Quezi

Greenhouse Geraniums - courtesy Wendy Piersall - CC-BY

Why would anybody want to grow something as ‘common’ as geraniums (technically pelargoniums)?  Reliability for one thing.

When grown outdoors, they are used as bedding plants, for hanging baskets, in pots and window boxes. Indoors, they are popular blooming houseplants.

The easiest way to start Geraniums is by purchasing plants, because seeds take around 5 months to flower.

Geraniums are very popular, with over 100 million plants commercially produced and distributed each year. There were introduced to Europe about 1600 AD and their popularity exploded from there.  They originally came from South Africa.

There are several varieties of geraniums, here are the major varietal types:

Zonal – Big, attractive flower heads that bloom white, pink, orange, red or purple. The leaves have a dark zonal pattern on the leaves.

Fancy leaved – Also zonal geraniums but with fancier leaves, edged or banded by colors such as yellow, white, burgundy or coral.

Ivy – Ivy-like leaves and a trailing habit, which makes them perfect for window boxes and hanging basket planters. Flowers colors range from white through pastel shades of pink to red and purple.

Martha Washington or Regal – Large frilly flowers that bloom in white and vivid colors such as orange, purple, red and burgundy.

Scented geranium – Types that are gown primarily for their aromatic leaves with scents such as citrus, apple, rose or mint. These plants have smaller, less showy flowers than the other types.

Most types do best in full sun, which means at least six hours of direct sun a day. Geraniums like good soil that is well drained. Adding compost will give them a boost. Water them thoroughly, but let the soil dry between waterings.

You can grow geraniums indoors over winter, or take cuttings, or even keep them dormant in a cool, dark basement.

For more information about growing geraniums