Ivy geraniums are eye-catching for his or her lengthy, trailing stems studded with ivy-shaped leaves. And in terms of showers of splashy blooms, this sun-loving magnificence is in a category by itself. Give it just a little care (it is easy!), and you may get pleasure from flowers for months on finish. You will need to put this ivy leaf geranium in a dangling basket to point out it off.
Right here you may uncover how one can get probably the most blooms, when to water and fertilize, plus how one can overwinter your plant.
Pink-and-white blooms make this ivy geranium a knock-out container plant. Picture: PollyDotGet to Know Ivy Leaf Geraniums
This ivy leaf geranium sports activities clusters of alluring flowers, however the 5-lobed foliage that cowl its lengthy, slender stems is showy in itself. Its leaves look much like English ivy, however with rounded edges. Considerably fleshy, they’re about 2 to 2-3/4 inches huge.
How large does ivy geranium get? Its weak, sprawling stems will path as much as 3 ft (90 cm).
You’ll be able to prepare the stems to climb, if you need. Climbing geraniums look stunning on a trellis inserted into the pot.
Recognized botanically as Pelargonium peltatum, this charming perennial is native to South Africa. The named varieties are hybrids, and supply a large choice of attractive colours.
Ivy Geranium Varieties
New varieties supply a wide selection. Ivy geranium colours could also be white, pink, lavender, purple, orange, salmon, pink or burgundy. Historically single, 5-petaled flowers, many more moderen cultivars have semidouble or double blooms. Some are bicolored and patterned.
You will discover geranium hanging basket crops on the market in spring and summer time. Search for Pelargonium peltatum to make sure you are getting this ivy leaf geranium. ‘Galilee’ sports activities variegated leaves and rose-pink flowers. ‘L’Elegante’ is a well-liked selection with leaves edged in creamy white and a tinge of pink. ‘Rouletta’ has red-and-white blooms. ‘Mauve Magnificence’ has double flowers that seem like small rose blossoms.
Crinkled Pelargonium leaves are upstaged by attractive flowers. Picture: Erich WestendarpCaring for Ivy Geranium 12 months-Spherical
Pinch and prune. Pinch off new stems recurrently to encourage branching and to form them as they develop. Deadhead spent flowers to maintain your plant wanting neat and to advertise extra blooms. Pruning geraniums again laborious in spring will hold them compact.
Repot in spring. Ivy geranium blooms greatest if barely pot-bound. Transfer your plant to a pot 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) bigger whenever you see roots rising via the drainage holes. Or hold it in the identical pot and simply give it recent potting combine.
Give it a winter relaxation. Overwinter geraniums in a cool basement or storage with a minimal temperature of fifty°F/10°C. Water sparingly and cease fertilizing throughout this winter relaxation.
Picture istockphotoIvy Geranium Plant Care Ideas
Gentle: Brilliant mild to full solar. Give your ivy leaf geranium as a lot mild as you may spring via fall. Transfer it outside for the summer time, if you happen to like. Simply convey it again inside when the temperature drops beneath 50°F/10°C. This can be a tender perennial that does not just like the chilly.
Water: Maintain soil evenly moist, not soggy. Permit the highest 1-inch (2.5 cm) of soil to dry between waterings. Reduce on watering in winter, however do not permit the soil to dry out utterly.
Humidity: Common room (round 40-50% relative humidity). Use a cool-mist room humidifier to extend moisture across the plant.
Temperature: Cool nights (55-60°F/13-16°C) and heat days (65-75°F/18-24°C) will set off flower buds.
Soil: Peat moss-based soilless combine.
Fertilizer: To get probably the most blooms, feed each 3 weeks with a high-phosphorus fertilizer solely whereas the ivy geranium is budding and flowering. Excessive-nitrogen fertilizers given to younger crops will convey loads of foliage progress, however few flowers.
Propagation: Take stem cuttings in spring and root in recent potting combine. Geraniums are straightforward to develop from seeds, too. Sow seeds in early spring.