If you love geraniums but are getting tired of the ever rising cost of buying them every spring – it’s time to start your own from seed this year indoors!
Geraniums are one of the most classic flowering plants of all – and are they ever versatile. They not only perform well in hanging baskets, containers and raised beds – but can also fill flowerbeds with big color as well. But one thing is for sure – they can be expensive to buy year after year.
Although geraniums are technically a perennial (in tropical regions), most gardeners grow them as an annual. And unfortunately, up until recently, most geraniums were grown from cuttings or plugs – simply because growing them from seeds wasn’t very efficient or reliable. But has that ever changed!
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Thanks to a tremendous amount of improvements in both seed quality and the development of stunning hybrid varieties, growing geraniums from seed has become much more practical these days.
Now, by simply purchasing a packet or two of seeds, you can grow a whole slew of these flowering beauties for what it used to cost you for just a few plants. But as you will see below, the key to success is to start your seeds early!
How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
If you want your geraniums to thrive, it’s important to start the seeds indoors – and much earlier than you would for vegetable plants and annual flowers.
Geraniums are naturally slow growers, and they take time to develop and bloom. While some flowers might start blooming as soon as 8 weeks after planting, geraniums usually need at least 12 weeks or even longer to reach their full flowering potential.
For this reason, it’s hard to simply wait for your outdoor soil to warm and plant seeds directly in the soil. With the long seed to flowering time, the plants just wouldn’t begin flowering until late summer.
With early flowering success in mind, it’s best to begin planting your seeds indoors about 10 weeks before you plan to move the plants outdoors. To determine the right time, simply count backwards from your region’s last expected frost date.
For example, if your last frost date is around May 15th, you should start your seeds indoors in mid February. This timeline ensures the plants have plenty of time to grow strong and healthy before they’re transplanted outside.
Choosing Geranium Seeds
When selecting seeds, you’ll find a wide variety of colors and types to choose from. Geraniums come in shades of red, pink, white, lavender, salmon, and orange. Some varieties even have variegated or multicolored blooms that can add extra interest to wherever you grow them.
Note that if you select heirloom seeds, you will be able to save seed from year to year. Hybrid options can be beautiful too – but you will have to repurchase seeds each year as the plants will not replicate the same seeds. Affiliate Seed Link: 100+ Mixed Geranium Seeds Non-GMO Heirloom Geranium Seeds
Soak Those Seeds! How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
Geranium seeds can be slow to germinate, but there’s a simple trick to speed up the process. And that process is to soak the seeds prior to planting. By soaking them first, it hydrates the seed. It can often shave a week or more off the germination time!
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The process is easy. First, moisten a paper towel and spread the seeds across it. Next, fold the paper towel so the seeds are enclosed inside of it. Then, all you need to do is place the folded towel in a plastic container with a lid or inside a sealed plastic bag.
Keep the container in a warm room or location and allow the seeds to soak for 24 to 36 hours. The moisture will help the seeds absorb water, making them ready to sprout far faster when planted.
Planting – How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
Starting geranium seeds is similar to starting vegetable seeds, but there’s one key difference: geraniums need more space to grow. Since they require about 10 weeks of indoor growth, it’s best to plant them in larger cells or containers.
Avoid using small seed trays with tiny cells. These just won’t provide enough room for the plants to develop healthy root systems. Instead, choose seed trays with larger cells that are at least 2″ x 2″ x 2″ – or plant seeds in individual containers or pots. Affiliate Link: 2.5inch Square Nursery Pots with 5Pcs Seed Starting Trays
Using larger cells or containers has an added benefit as well – it reduces the need for transplanting, which can temporarily slow a plants’ growth. That, of course, can delay blooming even longer.
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Preparing The Containers – How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
Once you’ve soaked your seeds and your containers are ready – it’s time to plant! Use a loose, nutrient-rich seed starting soil mix to fill your containers. This will provide the young plants with the nutrients they need to grow strong right from the start.
Plant the seeds about 1/4 inch deep. To ensure sprouting success, it’s best to plant two seeds in about half of the containers. This way, you’ll have backup seedlings you can easily lift and transplant if some seed cells don’t germinate. Water the soil lightly with a spray bottle, being careful not to overwater.
Cover the containers with a plastic dome or plastic wrap to keep the soil moist and warm. Place the trays in a room that stays around 70°F or higher. With these conditions, the seeds should germinate within 5 to 10 days, especially if you soaked them beforehand.
Using The Right Lighting – How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the plastic cover and place the seedlings under artificial light. While a sunny window might seem like a good idea, it usually doesn’t provide enough consistent light for strong growth.
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Instead, use fluorescent or LED shop lights, positioning them about an inch above the plants. Raise the lights as the seedlings grow to encourage steady, healthy development. You do not need to use expensive grow lights to get geranium seedlings to grow.
To help your geraniums grow quickly and fill out, it’s best to give them a little boost of fertilizer. For this, use an all-purpose liquid fertilizer at half the recommended strength. Affiliate Link: Geranium Fertilizer, Complete Grow and Flowering Liquid Geranium Plant Food.
Start feeding the plants when they are about 4 weeks old, then continue every 2 weeks after that. This regular feeding schedule will promote strong, vibrant plants that are ready to thrive outdoors.
Hardening Off Geraniums – How To Start Geraniums From Seed Indoors
Before moving your geraniums outside, they will need to adjust to outdoor conditions. This process is known as hardening off. When the weather begins to warm, take the plants outside during the day and place them in a sheltered spot. A back porch or deck is usually ideal.
Bring them back indoors at night, especially if temperatures drop. Gradually increase the time the plants spend outdoors each day. After a week or two, they should be ready to stay outside full-time, as long as there’s no risk of frost.
At this point, you can plant them into the ground, into containers – or hanging baskets. One thing is for sure, growing your own from seed will give you a lot of plants – at a fraction of the cost! Happy Gardening – Jim & Mary.
Old World Garden Farms
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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