Perennial geranium

I think the geraniums I have are Rozanne (not sure). Put them in 3 weeks ago. They are leggy and ugly. Any ideas/suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by GardenThymeGirl on July 6, 2008 at 7:03pm

If you have Rozanne--they require part sun to full sun and good drainage. You can cut them back to 3 inches to rejuvenate them. Dr. Armitage of UGA has mentioned them in different forums as the best geranium he has grown in his trial gardens in Athens, GA.

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Permalink Reply by MarciaB on July 6, 2008 at 11:00pm

Thanks so much! Every author/speaker has such praise for these plants. I'm not sure why, unless mine aren't Rozanne. Should I cut all the sprawling stems back to 3 inches from the main stem? I do this with all my other plants with no problem. I'm just hesitant to do it with these since they are a first for me. I guess I should just do what I tell everybody else to do: try it. If they die, buy new ones!

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Permalink Reply by GardenThymeGirl on July 7, 2008 at 8:38am

I would cut them back to where they look healthier--even if that's leaving more than 3 inches on the stems. I would hold off giving them any fertilizer for a little bit and then only provide a very small amount of fertilizer--especially if the plants are stressed/unhealthy. These geraniums look great under taller plants and flowers--so I'm sure that's one of the reasons many folks have them. Also--they are noted for their hardiness, blooms and their attractiveness. They are the perennial plant of the year for 2008.

With droughty conditions in our area--I find a rain gauge extremely invaluable. If you are not receving about an inch of rain in YOUR yard each week--you will need to supplementaly water a lot of your plants--especially the ornamental plants/flowers. I have found a great resource at Lowes--a timer you can place on your hose. You can set up a watering system each week if you require supplemental watering. For example: If you set up a sprinkler--put a small can where it can catch the water. See how long it takes to fill up an inch of water. You can then determine how long to use your sprinkler system in each area of your yard. It does look like some rain is in the forecast this week--so let's be hopeful.

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Permalink Reply by MarciaB on July 7, 2008 at 4:23pm

I appreciate the info. I'll try it and hope for the best. This is why I just joined GardenAsheville. It's great to talk to other gardeners. Thanks for the advice.