The Three B's

By far, those three B’s… BIG, BUSHY, BRIGHT will always draw your eye and be the star of the show in any yard.  That is the geranium. 

Yes, geraniums do grow in the desert. 

Here in Phoenix suburbia, we have grown red, white, pink and my favorite, a wonderful salmon color. They are all beautiful.

Geraniums are oddly classified as both annuals and perennials. In fact, if cared for properly, geraniums are said to last up to 40 years.

March, when the possibility of frost is past, is the ideal time to plant geraniums but it’s also good to plant new geraniums in October before cold weather returns.

In the summer, if geraniums are well established, they will do best in a shaded location with morning sun only; so it’s nice to plant on the east side to avoid the hottest part of the sun during the day. However when I lived in a house with the inability to plant on the east side, I did have geraniums in a full sun location. They still did well. I placed a taller, full sun appropriate bush in front of the geraniums to protect the plant from the beat down of the western sunset. So they can be kept during the summer, so don’t let that deter you from planting. Our intense heat renders plants quiet, flowerless and unattractive during the hottest months, but only a month or two. Just show a little love and attention with the occasional sprinkling of used coffee grounds at their base and they’ll come back when the weather cools. 

I like to keep our geraniums plush and bushy. So we cut them back once a year, in the early fall. Cut these plants back to within a foot of the soil to stimulate growth, fullness and flowering. You’ll know when to prune because usually toward the middle of summer their petals will drop leaving ugly stick looking stems.

I have also put them in pots on wheels and moved them from full sun in winter to partial shade in the summer and then on to our indoor sunroom during December and January. So, depending on the time or availability you have, you can do whatever works to keep the little geranium gems happy.

Here in our yard, we generally plant our new geraniums around October and they will bloom through April. Because we travel through the summers, we leave them on a sprinkler system, then in September we cut the old ones back and feed them goodies to rejuvenate them.

Geraniums are, of course, the most robust and colorful during the spring and again, late fall.       

A light watering daily is important. Colder months December through end of February we water lightly, then slightly increase water amounts from March through mid-June, increasing again July through November. Never waterlog the soil, as geraniums are very susceptible to root rot disorders. Also, being frost sensitive, they need protection during the winter with burlap or an old sheet draped across them over night.

Some say to watch for insects on the plant, although I haven’t had insects on mine, ever.

Most potting soils are fine for geraniums. Mixing in some perlite, 1 part perlite to four parts potting soil, will improve drainage. I also recommend a time-release flowering-plant fertilizer that has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. I try to do this each spring.

Geraniums are also easy to propagate from cuttings most anytime of the year.

Geraniums are more than just a pretty face. Their leaves can also be added to soups, stews and sauces, even ice cream for flavor. At the end of the summer, when their petals are ready to drop,  you can grab the large bloom at the bottom and pull upward with your hand. Take your handful of petals and drop them in your bath water. They have many health benefits to include: hair growth, antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. 

Commonly used in aromatherapy, the scent has been said to be useful in anxiety and depression; their fragrance described as lemony-peppery.  Geranium oil is used for promoting radiant skin and relief with acne.

 Most Americans equate the geranium symbolism with: happiness and positive emotion; as a housewarming gift (which is how I recently acquired one of mine); and they also represent friendship or wishes for good health.    

 So if you are Crushing for Color… get those big, bold, bushy, bright (that’s 4 B’s) geraniums into the ground or a large pot and savor that color for the next 3 months. Then look forward to their return around Halloween. 

Here’s a peek at my mine presently. Enjoy.

(Unfortunately, I have no photos of my brilliantly beautiful salmon color from our other yard).