Best Tips For Growing Pelargonium at home

Pelargonium grown as an annual is very much popular among home gardeners. It blooms all the year and comes in red, pink, purple color. Leaves are almost round and thicker than normal. Pelargonium is ideal for garden beds, hanging baskets and containers. It can be grown outdoors as well as indoors. In winter, it can be brought inside and grown. Pelargoniums are grown as perennial where it doesn’t freeze.

Propagation

Pelargonim is propagated from seeds and cuttings. April is ideal for sowing seeds. Prepare garden bed by tilling and adding compost to it. Tilling loosen up the soil so that it becomes easy for roots to grow faster. A layer of compost will add nutrients in the soil which is used by the plants. Do not bury seeds deep in the soil as they need light to germinate. Sprinkle water to make soil moist. In case of containers or pots sow 2-3 seeds per container and thin out (keeping only healthy plants) them later.

Pelargoniums are easy to grow by cuttings too. Start taking cuttings in spring (March-April). Cuttings can be taken in autumn too. Select a healthy looking 5-6 inches long stem having minimum two nodes (place where leaf comes out on stem). Make a cut just below the lower node and clip off all leaves but 2-3 at top. Cut the stem tip and remove any bud present on the cutting otherwise they will consume most of energy of the plant. Dip cutting in rooting hormone or in honey to promote rooting faster. Make a 2-3 inches deep hole in the soil with help of pencil or any other object. Place the cutting in the hole, water it and cover with a plastic bag to help in retaining moisture. Place the container in shaded place where it is not getting direct sun light.

Pelargonium can be rooted in water too. Take around 6 inches long stem cutting, remove all but top leaves. Put it in a water filled jar and place the jar in bright location but not in direct sun. 

Container

Decide the size of container depending on the Pelargonium variety. Container should be well cleaned. It should contain drainage holes to ensure smooth passage of water as Pelargonium doesn’t like to stand in water. If you are using old container then wash it properly before use.

Soil

Pelargonium grows in almost any kind of soil. Add compost to enrich it with nutrients. You can add a layer of mulch (dried leaves, straws etc) to keep environment around plant moist.

Sun / Temperature

Pelargonium needs 5-6 hours of sun light to grow. However it can be grown in shaded place too where it is getting enough light exposure. 

Watering

Allow soil to dry out before watering again. Scratch the soil surface with finger, if the soil is barely moist or dry then plant needs water. Cut down watering in winter as that time plant is not growing actively. 

Fertilizer

Use solid granular fertilizer at starting of growing season. Or you can use liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength in every 2-3 months. Plant doesn’t feed fertilizer in winter.

Caring

Clip off dead flowers (deadheading) to increase blooming. Prune Pelargonium in fall (November to January end) to encourage bushiness.

More tips : How to grow Impatiens at home.

Know more about your garden soil

In gardening, it is very important to know type of soil you have in your garden. Mainly four types of soil are found worldwide. The type of soil is decided on the basis on size of soil particle, water and moisture retention capability and amount of nutrients.

1. Sand

It is coarse type of soil having largest soil particles. Large particles allow water and moisture to drain quickly thus causing minimum retention strength. It is light brown to brown in color. In hindi it is called as 'Balui mitti'.

This type of soil is suitable for desert’s plants and shrubs like cacti and flowering plants like hibiscus and tulips.

Add a layer of mulch or compost to increase water and moisture retention capacity.

    2. Silt

Particle size of silt soil is in between sand and clay. Particles are smaller than sand but bigger in compare to clay. Due to small sized particles silt is compactly packed soil having good water and moisture retention capacity. But sometime it becomes difficult to drain water from the soil.

This type of soil is good for moisture loving plant.

Add a layer of mulch or compost to improve drainage capability of silt soil.

    3.  Clay

It is heavier and densest soil.  Soil particles are smallest in the size thus packs it very compact. It holds water and moisture for longest time. But compactly packed nature makes it very hard to penetrate by air and moisture.It is called as 'Chikni mitti' in hindi.

Clay is ideal for Rhododendron, Wisteria.

Add a layer of mulch or compost to increase air flow and water drainage through it.

    4. Loamy

It is the best type of soil for gardening. It is made up of clay(20), silt(40) and sand(40) thus providing it good drainage capability due to sandy content and ideal water and moisture retention capability from silt and clay content. Here is no need of adding mulch or compost. Though, you can add a thin layer to improve particular nutrient in the soil.In hindi it is called as 'Dommat / Dummat mitti'.

Some popular terms every gardener should know –

1.     Mulch

First of all mulch is not a type of soil. It is an organic matter which improves soil water drainage and moisture retention capability as well as keep heat level in check. A mixture of dried leaves, tree bark, yard waste, wood chips and straw is known as mulch. Mulching makes soil porous thus letting in more air and water to roots. It decomposes over the time and adds more organic matter to the soil.

2.     Compost

Compost or humus is organic matter product of decomposition of green (veggie, fruit etc) and brown (dried leaves, sawdust) organic matter over the time. Composting can be carried out at home also using kitchen and home waste. When added to loose, sandy soil compost helps to bind soil particle to retain moisture and nutrients for longer periods and in compact type of soil like clay and silt , it loosen up the soil to let air flow and water drain out of the soil.

Check out tips for composting at home.

3.     Top Soil

Top soil is commercially produced nutrient rich matter having 2-10 % organic material. It can be directly used on existing less fertile soil. Mix top soil and existing soil properly otherwise it can create an absorption barrier for water leading drainage and over watering issues.