How to Properly Care for Your Lovely Geraniums

Geraniums are resilient flowers that will add color and scents of lovely fragrances to your garden.  There are more than 100 varieties to choose from and the colors are awesome. Some Scented geraniums include fragrances like champagne, apple, orange, mint, lemon, and rose (most popular).  There also non-scented ones. Typically these plants are grown as annuals but they are perennials as well. Geraniums need at least 8 hours of full sunlight each day but will do well in partial shade.  You should plant your Geraniums in mid to late May when the weather is warmer in moist well-drained soil. Once your plants are established they will bloom well.  Read further to learn how to properly care for your Geraniums.

Things you will need: geraniums flats, (purchase from nursery, hardware stores, supermarkets, or other home store) well-drained soil, peat moss, garden tools, sunlight, mulch, liquid fertilizer, and water

Step 1 
SELECT SUNNY AREA
First, locate a sunny area in your garden for planting your geraniums.  Partial shade is fine as long as they can get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.





 
Step 2

PREPARE SOIL
Next, use your garden tool to prepare the soil for planting around mid to late-May when the ground is warmer.  Thoroughly mix in peat moss into well-drained soil. 

 Step 3

 DIG HOLES
Next, dig holes the size of the containers the plants came in. This will be deep enough for plants to fit into.   Make holes 1 to 2 feet apart, depending upon the sizes of your plants.


Step 4
REMOVE PLANTS FROM CONTAINER

Take a plant from flat bin and tilt slightly.  Gently tap on the bottom of container with planting tool to loosen roots and stem base.  Gently remove plant from container being careful not to bend stems or tear flowers.

Step 5

PLANT FLOWERS IN HOLE

  Place the geraniums in to the holes and cover roots and stem base with soil.  Gently pat top of soil with gardening tool to secure.

Step 6
FERTILIZE SOIL

Fertilize soil with all-purpose liquid fertilizer.  Cover soil with mulch to lock in moisture and to keep roots cool. You should fertilize your plants once a month to keep them strong and healthy.

Step 7

WATER
Now you can water your plants thoroughly after you’ve completed all of the above steps. You should moisten soil once or twice weekly thereafter.  Be careful not to over water your plants.  Geraniums don’t like much water, especially on the flowers.  If you put too much water on the flowers, you will notice they will wilt and sink downward somewhat…but after they dry they will pop back.