Geraniums: The Ultimate Container Garden Stars

From city fire escapes to country porches, geraniums reign as container royalty—prolific, colorful, and forgiving. Their variety alone could fill a diverse potted garden.

Know the Main Types

• Zonal Geraniums: Classic dark-ringed leaves; doubles dominate spring markets.
• Variegated/Fancy-Leaved: Brilliantly patterned foliage—ornamental even without flowers.
• Ivy-Leaved: Trailing, profuse bloomers; prefer warm days, cool nights, low humidity (California ideal).
• Lady/Martha Washington (Regal): Showiest flowers; demand cool nights, shelter from wind and scorching sun.
• Scented-Leaved: Fragrant foliage (rose, lemon, mint, apple) with modest blooms.
• Cactus & Climbing Types: Bizarre forms for collectors and conversation starters.

Culture for Maximum Bloom

Sun: Essential for flowers; tolerate shade as foliage plants. Soil: Well-drained, not rich—high nitrogen yields leaves, not blooms. Mix garden soil with 5-10-5 fertilizer and bone meal. Water: When surface feels dry, soak thoroughly. Yellow leaves = too wet; wilting = too dry. Feed: Low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer during growth. Maintenance: Rotate containers for even growth. Deadhead spent blooms; remove rain-damaged center florets. Pinch young plants (3–4") for bushiness.

Overwintering Success

Cuttings (Aug–Sept): 2–4" mature stems (snap like beans), strip lower leaves, dip in hydrated lime, root in sand/peat. Dormant Storage: Cool, dark cellar—less light = cooler temps to prevent legginess. Hanging Upside-Down: Bare-root "sticks" in frost-free shed revive spectacularly in spring.

With minimal fuss, geraniums deliver months of color and endless propagation potential.