Clinton News-Record, 1984-04-25, Page 52Page 10
Geraniums canmake attra�tive flower garden border
The traditional geranium is a favorite flower garden plant. Easy to grow and attractive,
the geranium can be used in pots, as an accent, or in borders.
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Geraniuniis -are one Of the (lost popular available as started plants this spring from
plants for the flower garden partly because your garden supplier. Now rose, salmon,
they are so easy to grow. white, pink and bicolored blooms appear on
Most people buy geranium plants in the these favorite garden flowers.
These new rainbow -hued introductions
have more than a new color to recommend
them. Many have been started from seed,
rather than the traditional method of
vegetative cuttings. The seed -started
hybrids bring a new measure of stalwart,
all -summer performance to the garden set-
ting. - _ -
The increased sales of geraniums other
than red are primarily a result of Canada's ,
new found interest in natural -sided and
earth -toned homes. While the traditional red
geranium does 'look finc against a tradi-
tional white setting, the newer colors pro-
vide a more effective contrast.
The most popular runner up to red in
geraniums is salmon. Each year more and
more salmon-coloredblossoms appear in
the landscape.
Bicoloredgeraniums can even satisfy the
red fancier. There's lots of contrast when
red and white appear in the same bloom.
Razzmatazz sports this combination and
will be a most welcome change in window
boxes and planting areas.
There is a, rose-colored variety with
bicolored beauty. Deep Rose Flash hybrid's
white eye will be showier against its deep
petals if the geranium bicolored effect is
carried through with a contrasting .border
plant. Try a petite 10 -inch Little Bright Eyes
vinca, which reverses the bicolor effect,
late spring or early summer from a garden
centre. These may have been propagated
either from cuttings or from seed and are
usually sold as flowering plants in 10 cen-
timetre pots from which they are
transplanted into the garden.
Geraniums are most effective in groups of
several plants in the flower border or as ac- -
cents in a shrub border. They are often used
as pot plants on the patio or in planters.
Geraniums will thrive. in any average,
well -drained garden soil and preferably in
full sunlight, says Horticulturist Patricia
Harney, of the department of horticultural
science, University of Guelph.
The soil may be improved by adding
humus from a compost pile or commercial
peat moss.
Work in a commercial fertilizer, such as 6-
9-6, into the soil. Plant only after risk of frost
is over, usually the end of May or early June
in many localities. Invert the pot containing
the geranium, tap it lightly on the bottom
and the plant will come out with an intact
bail of earth around its roots. Be careful not
to break the ball of earth.
Set the plants a little deeper in the soil
than they were in the container. Press the
soil firmly around the root ball and water
the • entire area thoroughly after all the
plants have been planted.. Space the plants
about 45 cm apart.
Water -the plants whenever needed during with predominately white petals with a rose -
the summer and soak thoroughly each time. red interior.
Remove dead flowers and leaves periodical- Color also comes in plentitude with the ad-
ly.. dition of new dwarf hybrid geraniums bred
Your geraniums will then thrive and to stand no taller than 8 inches in the
flower until frost. 0 garden.
Red geraniums now have some competi- Plenty of hybrid geraniums are available,
tion. There are a. variety of bright colors even in red, for this gardening season.
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