Propagating a precious geranium ( pelargonium)

hollydays

Good friend has a very sentimental and precious red geranium from her Mediterranean ( Cretan) garden and she's offered it to to me for cuttings.I don't have a greenhouse.

I don't want to get this wrong .

I'd like make lots of cuttings for us both, help please .

peter_the_piper

We cut the growing tip about 2-3" long, remove all the big leaves leaving the small ones at the tip.Allow 10 mins to dry the cut end(not in full sun) place into an open multipurpose compost (around the edge of a pot if not many) water and leave in good light, temp not less than 10deg C. so a warm room should suffice, DO NOT cover as you would with Fuchsias as they will rot without ventilation.You can use jiffy cells as these are also good. Rooting should take from 3-6 weeks depending on variety and temp. I have rarely taken intermediate stem cuttings but no reason why they should not be successful. Hormone is not necessary but no reason not to use if you usually do. Success should be from 60% -100%. Worth keeping the mother plant for cuttings later on.

A._Badger

peter_the_piper wrote: »

We cut the growing tip about 2-3" long, remove all the big leaves leaving the small ones at the tip.Allow 10 mins to dry the cut end(not in full sun) place into an open multipurpose compost (around the edge of a pot if not many) water and leave in good light, temp not less than 10deg C. so a warm room should suffice, DO NOT cover as you would with Fuchsias as they will rot without ventilation.You can use jiffy cells as these are also good. Rooting should take from 3-6 weeks depending on variety and temp. I have rarely taken intermediate stem cuttings but no reason why they should not be successful. Hormone is not necessary but no reason not to use if you usually do. Success should be from 60% -100%. Worth keeping the mother plant for cuttings later on.

I'd add two small things to that. Pelargoniums like a dry, gritty soil and tend to root more easily in a sandy compost. If you don't have any, add perlite to the multipurpose and if you can, use a clay pot, placing the cuttings at the edge of the pot just as peter_the_piper advises. Bottom heat will help too, if you have any way of applying it.