Easy Way to Propagate Geraniums

Propagate geraniums from seeds or cuttings.

Two easy ways to propagate geraniums are taking cuttings and starting from seeds. Cuttings result in a plant exactly like the parent plant. Seeds taken from hybrids may not have the same properties as the original.

Cuttings

Take 6-inch cuttings from the growing tips of geranium plants in late summer or fall before the first frost. Strip the leaves from the lower half of the cuttings and then dip them in rooting hormone. Insert them in a pot filled with rooting medium. Water thoroughly and keep the soil slightly moist. Cover with a plastic bag and place the cuttings in indirect sunlight.

Scarification

Geranium seeds have a hard outer coat that prevents water from penetrating. Before planting the seeds, rub them on sandpaper or nick them with a file to make germination easier. Scarified seeds germinate in seven to 14 days.

Starting Seeds

Start geraniums indoors three months before your last expected frost date. Plant them in individual pots or flats filled with seed starting medium. Cover the seeds with a light layer of soil and keep them slightly moist until they germinate. Once they have true leaves, pot them in 4-inch pots and keep them at temperatures of 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 65 degrees at night. Use fluorescent light to provide 14 to 18 hours of light per day. Use a soluble plant food every two weeks.

References

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Overwintering Geraniums and Propagating Geraniums by Cuttings
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Geranium Culture for Home Gardeners
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Overwintering Geraniums and Propagating Geraniums by Cuttings
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Geranium Culture for Home Gardeners
• "The Propagator's Handbook"; Peter Thompson; 1998