Evening star., 1948-12-12
Geraniums: Indoors and Out
Requirements Are Easy to Satisfy But
Plants Must Have Rest Period
By w. H. Younqmon

that has full sun most Of the day.
The geranium has one popularity
that we need to recognize. II we
are to have satisfactory results, it
cannot be expected to remain in
bloom indefinitely. Usually 1t will
flower for six months and then in
sist on a long rest period. Thus
plants that have flowered in a bed
throughout the summer should not
be potted up and brought indoors
for further Towering during the
winter. However, young plants just
coming into bloom in the late sum-
mer or early fall may be potted and
under favorable growing conditions
they should provide good bloom.
Advice About Cuttings.
Generally, it will pay to start ge-
raniums for winter bloom in May
or June. Cuttings taken at that
season will be nicely rooted and will
have reached Towering size by cold
weather. While cuttings root fairly
we'll at any season, they seem to
give the best results (per cent
rooted if taken in February and
September. The slips, branches
taken from older plants, should be
3 to 4 inches in length -four to five
joints. Remove the lower leaves
and allow the cuttings to dry out
for a few hours. Whiting does not
hurt them at this stage.
Then place the cuttings in sand,
horticultural vermiculite or fly ash,
which should be lrmed about the
base to a depth of inches (cover
at least two nodes. Moisten the
sand and place the pot of cuttings
in a light place-not full sun. In
about two weeks the roots should
begin to form, but do not be dis
couraged before the end of the
third week since some varieties are
slower to root than others. When
the roots are an inch Or so long,
the cuttings should be transferred
to individual pots filled with sandy
soil mixture. AS the roots become
pot bound the plants should be
shifted to the next larger-sized pot,
until by blooming time they are in
312 or 4 inch pots. During this Pc
riod it will pay to remove all buds
and to keep turning the plants to
encourage symmetrical development.
If necessary the longer-growing
branches may be ''pinched" to in
duce branching.
Florists will Provide n Start.
Beginners should depend upon
the florist for their first plants.
The problem for them is what va
riety or varieties to start with. AS
for most other kinds of plants it is
a matter of individual preference
However, here are few Of the
more popular varieties for indoor
bloom. Olympic or AlphonSe Ric-
ard, red; Madame Recamier or
Laube, white; Beaute Depotevine
or Picardy, salmon pink; Madame
Landry, apricot shaded copper. and
Beauty of Chatsworth or Enchant-
ress Fiat, pink.
What I have written hardly
agrees with the old saying that
ANY one can grow a geranlum," !"
but it does imply that with a rea-
sonable amount of care which in
cludes temperature, soil, moisture
and sunlight we may enjoy these
colorful flowers. January is likely
to be the month with the fewest
bloom since it normally has the
fewest sunny days. A few plants
in a sunny window may be expected
to give winter-long pleasure. As
experience Is gained and space per-
mitS new varieties and different
types of geraniun1s may be added
to the collection. Rememher-don't
expect a geranium to bloom both
summer and winter. They need q
rest period in between and, besides,
young plants are more attractive.