DENVER — If you kept geraniums inside this winter or propagated new ones, prepare them for spring planting.
Mine are going crazy. Longer days and more sun intensity are inspiring them to grow and bloom. I'm still holding off on fertilizing them. Keeping them pinched has produced bushy, healthy plants.
If you started new geranium plants from cuttings, however, consider fertilizing. A fertilizer high in nitrogen will help them develop strong root systems and get them up to size for planting in mid to late May. Use a diluted mixture however.
Pinch out the growth tips to encourage them to get bushy and produce multiple stems. We want them to stay rather short rather than getting tall and straggly. You'll get a fuller plant with more flowers. We can start exposing them gradually to outdoor sun in early May but wait to plant until it's absolutely safe.
Keep an eye on the calendar for seed starting. Check the advice on the seed packets for the best starting dates. Our average last freeze is May 10. Count back from that date. When you plant the seeds, water from the bottom so that you don't wash the seeds too deep into the soil.
A great plant that's blooming right now indoors is the Kalanchoe. The flowers can be red, yellow or orange. They really brighten up the windowsill. Set them out in summer, although they won't do much, and bring them back inside in fall. They set buds when days grow shorter. They're at their best in late winter.
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