Cuttings from trailing geraniums and growing tomatoes

[Sunshine]

I have been told that cuttings from trailing geraniums are not possible. Is this true.

I take seeds from my petunias and cuttings from the normal geraniums but never tried the trailing varietys.

I also planted tagettes around my tomatoe plants in a raised bed (they prevent black fly ect) they did the job and looked like a huge flower bed!...  they looked fabulous.

I also planted the black russian truffle variety and they were very tasty, unfortunatley after planting I forgot to take the packet out of my jeans and found it in a soggy mess in the washing machine. 

I have dried them out and hoping they will grow next year!

[Pat76]

I have successfully taken cuttings from trailing geraniums, in the same way as the normal ones, using a hormone rooting powder and quite gritty compost. I overwinter them in a frost free greenhouse (I'm in Yorkshire) Pat

[Sunshine]

Hi Pat

Thank you.  My hanging baskets are just turning and there are few flowers left and the top is starting to die.  Its this time of the year when I have to come to terms with taking them down.  But I am off to the green house NOW with renewed vigour.

Cheers

 

 

[pip24]

Hi Sunshine.  The method that I use is to take a cutting about 5 inches long and remove the leaves for about 3 to 4 inches, just leaving the top leaves on the cutting also remove any blooms if you can see any. Then just below the first leaf node cut the remainder of the stalk off. Now take a 5 inch plastic pot, full of ordinary soil ant insert about six of the cuttings around the edge of the pot. At this time of year they are best kept at this stage on the kitchen windowsill for a few weeks and kept just moist. Then transplant into individual when rooted. 

[tegwini]

I always overwinter geraniums, trailing & other,  in my garage, in  a cold, damp Wiltshire village.    I shove as many as possible into pots with soil & water infrequently - sometimes I think I am a bit cruel to them in giving them so little water.  But geraniums are tough South African plants & cope with drought.    My garage faces south, but has draughty steel window frames, very cold.

 I have so far not lost many, I don't bother to do cuttings, but they would give more plants & they are easy to propagate from cuttings. I did a lot of that in SA.   Not sure why, but the English variety seem a lot more fragile.  You get heavy frost in JHB in winter, & they cope with it there, never considered overwintering them there.

I often put them out earlier than I should, but I feel that they by then are eager to be out & amazingly they flower earlier (some even flower inside) and lots of dosh saved.

Good luck with them

Tegwini