How Do I Propagate Geraniums From Cuttings?
Geraniums are popular blooming plants, valued for their bright blooms and wide range of colors, attractive foliage and easy growing habits. Versatile plants, geraniums are at home bordering a flower bed, taking center stage in a window box or patio container or draping gracefully from a hanging basket. Although geraniums are tender perennials in USDA zones 8 to 10, they are grown as annuals in cooler climates. Geraniums aren't difficult to propagate from cuttings in early autumn. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic pot with drainage hole
- Commercial potting mixture or clean, coarse sand
- Powdered rooting hormone
- Plastic bag
- Stick or drinking straw
- Rubber band
- Small planting container
- Liquid houseplant fertilizer
Instructions
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1
Fill a plastic pot with dampened commercial potting mix or coarse, clean sand. Be sure to use a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom.
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2
Cut a 3- to 5-inch stem tip from a healthy geranium plant. Strip the leaves from the bottom half of the stem.
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3
Roll the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem in powdered rooting hormone. Plant the stem 1 to 1 1/2 inch deep in the pot. Several leaves can be planted in the same container, as long as the stems aren't crowded and the leaves don't touch.
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4
Cover the pot with a plastic bag. Place a stick or drinking straw in the bag to keep the plastic from touching the leaves, and then secure the bag with a rubber band.
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5
Place the pot in bright, indirect sunlight. Check the potting soil every week and mist inside the bag if the soil feels dry.
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6
Tug lightly on the stem after three to four weeks. If you feel a slight resistance to your tug, the stem has rooted. Plant each stem in an individual container filled with commercial potting mix.
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7
Move the geraniums into direct light. Water lightly whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. Allow excess water to run through the drainage hole and never allow the pot to stand in water. Fertilize the plant every two weeks, using a liquid houseplant fertilizer.
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8
Plant the geranium outdoors in the spring after all danger of frost has passed.
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References
- Photo Credit geranium image by photografika from Fotolia.com
