How to Plant Cranesbill Geranium

 

The tuberous geranium plants are actually different from the familiar geranium which we all know and love. The well-known scented geraniums are actually not true geraniums. The scented geraniums are pelargoniums. The Tuberous geraniums which is also known as hardy geraniums, cranesbill or wild geraniums, are their slightly wild cousins. The pelargoniums growing in a container on your patio are annuals, while the tuberous geranium plants are actually perennials. Even though the two plants are related, they are very different. For beginners, the tuberous geranium plants vary substantially from pelargonium in color, shape, and blooming habits. As the name implies, the tuberous geranium plants actually spread via underground tubers. In spring, clumps of rosy lavender blooms marked with dark purple veins rise on wiry stems above lacy-looking foliage. The seedpod that appears at the end of the season really looks like crane’s beaks, thus the name “cranesbill.”

 

How to Plant Tuberous Geraniums

The Tuberous geraniums plant are suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones five through nine, the tuberous geranium plants may look delicate, but they are actually very tough. The Tuberous geraniums plants are also easy to grow. To grow Tuberous geraniums choose a planting location carefully. The flowers can be rambunctious, so make sure they have room to spread. The Tuberous geraniums plants tolerate nearly any soil, but they actually perform best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil – much like conditions in their natural environment. Full sun is really okay, however a little shade or dappled sunlight is best, most especially if you live in a climate with hot summers. Plant the tubers about four inches deep in spring or fall. Make sure you water well after planting. The Tuberous geranium plants are also drought tolerant once they are established. You can easily remove wilted blooms (deadhead) to extend the blooming period. The tuberous geraniums plants are cold hardy, but a generous layer of mulch such as compost, chopped leaves, or fine bark will protect the roots of the plant during the winter.