I don't care for geraniums but

darn it - hit the wrong button and posted too soon

Continuing ----
In spring I take cuttings for a supply of bedding plants for the next summer. This has worked well for me for decades.
Last year they were disappointing, hardly any flowers and a really poor show.
I don't know what I was doing wrong, I'm aware they prefer poor soil so I don't feed them - do you think I starved them?

Morning ExDancer. I feed my flowering plants during the summer.
But last summer they didn’t do too well.
I pot up my pellargoniums/geraniums for winter and take cuttings.
Good luck!

I don't like the smell they leave on my hands, but they are pretty enough. And, in hanging baskets, they're hardy enough for my son to ignore them all week until I water them at the weekend! None of mine has survived this winter, nor his (50 miles away), nor my neighbour's. Last summer was disappointing, the new ones and the ones that had made it through the previous winter.

They cannot be left out all winter here in Cumbria and I also hate the smell. I was always told not to feed them as that encourages them to grow good strong leaves at the expense of flowers.
Do you think I should feed the cuttings as soon as they are established, but not during the summer months? I've never done that before, but it may make sense.
I do find them so easy to look after as I've got older, and so colourful, as well as being free if you take the cuttings from a strong established 'mother' plant.

I take cuttings in the autumn, pot them, water them, shove them next to the window in the garage under a clear plastic cloche (or you can put a clear polythene bag over each pot), and pretty much abandon them until spring.

I used to think that Pelargoniums were a bit boring - now with these blusteringly hot summers - I think that they are the true heroes of the flower bed !

I have wintered them indoors , but they aren't that great .

If I had a greenhouse and more time - I'd take cuttings for fresh plants as I used to .

There are some outstanding new varieties of Pelargoniums and that's what I plan for this summer .

I've found that the slugs and snails seem to leave my geraniums alone but my poor petunias get an absolute trouncing, maybe something tastes bad in the leaves? So it's geraniums again this year

I think last summer was so hot that many plants struggled as much as they do in harsh cold. I had many plants that died off in the heat and later cane back for a second go. Maybe your pelargoniums just struggled ☀️ and it was nothing that you did.

I have some trailing pelargoniums that have been outside for about three years. They have flowered really well. I used to cut them back in the spring. I have never taken cuttings as I have nowhere to put them.

We live by the sea so don't usually get frosts. However, we had a few really frosty days earlier this year and they have all died. I will buy some plug plants this year to replace them

Have any of you had success with growing them from seed?

I think I have lost some this winter, certainly outside and some of the ones in the greenhouse. I have some cuttings to pot on but I'm not sure what colours they are. There should be 4 different colours, which I've had for years. I hope they are all there so I can make more.

Interesting that some don’t like the smell of pelargoniums. I love it. I fill patio pots with scarlet pelargoniums every year. No other colour will do! Never had success with cuttings or overwintering so have given up there.

ExDancer

Have any of you had success with growing them from seed?

No, not from seed but I did buy some tiny plug plants last year. I think I had about 60 for £10. They took a bit of looking after as they needed potting on etc but it was a cheap way to get lots of plants.
I thought they were going to be a complete waste of money, time and effort but most did well once the really hot days were passed. I have overwintered some of them in the conservatory and am hoping they will do well this year.

I'd love to grow more plants from seeds as I used to .
I find planting seeds really frustrating , because there are so many cats and squirrels in the garden .
My neighbour feed foxes and they cause problems too .
On one occasion ; my neighbour's four cats queued up to enjoy their new toilet as I'd just dug a new patch !
Most of my neighbours just have trees and shrubs surrounding a lawn and don't really have flower beds providing nice soft soil .
If seeds make seedlings - they are vulnerable too .
Planting in pots doesn't deter them either .
I use lots of kebab sticks to protect my plants and sprinkle plenty of citrus peel around .
In the past , I've had cold frames which are useful .
There's no room for a greenhouse .
I've just been given some cloches , which I'll try with some netting .
The only seeds , which I persist with are my iris ones from hybridising .

I like geraniums and grow some each summer. I've never been able to over winter them. I've sort of decided to plant more this coming summer as I thought they are fairly drought tolerant. Also begonias, they seem to thrive on less water.
So many plants didn't thrive last summer due to the hot weather so I am thinking about what's best to plant this year.

I love enormous pots of red geraniums. I lack the strength, but my husband moves the pots to over-winter in his work buildings. Brilliant, some are 25 years old.