Pelargonium Ă domesticum, known as regal or Martha Washington geraniums, are a loose grouping of hybrid geraniums involving P. grandiflorum and P. cucullatum. They typically grow to 3â tall on somewhat woody stems and feature rounded heart-shaped to kidney-shaped medium green leaves that have irregular teeth and crinkled margins.
With annual geraniums, check soil weekly, and water when the top inch is dry. Keep newly planted perennial geraniums in consistently moist soil during the first growing season. Once perennial geraniums are established, they can usually survive on rainfall, except during severe drought.They tolerate drought and soil should be allowed to dry out to the touch between waterings.
Geraniums are a sun loving plant that need 4-6 hours of full sun a day, or perhaps longer in somewhat filtered light. South and west exposures are usually best.
To keep Geraniums growing and flowering all summer, we recommend that you water with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer (such as 20-20-20), mixed and applied as directed.
Geraniums grow well in most garden soil as long as it drains well. Loam soil, which has a loose, crumbly texture and is high in organic matter, results in the best growth but the geraniums can also grow in poorer soils. The plants perform best when soil pH is near 6.5, and they grow poorly if the pH is below 5.5.
In order to keep a geranium compact and bushy and prevent it from getting leggy, it needs to be pruned hard at least once a year. The more regularly you prune your geranium, the better able a geranium is able to keep a pleasing shape.
Cultivars of the geranium species typically available at garden centers and nurseries grow best in daytime temperatures between 65 (18 °C) to 75 F (23 °C) and nighttime temperatures between 50 t(10°C) to 60 F (15 °C).
If you're planting geraniums into containers, use a pot that's at least 10 inches across for annual geraniums, or at least 12 inches across for perennial geraniums.
All parts of geraniums are poisonous to both dogs and cats. Also present in summer. Hyacinth: (Hyacinthus orientalis) The bulbs are poisonous to both cats and dogs.
