Geraniums will do the bulk of their growing in the spring and summer, a time when they can be divided to produce new pots of plants. They also can be propagated from cuttings, rooting readily in jars of water and then planted in moist potting soil. Pruning plants to keep them compact and full is one way of harvesting foliage for potpourris and other uses. Leaves can be dried in a microwave or laid out to air dry. The foliage is pretty enough on many of the scented geraniums to warrant being pressed and used artistically.
Shapes range from gently to extremely serrated, from softly round to deeply lobed.
White flies are the only pest to look for. They are controlled with sticky traps and with frequent dousing of plant foliage with insecticidal spray. Outdoors, geraniums seem to be free of pests. Indoors, in winter, scented geraniums reveal their charms in the way a room is filled with a fragrance at the touch of a leaf. They are worth collecting throughout the year for the pleasure they bring in January, when little else is green and sweet smelling.