What Is Wrong with my Geraniums?
Older plants may look shabby after being resuscitated indoors.Geraniums are usually grown as annuals and replaced each year.According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, they're perennial within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.It may be time to start a new plant from a cutting if the old one is starting to look ragged.
Geraniums need to be loosened back to the warm, bright conditions in which they grow best after a long winter.The pot should be moved to the warmest position indoors in the early spring.An unshaded window with a southern or western exposure is ideal, but any window that receives 10 to 12 hours of light each day can help break the plant's dormancy.The catch basin is beneath the pot.Pruning shears that have been wiped down with rubbing alcohol can be used to remove dead leaves.
The first new leaves should be applied to the stems.It is recommended by Logee's Plants that you feed with a balanced 15-15-15fertilizer.In 1 gallon of water and water, mix 1/2 of thefertilizer with it.The geranium can be moved to a warm, bright and sheltered location if nighttime temperatures stay between 55 and 60 degrees.If you want to grow it in a pot under midday shade, transplant it into the garden.
Instead of growing a large, mature plant indoors, many gardeners choose to grow a few small plants that will grow into established plants by the spring.Cutlets from the tips of the stems are a good choice.Non-blooming cuttings will produce a healthier plant.Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting after cutting the stem right below a set of leaves.If desired, lightly coat the cutting with rooting hormone powder.
In containers filled with moist, porous medium, such as a mix of half peat and half perlite or a mixture of sand and seed-starting compost, place the geranium cuttings.The medium should be put up to the bottom of the leaves.To create a humid environment and keep the growing mix moist, cover the pot with a gallon plastic bag.According to Colorado State University Extension, you should take the bag off when the roots are in six to eight weeks.The plants can be grown under warm, bright conditions.