Brightly colored pots, long and abundant blooms, that’s why we love summer too! When you take your clay pots out of their winter shelter, I suggest you prepare two pots of classic zonal geraniums (which are actually pelargoniums).
The steps to plant a zonal geranium
For a more beautiful effect, choose a large decorative terracotta pot of at least 30 centimeters in diameter.
- If it is not pierced, place a bed of clay balls or pebbles at the bottom and fill it halfway with a mixture of potting soil and homemade compost.
- Meanwhile, soak the three pelargonium cups in a basin to rehydrate the clumps before repotting.
- Then unmold them and untangle the fine roots.
- Place the plants on the potting soil and fill in any gaps with the potting soil-compost mixture.
- Pack lightly with your fingers and fill with good quality potting soil up to 1.5 cm from the edge. Watering will be easier if the level of potting soil is kept back.
- Incorporate now a fertilizer in cone (2 for the three plants are enough) that you push between the clods. This long-lasting fertilizer will release nutrients throughout the season with each watering or under the effect of rainwater.
- You can also cover the substrate with a dry mulch or coconut mulch which will diffuse the water more delicately, thus avoiding the settling and the brutal drying of the soil.
- Place your pot in full sun and cut the faded bouquets as you go along to provoke the renewal of the flowering which will then spread out until the first autumn frost.
- If you transplant young plants that are already vigorous, you can remove a few leaves at the base. This small gesture will promote the growth of your annual.
2 Remarkable pelargonium geraniums !
Pelargoniums are among the most beautiful flowers for window boxes. There are many varieties, with various colors and habits. The Zonal Pelargonium produces thick, almost fleshy leaves and elegant flowers in clusters.
Blue Wonder Cranesbill
is a flowering variety that blooms from May to October with a multitude of intense blue flowers. Here is a plant of modest size (40 cm approximately) whose color of the flowers will associate wonderfully with a clear pot (cream, orange…)
The zonal geranium Flower Fairy Splash
is covered with delicate pale pink flowers with a bright purple center. This geranium will be perfect in a bright corner of your terrace, topping a pot or a terracotta planter in chocolate color for example.