Thinking About Growing Geraniums in Pots?

Geraniums are simple to grow, requiring just a little attention. They come in a variety of colours with both plain and variegated leaves. They love well-drained soil and full sun. Even though they are drought-tolerant they appreciate regular watering.  Select a pot or planter based on the size of the geranium you choose. Doubling and even tripling the size of the nursery container your plant comes in is a wise way to go.

Soil

Use any good, fast-draining soil with plenty of organic matter to fill your container. I like this one from Miracle-Gro, made especially for flowers with a moisture conserving component. Geraniums growing in good garden soil need little fertilizer; those in light, sandy soil should receive two or three feedings during active growth.

Light & Temperature

When growing geraniums in pots, you can easily move the pot to adjust for natural conditions. Geraniums like full sun. While they love hot weather (they do hail from South Africa), know that even geraniums can have too much of a good thing, which might abbreviate flower production.  If you live in a super hot climate, consider a variety made for the hottest of hot: some great options from Syngenta Flowers are The Caliente and Calliope series. Caliente is an award-winning, bright red, mounding variety. Calliope comes in many colours, but the “Large Salmon” is a show-stopper. Intense Color That Lasts™ boasts the No. 1 geranium for colour and performance. It has a vigorous habit making a high-impact in baskets and large pots. The beautiful salmon colour makes it stand apart from the big box store options. 

Pruning Geraniums

Growing geraniums in pots is a snap. While they don’t need to be pruned, you will need to do a bit of maintenance to keep them looking their best. You’ll need to deadhead your plants. To do this during the growing season simply remove wilted and faded flowers. Pinch them off with your fingers or snip them with scippors. This will encourage new blossoms to develop. 

Common Problems with Geraniums

Usually, geraniums are problem-free. However, if growing conditions aren’t quite right, their leaves may look odd, showing you that the plant is struggling. Curling and yellowing leaves are a sign that something is up:

Curling leaves: this can occur when the sun is too hot for a geranium. In really hot climates, offer the plant morning sun and afternoon shade to remedy this problem.

Yellowing leaves: can be caused by a few different things.  Weather, sunlight, watering and  diseases could all be a culprit.   Geraniums don’t like “wet feet” so only water when the top inch of soil is dry. If the plant is getting too wet, move it and let it dry out. If water isn’t the issue, make sure the plant is getting plenty of light. Geraniums leaves turn yellow if kept in too much shade. Finally, Geraniums do not like cold temperatures, so a cold snap may cause yellowing.