Scented Geraniums, correctly referred to as Pelargoniums, are from the Geranium Family, Geraniaceae. A widely distributed genre containing approximately 800 species, Scenteds are classified as a pungent herb and have scents ranging from rose, citrus, apple, nut, spice, mint and many others. Many varieties of scented geraniums are available and the aromatic oils contained in their leaves are widely used throughout the perfumery industry, as well as being culinary, medicinal, sensory and a total pleasure to enjoy throughout the garden and home.
On receipt of your new plants....
Carefully remove the packing material from the box/packaging and lift out the plastic bags with the plants in.
Ideally, pot up your plants on the day of arrival but if there is to be a delay check that the compost around the root ball is moist. If it isn't, slightly water the inside of the plastic bag and this will prevent the plants frombecoming distressedfor a day or so. Store in a cool place inside and away from direct heat and light.
Where to plant, indoors or out?
Scenteds may be planted in the garden or placed in pots on window cills in the home. Thiswill bedependent on the time of year, in conjunction with where you live, and your preference.
Scented Geraniums are frost tender and should only be planted directly outside in the UK from late May through to October after all danger of frosts have passed. The remainder of the year they should be over-wintered inside, either in a greenhouse or in the home. They may, of course, be enjoyed in the home throughout the year and provide living, natural fragrance to make each room special.
For European countries, other than the UK, assess your frost risks and bring indoors during this time.
Ø Outdoors If you intend to plant directly in the garden it is advisable to acclimatise your plants gradually to their new location. Over a period of about 4 days increase the length of time outside each day, preferably in a partly sunny spot, and bring them back in by late afternoon or early evening. Regularly check that they haven’t dried out and keep moist but do not over water. By the 5th day they will be acclimatised enough to be planted in to the garden or may be displayed in containers. Terracotta pots are the most suitable as they naturally drain as scented geraniums do not like to be sitting in wet compost. Ideally, they do require about 5 – 6 hours of sunshine a day but will tolerate partial shade and still perform well. There are at least a dozen varieties that make attractive hanging basket plants and several others for creating topiaries and espaliers.
Ø Indoors Scented Geraniums are not picky about temperature but do prefer to be slightly cooler than standard geraniums. A range of 55º - 70º is ideal and if they sit on a south facing window cill net or sheer curtains are a perfect screen to prevent sunburn.
Ø Planting Medium A light commercial potting mix with plenty of perlite or sand incorporated for drainage is ideal. Well drained compost in pots or soil in the garden is essential as scented geraniums do not like wet feet. Ph should be neutral to slightly acid, about 6.0 is fine.
Ø Watering These plants are indigenous to a cool, semi-desert area and are tolerant to drought conditions. Provide a good watering and then let them dry out well before watering again. Over the winter period reduce the watering and just keep the compost moist. Neglect is much better than over watering. If you have a tendency to over water use a terracotta or clay pot to aid natural drainage as these are porous.
Ø Feeding Scented Geraniums do not require a lot of fertiliser, however, a regular fortnightly feed, half strength to your usual pot plants, during active growth is recommended. A slow release fertiliser is suitable and they respond extremely well to an additional magnesium sulphate feed (epsom salts) but overfeeding with nitrogen will diminish their fragrance. Do not fertilise at all during the dormancy period over winter.
Ø Light Scented Geraniums do best in bright light and will require ample direct winter sun if grown indoors. In the garden a few hours of direct sunshine will be enough. Try and avoid overheated spots in the garden as they prefer a daytime temperature outdoors of around 70 degrees.
Ø Pruning Always prune! Some plants may arrive to you looking as if they have received an haircut and they probably have. These plants are not damaged, in fact, pruning encourages bushy, dense and lush growth. To keep your plant in good shape and to prevent it becoming leggy as it matures you really do need to once in a while….prune. You will not do it any damage by giving it a good trim and will be amazed at how good it looks again in a very short space of time.
Ø Propagating and Pinching Starting new plants from your existing scenteds is really easy and makes a great gift for your family and friends. When you prune back your plants use the cut off material as cuttings. It’s that simple. Either place the cut ends in damp sand to root or pot them up in a plant pot in potting to match the size of the cutting and keep them in a warm room. It is a good idea to use a potting compost as you will find the new plants will root more readily. Alternatively, you will notice that new plantlets form at the point where a flower has died back and these may be pinched out and potted on in to small plant pots. Do not use rooting hormone, they don’t like it. Check daily and keep the potting compost damp and you will be amazed at how quickly they root and form a brand new scented geranium, all for free. Plant in to your garden in late Spring or in to containers for your home or for outside.
ØRepotting As your plant grows into a stunning specimen and becomes larger it will require potting on into a bigger pot. This should be one size larger than present as they do like restricted roots. Alternatively, you can take more cuttings or divide to create a even more scented geranium plants.
Ø Winter Care As we’ve already mentioned Scenteds are frost tender and will die if left out over the winter. The bonus is that when you bring them in for the winter they will often continue to flower for several months and make great house plants which will fill you home with the most wonderful of living, natural fragrances. A couple of weeks before it is time to move them back out in to the garden, give them a good prune and repot them. Acclimatise to outside conditions just as you did when you received your new plant. Of course, by then, you will probably just love the aromatic scents so much you’ll want to keep them inside.
Other Useful information
In general scented geraniums are really easy to look after and are pest free and do not have significant problems. However, below is a list which advises what to look out for and what to do:
- Discoloured leaves – mottling, streaking, curling or abnormal colour patterns; possible cause may be a viral infection which is often carried by insect pests. Once infected there isn’t a cure and plants should be destroyed immediately. Prevention – regular watering and fertilisation will keep plants healthy and ward off pests.
- Leaf Spot – brown or yellow spots with black edges; good air circulation and cleanliness are essential and will lower the risk of this disease. If you notice any spots on leaves remove and destroy immediately. Once this disease gets a hold on the whole plant the only thing to do is destroy it.
- Botrytis/Grey Mould – rotting of stems and leaves; thrives in damp, cold and moist conditions and is a fungal disease. Good air circulation and monitor over watering. Remove any diseased plant parts immediately and destroy.
- Geranium Aphids – tiny sap sucking insects which may spread viral diseases; control by knocking them off with a strong stream of water, an application of insecticidal soap especially to the underside of leaves, or alternatively, introduce natural beneficial insects to the area. The latter being easier to do if you house your scenteds in a greenhouse!
- Other Pests – mealy bugs, whiteflies, red spider mites; mostly a problem during very dry spells treat as for aphids above.
Why won’t my geraniums flower?
A common reason for non-flowering is due to over fertilisation, mainly too much nitrogen. Nitrogen is essential for healthy leaf growth but, as mentioned previously, it is better to feed at half the amount of the stated dose. We find that a separate feed of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) does the job and your geraniums will soon be blooming profusely. Like all plants, though, they do need to take a rest and mostly over the winter period growth and flowering will stop.
What should I do when some of the flowers die off?
Gently nip off any spent blooms and destroy and this will encourage new buds to open. This is referred to as deadheading and applies to any flowering plant. This will promote continuing growth and will give you a longer period of pleasure. Like most situations in life some common sense is called for and there will come a time when your plant needs a rest, which is mainly during the winter months. You will recognise this when buds are no longer forming indicating that the plant is slowing down.
Of course there might be an instance that we haven’t covered and if you would like to contact us via email we’ll do our best to answer any questions.
