Glorious Geraniums
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Just when I was about to start 4th grade my family decided to move from Vienna, Austria to Tehran, Iran. We used to live in an apartment and all we were told as kids was that we are going to move someplace really nice and that our new home will have a nice garden with a pool.
I was not prepared for the explosion of color that greeted us as soon as we entered the courtyard of our new home. It was filled with trees and tons of pots filled with Geraniums of every imaginable color.
Geraniums seem to tolerate heat pretty well and were a favorite in Persian gardens. Varieties includes solid colors and striped ones and some nicely scented ones.
These first impressions stayed with me all my life and the minute I had my first small patch of land I started to grow Geraniums. Every year their full petals fill my California garden with big patches of color.
Geraniums like a loamy soil that drains well and is enriched with bone meal. However, if are growing them in pots use a more heavy soil.
If you are going to plant them in your garden, soak your geranium for about an hour in water while you dig a nice big hole for your new plant. You can set the rootball in just as is. Geraniums can also be propagated from cuttings. Use a stem about 4 to 5 inches long, with lower leaves removed and base cut cleanly across just below a joint. Plant it firmly in clean sand and keep away from direct sun until the plant takes. Keep moist (not soggy) .
Image via Examiner - How to Deadhead Geraniums
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