Would you like to always feel like being on vacation? Is your ideal home a quaint little house, painted in pastel shades? If you have fallen in love with Spanish towns bathing in the sun and the bright cascades of flowers, we have good news for you.
You can create the same holiday look right at home. Let your imagination fly and don’t set any limits to your creativity. You can change the look of your home with colorful flowers that will delight you throughout the summer and into the fall. Ivy geraniums can be the main ingredient in creating a bright, vibrant and inviting summer atmosphere.
Learn how to grow ivy geraniums on your balcony or terrace: tips for beginners
Growing geraniums on balconies and terraces is common in almost every city in Europe. If you choose to visit picturesque towns and villages away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, you will see chic cottages brightened by the spectacular colors of geraniums that seem to never stop growing.
Geraniums have adapted very well to moderate and hot climatic conditions, and they bloom profusely in summer and fall, until the first frosts, if kept properly.
Let’s see how you can grow spectacular ivy geraniums on your balcony or terrace.
Planting in pots
You can buy good quality geranium seeds from online gardening catalogs and specialty stores. Professional sellers will also include guidelines for successful germination and care for the plants. Geranium seeds are easy to grow from seeds, as the seedlings appear quickly and they are quite hardy.
Once the seedlings grow 2-4 real leaves, they should be planted in long, narrow pots. This way, once they start flowering, they will create that special effect of a flower curtain that covers walls and railings beautifully.
Take into account the watering preferences of ivy geraniums: they are water-loving flowers, but do not tolerate excess moisture and a permanently moist soil. Therefore, you should choose pots with holes that allow efficient drainage of water to avoid rotting of the roots.
Choosing the right type of soil
Grow ivy geraniums in pots filled with fine, fertile garden soil. You can mix garden soil with a small amount of sand and clay, or you can buy plant soil that already contains nutrients for geraniums.
Regular maintenance
Ivy geraniums grow best if the dry leaves and wilted flowers are removed on a regular basis. Inspect them once every 2 or 3 days and remove any dry plant parts to keep your plant healthy and help it bloom continuously.
Positioning on the balcony or terrace
Ivy geraniums are light-loving plants. Position them so that they can receive as much light as possible during the summer days, but shield them from direct sunlight, especially on hot days when the temperature exceeds 26-28 degrees Celsius.
Be careful not to place them in the shade because they will not grow and bloom as you wish. Geraniums thrive in the sun, the problem occurs only during days with hot temperatures.
Efficient watering
Because of the stem structure of ivy geraniums, they have to be watered at the base of the root. On sunny days, geraniums should be watered early in the morning, or in the evening immediately after sunset.
You should water geraniums once every two days, especially if the soil feels dry. Be careful not to overwater, as too much water may damage the roots.
Pinching off the shoots and trimming
To ensure rich flowering and brightly colored blooms, ivy geraniums should be trimmed periodically. You will need to remove shoots that grow too fast and messy, as they become too long, thin and unsightly if they don’t receive enough sunlight.
In the spring, when still resting, the ivy geraniums should be cut back. Cut off shoots with at least 3 knots and use them for propagation. This procedure is recommended to invigorate the plants and regenerate mature geraniums.