Noble geraniums (bot. Pelargonium grandiflorum) are botanically not "real" geraniums (bot. Geranium) and much more sensitive to frost than these. You should always keep this in mind when growing. In principle, propagation by cuttings or sowing is possible.
Noble geraniums are easy to propagate from cuttings
Sowing noble geraniums
Sowing the easy-care noble geraniums requires a lot of patience, so you should start doing so in January or early February. Scatter the seeds on high-quality growing substrate and only give a little soil over them, because noble geraniums belong to the light germs. That's why they absolutely need a bright and warm place to germinate. Temperatures around 20 °C to 22 °C are ideal.
Put a transparent film over the seed pots (€16.68) or place them in a propagator. Always keep the substrate slightly moist during the germination period and air the seed every day. This will prevent it from getting moldy. When the seedlings are a few centimeters tall, they can be pricked out in nutrient-rich compost soil.
Sowing in brief:
- Sow in January or early February
- light germinator
- optimal germination temperature: 20 °C to 22 °C
- Keep substrate evenly moist
- Air seeds daily
Grow noble geraniums from cuttings
If you prefer to grow your noble geraniums for your balcony from cuttings, then late summer is the best time for this. Take head cuttings that are about 10 to 15 centimeters long and are no longer very young. They should already have turned brown and have neither buds nor flowers. Defoliate these shoots down to the top pair of leaves.
Plant the cuttings about an inch deep in a mixture of two parts compost or potting soil and one part sand. Water your cuttings well and overwinter them in a warm, bright spot indoors.
The propagation of cuttings in brief:
- Cuttings are best cut in late summer
- Head cuttings without buds and flowers
- about 10 to 15 cm long
- remove all but the top pair of leaves
- about 1 cm deep in the growing medium
- water vigorously
- place warm and bright
- Keep substrate moist
tips
Do not use shoots that are too young for cuttings, as these rot particularly easily.