By 

Cory Fladeboe

Geraniums are one of the most popular bedding plants grown in the United States every year. There are many varieties of geraniums but the most common are the Common Garden Geranium or Zonal Geranium and also known as Pelargonium x hortum. The geraniums come in many different flower colors and a wide variety of leaf colorations as well.

Many geraniums can be found with the colored bands as shown here in the picture.

Geraniums will produce their flower atop of a stalk. The flowers may range in many colors and may be found in either singles or doubles.

Know that we know a little about geraniums let’s talk about growing them. The geraniums can be propagated two ways, either seed or from cuttings. If you plan to root your cuttings you should start them in the early fall from September to October. If geraniums are to be grown from seed they need to be started in mid to late January. The plants need some tender care, as they are first starting out in their quest for life. They enjoy their germination temperature to be around 70 degrees F during the day and mid 60’s at night. The ideal lighting situation for their growth should be maintained from 15 to 19 hours of light per day. If all of these recommendations are met you should be able to get you geraniums to flower around late April to early May. 

The plants will also benefit from a shot of fertilizer every couple of weeks. But even if everything is going perfect in your greenhouse operation make sure to watch out for the unexpected. There are many little variables that can make or break your crop. If you can stay ahead of the game you should have your crop ready to be shipped out to greenhouses and garden centers across the country.

Useful Links

http://ucs.byu.edu/bioag/aghort.htm