1. You can keep them growing year round in pots and just place them outside for the summer. If you choose this option, potting them up to larger pots each year is necessary. Or, you could just replace the soil each year and cut the roots back to continue fitting the same size pot. This option assumes you either have a heated greenhouse (which most of us don't), plant lights inside (shoplights will work), or you live in California or Florida where they can survive the winter outside.
2. Take cuttings and propagate them inside over the winter. Compost the old "mother plants" since they tend to get woody after a year or two of growing.
3. Grow them from seeds. This way usually results in disappointment for pelargoniums lovers. Most varieties do not come "true" from seed and have to be propagated by cuttings. You will find seed for a few varieties listed in seed catalogs. Another source is the International Geranium Society Seed Bank if you happen to be a member of IGS. For information on seed propagation, read the series of articles by the Amber Hearn, our SUITE101 Perennial editor. Check under the "other articles" category for the articles on seed propagation.
Since we want to cultivate our favorite pelargonium varieties, I'm assuming most of us will choose the second option. Study your plants. Does it have several good branches which could be used for stem cuttings? Good! Stem cuttings describes and illustrates this process in an easy to understand manner. The only caution I'll give is to be sure to use green stems--not woody stems for your cuttings.
[Hint: I plan ahead when purchasing pelargoniums. Always look for a plant that is well branched when you purchase it. Usually, I try to take at least 3 cuttings per plant hoping 1 or more survives the process for the next spring's garden.]
If the particular plant you wish to propagate is always woody (example: nutmeg scented pelargonium), then follow these steps: cutting propagation. Click on the right facing arrow at the bottom of the page and continue through the set of slides showing how to make cuttings of woody plants.
Go To Page: 1 2
