Pelargoniums, or Geraniums as they are commonly known, are an exceedingly popular summer flowering variety. These plants are low maintenance, yielding long-lasting displays of colour from June to October.

When to plant geraniums

Don’t rush the planting season – geraniums are not cold hardy. But if you wait too long, you risk missing the cool night temperatures that encourage budding.

Depending on the type of geranium, the plant may bloom in midsummer, late summer, or autumn, though sometimes the flowers have a mind of their own and they’ll burst into bloom in spring.

Where to plant geraniums

When growing geraniums outdoors, they require moist, well-draining soil similar to that of indoor potting soil with equal amounts of soil, peat, and perlite.

Plant your geraniums in an area with at least six to eight hours of sunlight.

Try to space plants about 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm) apart and around the same depth as their original planting pots. Mulching the plants is also recommended to help retain moisture.

How to plant geraniums

When your Geraniums first arrive, place the tray in a frost-free, light, draught free area (if you do not have any indoor space, cover the tray with horticultural fleece and leave in a sheltered spot in the garden) and water gently either by misting or by standing in a shallow tray of water.

Allow the plants to rest for 24 hours. Don’t worry if the leaves appear slightly yellow or if a small amount of compost has come away from the root blocks.

Medium-sized geraniums should be grown on for 2 – 4 weeks before planting out, large-sized geraniums can be planted straight out as long as the risk of frost has passed. 

• Ensure plants have been well watered.
• Use your finger or a pencil to push the individual cells up from below and out of the tray. Pull gently up by gripping one of the leaves. Do not try and grab the stem as this will significantly damage the plant.
• Fill 9cm pots with compost and create a small hole in each to plant the cell in (one plant per pot). Ensure the point at which the leaves and stem are joined is above the top of the soil, firm the plant in gently.
• Water gently immediately after transplanting and place in a warm light position out of direct sunlight.
• Feed using a liquid feed after one week and keep well watered.
• After 2 – 4 weeks they should be ready for planting out into beds, borders hanging baskets or planters keeping the full stem exposed and the plug submerged so the top of the plug is level with the soil surface. Once planted water in generously.
• If there is still a slight risk of frost once planted out, protect with fleece overnight to prevent discolouration of the leaves.

Geranium plant care

It’s easy to create a fantastic show with our geraniums, for best results follow these general care guidelines:

1. Grow indoors for 2 – 4 weeks before planting out.
2. Plant out after the risk of frost has passed – if you do not have an indoor space to store your plants the tray can be covered with horticultural fleece and stored in a sheltered spot in the garden.
3. Water regularly throughout the summer.
4. Feed weekly – geranium fertiliser is ideal.

Ready to plant your own geraniums? Take a look at our geranium collection.