- Before growing geraniums, identify whether you would like annual or perennial.
- Plant in spring, well after any chance of frost has passed.
- Plant annuals fully sun (except ivy-leaved geranium, which prefers light shade).
- Plant perennials in sun or shade consistent with the sort you’ve got.
- Improve soil nutrition and drainage by adding Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers (in-ground), Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix (containers), or Miracle-Gro® Raised Bed Soil (raised beds).
- Start with Miracle-Gro® Brilliant Blooms geraniums.
- Space appropriately consistent with plant tags.
- Check soil moisture regularly and water when the highest inch is dry.
- Add 2-3 inches of mulch to preserve soil moisture and stop weeds.
- Feed geraniums regularly with Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘n Feed® Rose & Bloom fertilizer one month after planting.
Want a little carefree beauty in your life? Try planting geraniums. Attractive and straightforward to worry for, geraniums deserve an area in containers, planting beds, and perennial borders.
There are two main groups of geraniums. Annual geraniums (Pelargonium species), which usually only last for a year, include zonal, fancy-leaf, ivy, scented, and Martha Washington (or regal) types. 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.
Here is everything you would like to understand to grow geraniums.
Where to Plant Geraniums
For success with geraniums, you would like to understand what kind you’ve got so you’ll choose the simplest spot for planting. Most annual geraniums need a spot fully sun, apart from the ivy-leaved geranium, which grows best in light shade. Perennial geraniums, on the opposite hand, grow in either sun or shade, counting on the sort. Both types enjoy protection from the sun during the most well-liked part of the day in the southern and western regions of the country.
What quite Soil to Use for Geraniums
The best soil for both perennial and annual geraniums is one that’s both fertile and well-draining. If you’re growing geraniums in planting beds, improve soil drainage and quality by mixing 3 inches of Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers into the highest 6 to eight inches of native soil. For best results when growing geraniums in containers, fill pots with light and fluffy Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix. When planting geraniums in raised beds, mix equal parts garden soil and potting mix for just the proper medium, or full beds with Miracle-Gro® Raised Bed Soil.
How to Plant Geraniums
It’s best (and easiest) to start out with young plants, just like the premium quality geraniums from the Miracle-Gro® Brilliant Blooms collection*. Both annual and perennial geraniums thrive in warmth, so wait to plant in spring until in any case danger of frost has passed. you’ll also plant perennial geraniums within the fall, as soon because the summer heat breaks. In regions with mild winters, try planting perennial geraniums from late fall to early spring.
Plant size for geraniums varies by type, with plants growing from 4 to 48 inches tall and 6 to 36 inches wide. Check plant tags to work out the right spacing for your geranium type. If you’re planting geraniums into containers, use a pot that’s a minimum of 10 inches across for annual geraniums, or a minimum of 12 inches across for perennial geraniums.
After planting geraniums, water plants well, taking time to soak the basis ball and surrounding soil.
How to Water Geraniums
With annual geraniums, check soil weekly, and water when the highest inch is dry. Keep newly planted perennial geraniums in consistently moist soil during the primary season. Once perennial geraniums are established, they will usually survive on rainfall, except during severe drought.
How to Mulch Geraniums
Apply a 2- to 3-inch mulch layer around (but not on) geraniums after planting, to assist keep soil moist and suppress weeds by blocking weed growth and access to the sun. Use Scotts® bagged mulch, shredded leaves, pine straw, or another locally available material.
How to Feed Geraniums
When you start with rich, nutrient-filled soil, your plants get an excellent starter dose of nutrition. except for best results, you’ll also want to feed them regularly throughout the season. A month after planting, apply Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘n Feed® Rose & Bloom fertilizer to offer your geraniums the additional boost of nutrients they have for beautiful blooms. make certain to follow label instructions.
How to Grow Perennial Geraniums
Perennial geraniums don’t need special care to survive winter in even the coldest regions. Cutting perennial geraniums back by roughly one-third after the primary flower flush can help spur another round of blooms. If hardy geraniums like ‘Rozanne’ or ‘Pink Penny’ spread too far and too fast, simply cut stems back as required . you’ll remove the maximum amount as two-thirds of the length on these vining geraniums and plants will regrow. After flowering, prune cranesbill geraniums to 2 to 4 inches tall to spur new growth and keep leaves from looking ratty.
How to Use Geraniums
Annual geraniums easily steal the spotlight in containers and planting beds. Ivy geraniums make beautiful hanging baskets, and regal geraniums withstand cool air, making them a logical choice for early spring plantings. Scented geraniums hold their own in containers and make an exquisite patio display, where the fragrant leaves are often touched and savored.
Perennial geraniums bring welcome color to partial shade gardens and may hold their own beneath established trees. Shorter perennial types form flowering ground covers, while mid-size perennial geraniums pair nicely with leggy shrubs.
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