Noble geraniums (bot. Pelargonium grandiflorum) are botanically not “real” geraniums (bot. Geranium) and are much more sensitive to frost than these. You should always keep this in mind when growing. In principle, propagation is possible through cuttings or sowing.
How can geraniums be propagated?
Noble geraniums can be propagated by sowing in January or early February and by cuttings in late summer. When sowing, a temperature of 20-22 °C is optimal. When propagating from cuttings, 10-15 cm long shoots without buds or flowers are ideal.
Sowing noble geraniums
Sowing the easy-care geraniums requires a lot of patience, so you should start in January or early February. Scatter the seeds on high-quality growing substrate and only add a little soil over them, as noble geraniums are light germinators. That's why they absolutely need a bright and warm place to germinate. Temperatures around 20 °C to 22 °C are ideal.
Put a transparent film over the cultivation pots or place them in an indoor greenhouse (€29.00 on Amazon). During the germination period, always keep the substrate slightly moist and air the seeds every day. This will prevent it from getting moldy. When the seedlings are a few centimeters tall, they can be planted in nutrient-rich compost soil.
Sowing in brief:
- Sowing in January or early February
- Light germinator
- optimal germination temperature: 20 °C to 22 °C
- Keep substrate evenly moist
- Aerate seeds daily
Growing noble geraniums from cuttings
If you would prefer to grow your geraniums for your balcony from cuttings, then late summer is the best time for this. Take head cuttings that are about ten to 15 centimeters long and are no longer very young. They should already have turned brown and have no buds or flowers. Remove the leaves from these shoots except for the top pair of leaves.
Place the cuttings about a centimeter deep in a mixture of two parts compost or potting soil and one part sand. Water your cuttings well and overwinter them in a warm and bright place in the house.
Propagation from cuttings in brief:
- Cuttings are best cut in late summer
- Head cuttings without buds and flowers
- approx. 10 to 15 cm long
- remove all leaves except for the top pair of leaves
- Stick about 1 cm deep into the growing substrate
- pour heavily
- place warm and bright
- Keep substrate moist
Tip
Do not use shoots that are too young as cuttings, as these rot particularly easily.
