Growing on Pelargonium plug plants
It's late March, and spring is finally in the air! However, it's important not to get too carried away. Geraniums (pelargoniums to be completely accurate) are fairly tough plants, but they are not frost hardy. Depending on where you are in the UK, we can get frosts as late as June, and maybe even later in some parts. Getting a good head start with your geranium plants gives you a longer flowering season and a better display. So make sure you follow these tips to ensure summer-long flowering!
If you are like me, you will be starting from plug plants. That could be because you overwintered some cuttings or got a delivery of some new plug plants. Either way, your plug plants need to be potted up.
What You Need:
-
Some pots: It may sound obvious, but your plants will need a new home. 9-12cm is ideal to pot a geranium plug plant into.
-
Some compost: Drainage is key when it comes to compost for geraniums. Look for a good quality compost that has added drainage from grit or bark. If you are concerned about drainage, you can always add your own.
Where to Keep Your Geranium Plants Early in the Year
As I already mentioned, geraniums are not frost hardy, but they can cope with lower temperatures than many people think, so you do not need a very warm spot. A windowsill, conservatory, or greenhouse is ideal when you have potted your plants up. Once the risk of frost has passed, your plants can be moved outside.
Potting on Your Geranium Plug Plants
-
Add compost: Fill your pots with the compost, leaving the top of the compost just shy of the top of the pot. This helps a lot when it comes to watering.
-
Make your hole for planting: Now make a hole in the centre of the compost. This hole wants to be a tiny bit bigger than the root ball of the geranium plug.
-
Take your plant out of the cell tray: If you have grown your plug plants at home, it can be a bit tricky to get them out of the cell tray. A good tip is to gently squeeze the cell to release the roots, and then you can lift the plant out. If you have purchased the plug plants from Newlands Nursery, they will come in a paper plug; this does not need to be removed and can be left on for planting.
-
Plant your geranium plant: Now place the geranium plug plant in the compost. Do not be tempted to squash it in; you want to place the plug in the hole. Now "tuck in" the plug plant, getting rid of any gaps between the compost and the rootball.
-
Water well: With the plant in its new home, it is time to give it a good water. It is important at this stage to get the compost nice and moist; this will really help the plant settle in. A good tip is to gently water for a few seconds and then wait for this to sink in, repeat the process until the compost is fully moist. A good guide is when water comes out of the base of the pot, you have done a good job.
Aftercare for Potting Up Geranium Plants
Geraniums love sunshine, a light windowsill or greenhouse is ideal. Ideally, look for a spot that has a nice amount of air circulation (avoid cold draughts); this will help the plants stay healthy. When watering geranium plants, allow them to dry out slightly between watering.
