The Geraniums

This plant gives copious bunches of flowers throughout the year. There is plenty of information on the Internet. So, I'll add only a few tips for the interested gardener. I cultivate this plant mostly in containers. That way I can bring the plant indoors for the winter. The plant can be left in a cool corner in the garage during the dormant (sub-freezing temperatures) period. Cutting back on light and water will help during the cold season as the plant cannot utilize more water (due to lack of evaporation) or fertilizer (no vigorous growth). The plant in the photo is several years old. Propagation is mostly through cuttings. Freshly cut stems readily develop roots in plain water. For rooting spring, fall (autumn), and winter seasons are good. That is because the air is dry and free of ambient fungus and bacteria. We can also root freshly cut (at 45 degrees angle) stems in clean soil, sand, peat moss, or perlite mix. It is better to keep the soil a bit dry till it gets one or two new leaves. My nephew (PDR) selects 3 or 4 inch stems and saves them in peat moss for the winter. We can also spray with acrylic clear polymer or put wax on the ends to keep the stems green and fresh. I've read somewhere they use geranium for making perfumes. If you rub the leaves or flower stalks gently and smell finger tips you can feel a gentle scent. The aroma is not great but I think one can use it (may be as a base) to mix with other flower (or fruit) aromas to generate a new perfume. I've not come across any serious pest issues with this plant. During winter sometimes we just leave it near a sunny window. It does complain about the dry indoor air and starts growing very tall. That is a normal behavior with most plants during winter here. When any plant growth is restricted due to scarcity of light, nutrient, or water, it exhibits an odd growth (ex: small leaves, more distance between the nodes, etc.). This was once explained elegantly by Professor (Dr.) M Wali in a talk. With proper care the it stays like a perennial for many years.The plant comes with flowers in various colors. Copyright 2021 by the author