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The cranesbill (geranium) can be propagated by cuttings, root cuttings or division. Propagation by seed is also very grateful, for which you can also use seeds that you have collected yourself. But be careful: When collecting, you have to wait for the right time to ripen, because the cranesbill hurls its seeds very far away.
The right time is crucial when collecting cranesbill seeds
collect seeds yourself
Collecting cranesbill seeds is a difficult task. If you collect them too early, they will still be too green and will not germinate anyway. On the other hand, if you are too late, you can only collect the empty pods, because the plant ejects its ripe seeds several meters - in this way they soon germinate in places where you would never have guessed. Birds are also very fond of the delicious cranesbill seeds, so you should hurry up and get ahead of the hungry fowl for that reason alone.
How do I recognize ripe cranesbill seeds?
Ripe seeds can be recognized by the fact that the fruit jumps open quickly when touched - now you can collect!
Sow cranesbill seeds
You can sow the seeds of the cranesbill in spring (March / April at best) and cultivate them on the windowsill first.
- Fill seed pots (€16.68) or seed trays with a mixture of sand and soil.
- In there you sow the seeds, just covering them lightly with soil.
- Keep the substrate with the seeds evenly moist.
- Place the cultivation vessels in a light and warm place.
- If possible, cover them with cling film or something similar.
- The high humidity promotes germination.
- Alternatively, you can also use an indoor greenhouse.
- The seeds sprout very irregularly - some germinate quickly, others take much longer.
- As soon as the third leaf forms, the seedlings are pricked out.
- From the middle / end of May they can go outside.
As is so often the case, cranesbills usually only bloom in the second year. So don't be surprised if your young plants don't want to flower yet - that's completely normal.
tips
In various garden forums there are veritable exchanges where you can get seeds of different species and varieties of cranesbill in exchange for seeds of other plants.