Late summer and early fall, before frost and cold weather, are ideal times to start taking cuttings of geraniums for indoor culture.
Long used as houseplants and for summer bloom and enjoyment in the garden, these old-time favorites are grown as shrubs and vines in milder climates.
The geraniums (actually pelargoniums) we grow as houseplants come from a warm, sunny climate. So it is important to remember that they must have ample sunlight.
In spring flower shows, leaves of geraniums often turn yellow and drop within three or four days because of lack of sufficient light.
On the other hand, some of the true geraniums, like the native Geranium maculatum, grow naturally in lightly shaded areas.
Time To Begin Cuttings For Winter
This is the time of year to begin to take cuttings for winter bloom. Plants generally grow so well in gardens that there is a surplus for this purpose.
All those used in beds cannot possibly be saved, while those taken indoors will have to be cut hack, thus providing an abundance of cuttings.
Since this will not be done until before frost time, there is ample opportunity to visit the gardens of your friends and neighbors to see what they have available.
There are many different kinds of geraniums that you can look for. In addition to the familiar large-flowered type in red, white, and pink, many others are attractive for their foliage alone.
Although less common, they should be included with the vining, ivy-leaved types. Then, there are the fascinating scented geraniums grown for their aromatic foliage alone.
The miniature geraniums are less common and produce fewer cuttings because of their small stature. Some of these are grown for their bloom, but many for both their flowers and varicolored leaves.
Old-Fashioned Method
The old-fashioned method of carrying geraniums over winter was the one our grandmothers used.
Plants were dug in the fall, the soil was shaken off the roots, and then the plants were hung, tops down, from the rafters in the cellar, where they were kept in excellent condition all winter.
Unfortunately, with our warm cellars with concrete floors today, this is no longer possible as in the past.
The nearest approach to grandmother’s method is to dig the plants, replant them in pots or tubs, cut them back one-half to two-thirds, and place them in a cellar window.
Water is just enough to keep the soil from becoming powder dry and not enough to start active growth.
Although most leaves will turn yellow and drop, the stems will stay firm, ready to start growing in the spring.
For best results, keep them between 50° and 60° degrees Fahrenheit, with as much light as possible.
If sunny window space is available, or even better, a greenhouse, the plants can be dug, cut, hacked, potted, and placed in a sunny spot.
Under these conditions, they will require more water than in the cellar, but they still should be kept a little drier than most plants until they are in full leaf and active growth.
The geranium is a fairly soft, succulent plant that will rot quickly with too little light or water.
These potted plants will bloom as the sun strengthens in late January and February. Then they may be set out of doors at the usual time in spring for summer enjoyment.
Propagating Geraniums
Rooting cuttings, or slips, as our grandmothers called them, is the most common method of propagating geraniums.
Take cuttings from the tips of stems, 3” or 4” inches in length in vigorous varieties and only one-half of an inch for miniatures.
If they do not root, it is usually the fault of the rooting medium or the method of watering. Clean, sharp sand, not so fine that it cakes and packs, is an ideal rooting medium.
Some use the horticultural grade of vermiculite, though it may be overwatered and kept too moist.
A coarser grade of vermiculite, used for household insulation, is less likely to hold too much water and should give good results.
After the cuttings are taken, insert them into the medium as soon as possible and water thoroughly.
Cuttings taken during August or early September may be kept out of doors on the north side of the house if the weather is not too cool.
Indoors, they will need as light a window as possible. By covering them with a piece of plastic or newspaper for a day or two, they will remain fresh and turgid.
Unless the home is unusually dry, it will not be necessary to cover cuttings with plastic or glass to maintain sufficient humidity.
If the humidity is too high, they will rot. As soon as the cuttings develop roots, one-half to three-quarters of an inch long, remove and plant carefully in soil.
Small clay pots dry out quickly, so it may be better to use plastic pots with adequate drainage holes. Keep soil moist, as you would for African violets.
Geraniums from cuttings grow slowly during the winter months when sunlight is minimal. If you remember that cuttings taken in the fall are sold in 4-inch pots with one bloom for Memorial Day, you will not feel so bad about the poor growth your plants make.
In the home, even under the best conditions, the cuttings you take in August and September will not be more than 3-inch pot plants by spring.
The foliage of scented geraniums can be enjoyed all winter, even if the plants are small. Though not grown for bloom, they will require just as much sunlight.
Try planting them in decorative ceramic or plastic containers that will not dry out quickly when set in a sunny location.
Soil Mixture For Geraniums
Although the common practice is to grow geraniums in ordinary soil with a minimum organic matter, better root action and better growth will result if the soil is mixed with 10 or 15 percent organic matter. If the soil is heavy clay, add some sand also.
Geraniums, like all plants, respond to proper feeding. Add a cupful of fertilizer to a bushel of soil mixture when potting, but do not feed during the winter.
Wait until late February or early March when the increased amount of sunlight will enable the plants to take advantage of the plant food without encouraging soft, spindly growth.
So if you take cuttings from your favorite plants now, root, and then plant them in a proper soil mixture, you will have shapely plants for flowering this winter and even more during the early spring months.
Then these same plants can be placed outdoors where they will perform unstintingly all summer long.
44659 by Victor H. Ries