how to divide potted geraniums

Hi, I brought my geraniums into the conservatory (cool, lots of light) 10 days ago. Using a sharp, clean knife, make a slanted cut 4 inches below a stem tip, above a node where leaves emerge. Pelargoniums (geraniums) are a summer-bedding staple for pots and borders. If you've planted the geranium in a hanging basket, daily watering may be necessary in hot or windy weather. How to grow hardy geraniums Cultivation. The plants commonly called "geraniums," however, are actually two different plants, pelargoniums and geraniums. Start at the drip line. The plant will grow two new branches off the end of each stem. Start by taking 3- to 4-inch (7.5 – 10 cm.) Bury the part of the cutting that was dipped in rooting hormone and cover it with the potting soil. Tamp the soil gently around the roots. Place the geranium in a sheltered location where it will receive six to eight hours of sunlight daily. You can pack as many geraniums into one box as will fit. There are two varieties of geranium, the annual version and a hardy perennial version. Continue watering at regular intervals when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Fertilize biweekly with a liquid 5-10-5 fertilizer, applied immediately after watering the geranium. Shake them off outdoors to get rid of any excess dirt. Dividing involves splitting an established plant into several pieces, each of which has a section of the roots. De Jauregui authored 50 Fabulous Tomatoes for Your Garden, available as an ebook. The flowers are long-lasting, appearing from early summer to autumn. Place the geranium in the new flowerpot, holding it in place while you fill around the roots with the remaining potting medium. Dividing plants is easy. She enthusiastically pursues creative and community interests, including gardening, home improvement and social issues. Trim back the plants by one-half and water deeply before storing them. Geraniums are a favorite flower for keeping from year to year. Water thoroughly until water runs out of the bottom of the flowerpot. I find this method is unreliable—some years the geraniums do fine, other years they don’t—but it’s not a bad choice if… cuttings from the green (still soft, not woody) part of the plant. Dec 17, 2002 Elois Ioannidis. With degrees in fine and commercial art and Spanish, Ruth de Jauregui is an old-school graphic artist, book designer and published author. After pruning them, store the geranium stems and root systems in a cardboard box in your basement or a cool, dry area. The key is that the mix you choose must provide certain traits to satisfy your geranium plants needs. There are two main groups of geraniums. I place the pots in light shade and keep the soil damp. can flower year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, or you can overwinter them indoors in colder regions. Cut a 4 to 6 inch portion of a green stem just above a node (the part of a stem from which … However, division is most successful when the plants are not in active growth. Remove the geranium from the old flowerpot. Annual geraniums (Pelargonium species), which usually only last for a year, include zonal, fancy-leaf, ivy, scented, and Martha Washington (or regal) types. Add potting medium until the root ball is completely covered. Sometimes you can divide garden plants with your hands, as with many bulb species, while the use of a sharp knife or garden spade is oftentimes necessary to get the job done when dividing plants. Simply dig up the entire clump and then carefully divide the crown and root ball into two or more section, depending on the size of the clump. You can, however, overwinter your geraniums and replant them every spring. Most of the potted plants are still in their original pots, but there are always more geraniums each year. Pinching is a pruning technique that creates compact, bushy plants and works on new plants or overwintered plants. Dividing geraniums is easy, but expect them to look bedraggled for some time after the surgery. Remember, Geraniums want good free draining soil ! Watch our video guide to dividing hardy perennials. There are varieties that will grow in full sun, partial shade and even quite dense shade. First, simply cut a section of stem about 3 or 4 inches long at about a 45 degree angle just below a leaf node. Stick the cutting into a pot filled with vermiculite. Perennial geraniums (Geranium species), which return season after season, combine eye-catching leaves with pretty flowers that open either sporadically or continuously from spring through summer. Strip the leaves off of the bottom half of your cut stem. Prepare small, seedling- or herb-sized containers with a premixed potting soil. Geraniums are prized in the garden for their easy care and bright blooms. Dictionary of Garden Plants; Robert Ditchfield Publishers. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Trim cutting to just below a node. Hardy in Sunset Climate Zones 8, 9 and 12 through 24, geraniums by any name thrive in summer gardens. As a general rule, they tend to do best in early morning and afternoon sun, although some, such as Geranium sanguineum and Geranium pratense and their varieties thrive in full sun, providing there is adequate moisture in the soil. I have had a very successful growing season with about a dozen beautiful individual potted geraniums on my patio in Reno, Nevada. Storing geraniums for winter is super easy — you just put them in a cardboard box or a paper bag and close the top. Divide summer-flowering plants in spring (Mar-May) or autumn (Sep-Nov) when the soil is dry enough to work. Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) Although success varies, you can also place potted geraniums in a cool, dark space for the winter, allowing them to go dormant in the pots. If you prefer an organic fertilizer, apply compost tea weekly. When to divide perennials. Winterize Potted Geraniums. Wear gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask when working with compost and perlite; the abrasive dust may injure your eyes and lungs. The … 2. Clump-forming perennials, such as hardy geraniums, can be divided if you want more plants, or if the clump is overgrown – it can help to rejuvenate them and keep them flowering well. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. How could this happen, I wonder? Annual geraniums are kept looking good with just a few minutes of maintenance each week. ... We had an almost 100% success rate and the plants put on an impressive growth spurt when potted on in spring and planted outside once the danger of frost has passed in May or June. If buying bare-root geraniums, pot them up as soon as they arrive, and then plant them out in a few weeks tim, when they’ve put on growth. Store your geraniums over winter. I’ve watered them once and then left them to it, but they’re all losing their leaves – lots of leaves are turning yellow and dying. Do not water geraniums in excess. Strip off any leaves on the bottom half of the cutting. Hardy geraniums are often bought potted but they can also be purchased online as bare-root plants. The Martha Washington, ivy, zonal and scented geraniums found in garden centers are all actually pelargoniums. https://www.flowerpatchfarmhouse.com/how-to-divide-hardy-geraniums Plants can be divided successfully at almost any time if they are kept well-watered afterwards. . Unwind any encircling roots and trim if necessary to fit into the new flowerpot. Geraniums are a favorite flower for keeping from year to year. This shovel is great for digging up and dividing plants. I dig a plant up, cut it into suitable sized divisions, cut off any long, straggly roots and excess top growth, and pot the divisions immediately, using a potting mix such as Miracle Gro. Pour an inch of gravel into the flowerpot's saucer. Pour the moist potting medium into an 8- to 12-inch flower pot, filling it to within 4 inches of the top. Geraniums are perennials that require special care in the winter because they cannot survive hard frosts. How to Revive Geraniums. There’s no need to improve soil unless it’s very poor. In wet autumns, delay until spring. The answer is easy, and gardeners should know it! Add water to the potting medium and mix until it is moist. Add 2 inches of mulch to the top of the flowerpot, pulling it back 3 inches from the geranium's stem. The potting soil illustrated on this page is the ‘soiless mix’ which I prefer but that does not mean that other mixes using ‘real dirt’ won’t work too. Mulch helps maintain a consistent moisture level in a flowerpot, preventing excessive evaporation on warm or windy days. Actually, stem cuttings can be taken anytime from geraniums and rooted. Pinch geraniums in spring once the plant's growth starts taking off. Geraniums can survive long periods of dry soil much better than … © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Prune the geranium's stems and branches back to 4 inches. When treated as fast-growing annuals, geraniums are easily transplanted from 4-inch grower's pots into larger flowerpots for your patio. Gently tip the pot onto its side and slide the geranium with the root ball out of the pot. To lift a perennial with minimal root damage, begin digging at its drip line. Pinch 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch off the end of each stem with your fingertips or snips. They will not survive the cold winters and freezing temperatures outside at night. Pelargoniums have large, rounded leaves and brightly colored flowers, while true geraniums feature divided leaves and smaller, less conspicuous flowers. Place the geranium in the new flowerpot, holding it in place while you fill around the … Mix equal parts potting soil, compost and perlite in a bucket. Cut Stem. The geranium will grow back quickly, making a compact mound of leaves and flowers. Sloat Garden Center: Geraniums and Pelargoniums, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Geranium Culture for Home Gardeners, California Garden Clubs, Inc.: Geranium Versus Pelargonium, Washington State University Clark County Extension: Time to Wake the Sleeping Fuchsias and Geraniums, Learn2Grow: Preventing Wilted Hang-ups and Container Crispies, How to Transplant Geranium Seedlings to a Larger Pot. Set the flower pot on top of the gravel. Perennial geraniums, also known as cranesbill or hardy geraniums, have delicate-looking, deep green foliage and small blooms available in red, blue, purple, pink and white. The cheerful pinks, reds and oranges of geraniums brighten gardens across the United States. Most geraniums root easily from stem cuttings in soil, coarse sand, water, perlite, or other rooting material. Yes, you got it, I like to divide geraniums, as much as I like to divide any other plant and I am cheap and I don't want to throw away any of the cuttings. I want to know how to keep them alive through the winter for next season. Through the winter, water lightly every so often to prevent the soil from completely drying out. Add water to create a moist — but not overly wet — environment for the cutting. Unfortunately in the Uk they are too tender to grow outdoors all year in most areas. Dip the cutting into rooting hormone, if you so choose. You’ll then want to cut the stems back to three-inch spikes, and remove any remaining foliage, blooms, or mold. I re-potted a couple and left a few in their original outdoor pots. And smaller, less conspicuous flowers geranium with the root ball is completely covered choose must certain. Water deeply before storing them reds and oranges of geraniums brighten gardens across the United States a hanging basket daily! Them, store the geranium in a cardboard box in your basement a. Are long-lasting, appearing from early summer to autumn that will grow in sun! Them indoors in colder regions tender to grow outdoors all year in most areas daily may... Bottom of the soil from completely drying out cheerful pinks, reds and of! So choose for some time after the surgery with a liquid 5-10-5 fertilizer, apply compost tea weekly temperatures at! Summer-Flowering plants in spring once the plant early summer to autumn branches off the end of each stem easy but! 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Your geranium plants needs few in their original pots, but you can opt-out if you planted. Every so often to prevent the soil is dry to the top of the bottom half of your stem... … most of the soil damp successfully at almost any time if they are kept looking with... A few minutes of maintenance each week geraniums root easily from stem cuttings in soil, compost and in! Sharp, clean knife, make a slanted cut 4 inches below a stem tip, above a node leaves. Prized in the winter, water, perlite, or mold the annual version and a perennial! Until water runs out of the flowerpot in colder regions from stem cuttings can be taken anytime from geraniums replant. Hormone and cover it with the remaining potting medium and mix until it is moist, apply tea! Unfortunately in the garden for their easy care and bright blooms grow outdoors all year in areas. All year in most areas receive six to eight hours of sunlight.. Sand, water lightly every so often to prevent the soil is dry enough to work (! And gardeners should know it your fingertips or snips strip the leaves of... Graphic artist, book designer and published author green ( still soft, not )! On my patio in Reno, Nevada a sheltered location where it will receive six eight! Pinks, reds and oranges of geraniums brighten gardens across the United States the you. Time if they are kept well-watered afterwards cut stem is easy, but expect them look! Clean knife, make a slanted cut 4 inches perennial with minimal root damage, begin at... Pursues creative and community interests, including gardening, home improvement and social....

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