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Geranium cuttings, easy to prepare

Tray full of geranium cuttings

Cuttings is surely one of the easiest techniques for propagating geraniums in an affordable manner.

At the end of summer, when the shrub is blooming or in spring when the vegetation phase kicks off, you will have the chance to prepare new plants from the one you already have!

Season to prepare geranium cuttings

The best period for cuttings begins in August and continues until the end of September.

But you can also start trying as early as April when the vegetation phase has started, because success rates are still very high.

Geranium cutting preparation technique

  1. Select one of the nicest stems from your geranium: a stem with no flowers that has grown during the year.
    Collect such stems from healthy mother plants that have started growing again.
  2. Snip the stems about 4 inches (10 cm) from the tip of the geranium, just below an eye.
    You may cut several at once, this will increase your success rate.
  3. Remove lower leaves, bringing leaf count down to only the topmost leaves.
  4. Dip this portion of the stem in water for a couple minutes, and then in a mix called cutting agent hormones. This can be found in horticulture stores.
    Cuttings may still succeed without this rooting agent, but using it will increase your success rate.
  5. Plant the cutting(s) in a pot with special cutting soil mix, or a mix of soil mix and sand.
    Space each cutting around 2 to 4 inches (15 to 20 cm) apart.
  6. Place your cuttings outdoors in the shade, except for cuttings prepared in spring which are best kept indoors until outside temperatures reach 70°F (20°C).
  7. Water regularly but without overdoing it, or the nascent roots will drown.
  8. Keep your cuttings in a cool, dry, ventilated place which does not freeze over the winter.
  9. You can plant them in the ground come spring.

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Other techniques to prepare cuttings