Ideal plants for the blind, who value fragrance rather than color, are the scented-leaved geraniums.
These offer a combination of pleasant perfumes and a wide variety of foliage forms and textures. Since plants are comparatively easy to culture, maintaining a collection is relatively simple.
Scented geraniums can be grown as houseplants, in a greenhouse, or as garden subjects left out all year in the country’s more temperate south and southwestern parts.
They demand only ordinary care. Give them good garden loam, sunshine, moderate water, a reasonable amount of feeding, and occasional pinching, and they will thrive happily.
The scented varieties never become dormant. During the dark winter days, to be sure, they do not grow as fast as in spring and summer, but they always remain in full leaf, their hidden fragrance awaiting the slightest touch.
As house plants, they are excellent and succeed in any sunny window. They are also not excessively sensitive to house conditions, such as dry atmosphere, high temperatures, and the occasional presence of minute amounts of gas.
When to Water
Water these geraniums only when the soil begins to dry, but then do it thoroughly. One way to determine the soil’s moisture is to feel it with your fingers.
Another is to tap the pot lightly with a stick. The quality and pitch of the tapping sound indicate the degree of saturation. A dull, heavy sound means the soil is moist, while a sharp, ringing sound means that it is dry.
Some growers, after a little practice, can determine the amount of moisture by the weight of the pot.
Always, however, take care to avoid the easy method of watering plants by a set schedule. The condition of the plants themselves should be the only guide for watering.
Pinching
Pinching plants is necessary to induce branching. The blind grower finds out when to do this by feeling their shape.
Only the growing tips should be removed gently with the lingers. Since the scented varieties are naturally more bushy than the zonal, they require less pinching.
Repotting
Repotting is needed only a couple of times a year. When the pot becomes full of roots, move to a larger container. At any time, the root ball can be gently removed from the pot and the roots felt with the fingers to determine if repotting is necessary.
The “scented” will be healthier, however, if kept slightly pot-bound to maintain firm, woody growth.
Plants grown from cuttings taken in late summer are satisfactory for house plants and do not require so much room as older, larger specimens.
Fertilizing
Fertilizing is scarcely a problem. Newly potted cuttings do not need feeding for several months.
After that, give a light sprinkling of ammonium sulfate or balanced chemical fertilizer; the root ball should be moist before feeding to avoid burning the tender roots. Fertilizing during a period of slow growth is not advisable.
Few Pests to Control
Scented geraniums are bothered by a few pests. The most frequent troubles are red spiders and white flies.
Dipping or spraying with a 40% nicotine sulfate solution controls these in the house, while various fumigants are effective in the greenhouse. Weekly spraying with cold water also controls red spiders.
The force should be hard enough to wash off the mites and webs but not so hard as to damage the plant.
Since the red spider favors a warm, dry atmosphere, cool situations are preferable for the plants. Care in introducing pest-free plants into the house in the first place is helpful.
Temperature Considerations For Geraniums
Geraniums do best in cool temperatures, so they should not be placed near a radiator or other heat source.
On the other hand, temperatures next to a cold window in winter are often considerably lower than room air.
In this case, protect the plants by moving them away from the area close to the glass. Cold droughts are harmful and should be avoided.
Additional care consists of removing dead leaves, easily recognized when they become dry and crisp.
In the spring, after all, the danger of frost is over, set plants directly into the outdoor garden where they will thrive.
In late summer, cuttings taken and placed in vermiculite or clean sand and later potted when rooted will provide plants for the subsequent winter months.
Introduction To Scented Geraniums
Scented geraniums offer a wide choice of varieties and, for convenience, are divided into six classes: lemon, mint, fruit, spice, rose, and pungent.
The distinctive lemon-scented geranium (Pelargonium crispum) is among those noted for its rewarding fragrance.
Its many varieties differ only in small details, and all are good. The leaves are small, curled, and crisp green, not unlike parsley to the touch.
In sharp contrast is the peppermint-scented geranium (P. tomentosum). The large, shallowly-lobed leaves, very densely covered with fine, long, soft hairs, are a pleasure to stroke. The plant is very prostrate in habit.
Fruit Scented Geraniums
The fruit-scented geraniums add to the list a wide variety of leaf odors. One of these is the apple geranium (P. odoratissimum), which, when lightly rubbed with the fingers, immediately releases the delicious aroma of a box of freshly opened apples. Its light green leaves are scalloped with an exquisite, silky texture.
A pleasing lime fragrance distinguishes the lime-scented geranium (P. nervosum), which has small, soft, firm leaves with sharp teeth.
Spice, Nutmeg, Ginger Scented Geraniums
Noteworthy among the spice-scented varieties are the nutmeg-scented (P. Jagran) and ginger-scented (P. torrent).
Coconut Scented Geraniums
The tiny coconut-scented geranium (P. parviflorum), has leaves that feel something like those of the lemon-scented.
They are flatter and more delicate in texture. The plant grows low from a central crown and produces seeds that germinate easily.
Rose Geranium
Of wide fame is the rose geranium. Instead of a single variety, this is a large number of varieties having rose-like perfume.
Differing leaf shapes, sizes, and textures thus enable the collector to accumulate several “rose geraniums.” In the rose-scented group is P. denticulatum, which has finely-cut leaves, almost fern-like.
Pungently Scented Geraniums
A similar situation exists among the so-called oak-leaf or pungently scented geraniums.
Belonging to the P. quercifolium group, their leaves are deployed in varying degrees, besides being rough, hairy, and distinctly sticky. The odor is pungent.
Apricot Scented Geraniums
A desirable plant is an apricot-scented geranium (P. scabrum), which has smooth leaves, almost stiff in texture, with margins curled upward.
Prince of Orange, with smooth leaves, is more delicate in texture than apricot-scented and has an orange fragrance.
44659 by Marion J. Ford