Geraniums are a favorite among gardeners for their colorful blooms and ease of care. If you live in a region with mild winters, they are excellent options for garden beds and containers outdoors. However, it's still possible to enjoy growing geraniums no matter what climate zone you live in. Here is a basic guide to growing geraniums in containers for maximum flexibility:
Geraniums come in many varieties, some with unique traits. For example, some geraniums are known for their fragrant leaves producing subtle scents like lemon, chocolate and mint. Others are perennials grown for their bright and sturdy flowers. Whichever of these options you choose, you'll have success growing geraniums in containers regardless of the weather.
Geraniums thrive in full sunlight. If you have them in outside containers, place them where they will get at least six hours of direct light during the day. If you bring them indoors, give them the sunniest spot possible. You might also consider supplementing their light needs with grow lights if you don't have enough windows or natural light at home.
Geraniums are sensitive to over-watering and root rot. To avoid watering your geraniums too much, allow the top inch of soil to dry out before you give them a drink. It's also crucial to use a container with adequate drainage so the soil does not remain soggy. Geraniums are more drought-tolerant, so it's always safest to wait an extra day to water if the soil still seems moist.
If you're growing geraniums for their flowers, you'll want to give them the best conditions to bloom as much as possible. If you grow your geraniums inside, there are some simple things you can do to encourage flower production. One is to deadhead and pinch off faded blooms at the base of the flower stalk. Geraniums also bloom more successfully when slightly root-bound, so don't move them to a larger container too soon.
Geraniums are a wonderful plant to grow both outdoors and indoors. By keeping them in containers, you can give them the best possible environment, any place and any time of year.
Susan Shuxian Hu has been a dedicated realtor serving in Silicon Valley since 2010. With great passion, outstanding negotiation skills and due diligence, she has helped many buyers and sellers in their real estate needs. Living in West San Jose for more than 14 years, she has broad knowledge in Cupertino, West San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga. She has enormous patience working with buyers and never tired of showing all possible properties that may fit client’s needs. Clients appreciate her best service to their satisfaction. She specialized in luxurious real estate purchase in Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga and Palo Alto. She also helped friend and past client’s referral working in San Francisco, Foster City and far reached Bay Area.
Susan Shuxian Hu was graduated in East China Normal University in Shanghai with bachelor and master degrees in Bio science. She came to US in 1989 and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in Texas A&M University in 1996. After one year of postdoc in Southern Florida University in Tampa, she moved back to Orlando with her family and started working in Lucent Technologies. In 2002, Susan moved to California, Silicon Valley joined a start-up company. Since then she worked in high tech Corporation till 2009. Driven by her dream job pursuing, she found her passion working in sales by helping people in real estate after one year of education in De Anza business and real estate law study. Since then, she has been serving many people in Bay Area for their real estate needs.
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