bare-root perennials is as follows:
First, Unpack Your Perennials
The first step is to remove the plants from the box, whether you got bare-root perennials or plants in pots. If you ordered plants in the winter, the nursery will hold off on shipping them until the weather is mild enough to allow for planting in your zone. (Reputable nurseries all refrain from shipping plants during extremely cold weather because they may be harmed in transit. It’s not acceptable if you reside in the north and get your order in February. Call the business’s customer service line!)
Inspect Your Bare-Root Plants
Check out your new plants. Perennials with bare roots are normally dug, divided, and stored in the fall until the time comes to send the dormant plants in the spring. When you open your order’s box, you might be concerned if you’ve never planted bare-root perennials before, but don’t be concerned! Although the dormant roots and crown may appear strange, they will eventually produce magnificent plants in your landscape.
Examine the health of the roots. Perennials come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and their roots can be either thin and fibrous or robust and mushy. The roots should be solid and dry, not mushy or slimy, regardless of the structure. Simply cut off any broken or damaged roots you come across. When the perennial is put in your garden, new roots will sprout.
Store Bare-Root Perennials
As soon as your bare-root perennials arrive, you should be prepared to plant them. But don’t worry if a late freeze is imminent, spring rains last for a week, or you’re overworked. Your bare-root plants can either be planted in nursery pots or stored in a bag with some peat moss in a cool, dark location (above freezing). They get a head start on the growth season by being started in nursery pots, allowing them to emerge from dormancy indoors while you wait for the weather to warm up outside. Remember to harden off the plants before planting them in the garden if you start your bare-root perennials indoors. Introduce the plants to the new environment gradually by gradually acclimating them to outdoor conditions like temperature and sunlight over the course of each day. Your new perennials, which have been growing in a protected indoor environment, need to toughen up a little in order to successfully move to the outdoors. Prior to placing the plants in garden beds, let them to harden off for a period of 10 to 2 weeks.
Plant Your New Bare-Root Perennials
Plant bare-root perennials immediately into garden beds or containers if the weather is cooperative and spring appears to be approaching. After your last anticipated spring frost date, which you can see here, the soil should have warmed up before planting outdoors.
While you prepare the garden bed, soak the perennial roots in water for about an hour. In order to improve drainage and enhance nutrients, if your garden has poor soil—heavy clay or sand—add compost or other organic material to the bed and mix it with the current soil. Create a hole that is somewhat deeper and wider than the roots. Fill the hole with water and let it to soak into the ground fully. The roots should then be placed on top of the soil mound that has been created in the middle of the hole, spreading evenly. Ensure that the crown of the plant is level with the soil line by adjusting the location. (Avoid burying the plant’s crown; it could decay.) Once the bare-root plant has been placed correctly, fill the hole with soil and compact it close to the roots. To ensure that moisture reaches the roots and to flush out any air pockets, water the plant well.
Label Your Plant
To help you remember what perennials are in your garden, it is always a good idea to add a plant tag with their name. A plant tag makes it easier for you to prevent injuring roots when you drill holes to put more plants nearby. Bare-root plants might not show growth right away. You’ll also be able to identify the cultivars you’re cultivating by adding tags. You could have purchased hardy geraniums on your winter shopping trip, but how will you identify them when they begin to bloom in the spring? Are they Geranium Azure Rush, Rozanne, or Blushing Turtle? Labels simplify your life!
Add Mulch
Mulch should be spread all the way around the plant’s crown base. Mulch inhibits weed growth while assisting in soil moisture retention. Also, it gives your garden beds a “completed aspect.” As organic mulch breaks down over time and adds organic material that aids enhance drainage in rocky soil, such as double-ground hardwood, pine needles, or bark nuggets, it also improves the soil.
Create a Container Garden
The same procedures apply if you want to use your new bare-root perennials to build a container garden. Verify your plants, saturate the roots, spread the roots, and maintain the crown level with the soil. Choose a container with drainage holes, though, as roots can decay if they are submerged in water. A lightweight potting mix made specifically for pots is another option. In the summer heat, container gardens require extra watering since they dry out more rapidly than garden beds. With repeated watering, heavy garden soil compacts, which can choke roots. Lightweight potting mixtures drain well and allow the plant’s roots to spread out and expand.
Water the Plants
To evaluate their water requirements, check your new plants periodically. Many plants require about 1 inch of water per week, so if there isn’t much rain, you might need to help Mother Nature. How do you determine when to water? Insert your index finger one inch deep into the ground close to the plant’s base. No need to water if it is wet. It’s time for a drink if it’s dry!
Even if a perennial is advertised as “drought tolerant” or “water-wise,” like Delosperma Fire Spinner, newly planted perennials still require regular watering to become firmly established in their new environment during the first year. Make sure the soil where these perennials are planted has adequate drainage, but don’t forget to water them as they establish roots and expand. You’ll later profit from these gorgeous environmentally friendly products!
Fertilize the New Perennials
During the growing season, perennials require feeding. When the plant has three sets of new leaves, treat your perennial with an organic liquid fertilizer that encourages flowering. Start with a half-strength treatment on young plants. (Directions are on the label.) Midway through the summer, give the plants another feeding to encourage strong root growth.
Container gardens might require feeding more frequently. Nutrients from the soil seep out as the water passes through the container. A fertilizer that dissolves in water aids in replacing nutrients that plants require to grow. Observe the fertilizer’s label’s instructions.
Really, it’s easy to raise bare-root perennials. Your garden will soon be bursting with magnificent foliage and lovely blooms, all of which were started from those bags of dry roots that you hurriedly purchased during the gloomy days of winter. Don’t you feel happy that you did? Happy expanding!
Do geraniums grow better in the ground or in pots?
Geraniums can be planted in any type of garden soil, but they thrive in neutral or alkaline soil. Grow in flower beds, hanging baskets, or containers that receive direct sunlight.
How to plant geraniums
Choose a peat-free multi-purpose compost with extra slow-release fertilizer when growing geraniums in containers. When paired with other summer bedding plants, geraniums look amazing. They may endure being packed closely together with other sensitive plants if planted in a rich compost and kept well-watered.
Here, Monty Don shows how to grow lavender and pelargoniums in pots for a lovely display:
Hardy Geraniums vs. Pelargoniums
Pelargoniums should not be confused with hardy geraniums. You might be wondering what makes a geranium different from a pelargonium. Similar to some siblings, they are both members of the same plant family, but they could not be more unlike.
Pelargoniums cannot withstand frost, while hardy geraniums can. Pelargoniums are usually treated as annuals and replanted each year, but true hardy geraniums are perennials that grow back every year. Pelargoniums die in the winter.
Prune your Hardy Geraniums
Your sturdy geraniums will look their best and promote new growth if you prune them properly. By correctly pruning your hardy geraniums after the blooming season, you can encourage repeat blooming. The majority of geraniums can be cut back twice in a single season, which allows them to bloom at least three times.
When to Prune
Your hardy geraniums should be pruned in accordance with the season you are in. Rozanne will require various cuts in the spring, summer, and fall. To maintain your blooms rich and healthy, mark your calendar and adhere to our seasonal trimming recommendations.
What tools you need
Your geraniums may be pruned fairly easily. All you’ll need is the ability to prune, a pair of sharp pruners, your favorite mulch, and your favorite gardening gloves. Watch this video to learn more about pruning strategies in detail.
How to prune
You shouldn’t be concerned that pruning your flower’s back will harm her. The majority of hardy geraniums require trimming to promote new growth and prevent them from encroaching upon other plants.
Trim the plant back to within a few inches of the ground or to about an inch above the main stem once the flowering is completed or you find old growth. Remove any brown stems or yellow leaves after that by going inside.
Soon after trimming, more leaves will start to appear. Some resilient geraniums even have the ability to blossom again. Maintaining correct pruning on your plants encourages new development and keeps them from spilling out throughout your landscape.
What pruning advice do you prefer? Share them with us in a comment on our Facebook page!