Want to grow a big giant geranium as a tree that will live for years and flower unlimited? Follow our 8 best tricks!
We always picture geranium as an annual or biennial plant that thrives in balconies and patios, often grown in window boxes and railing planters, displaying beautiful flowers. However, do you know that you can grow it indoors as a big, giant perennial flowering plant if you follow our 8 tips below!
How to Grow a Geranium Tree?
1. Choose the Right Variety
You can go for any Pleragonium variety, but some are really good for this purpose, like Pelargonium ‘Lord Bute (3-4 feet),’ which has tall, upright stems and clusters of vivid flowers.
Geranium maderense (4-5 feet) and Pelargonium ‘Tall Dark & Handsome (3-5 feet)’ are also great picks, as these have sturdy stems that can grow into a small tree-like structure if trained well from an early stage.
2. Initial Pruning
Don’t wait for your Geranium to grow naturally tall; it is not going to achieve the height quickly unless you apply some tricks!
If you want to shape it into a beautiful small tree, you will have to start training the plant when it’s young, just like you do with a Coleus!
Start trimming off the side shoots. It will help the plant divert its energy to the main central stem, making it sturdy over time. A sole main stem will also help the plant to look like a mini tree.
3. Support It!
After you prune and get that central stem in order, stake the plant with a sturdy support to keep it upright. Use a plastic stake or bamboo stick, as they are lightweight and easy to use. Just make sure not to tie too tightly, as it can damage the main central stem.
4. Potting Mix is Important
Geraniums are not fussy when it comes to the growing medium and can grow even in regular garden soil.
However, if you want them to do well and boost their growth, go for a potting mix with equal amounts of your usual potting mix, compost, and perlite or coarse sand, you can also mix a wee bit of bone meal in it to improve flowering.
This will promote nutrient uptake in the plant, helping its central stem to grow thicker and stronger for that typical, tree-like look.
5. Fertilize Carefully
While training these beauties to have a tree-like appearance, it is important to feed them at the right intervals. Apply any balanced liquid fertilizer, like 10-10-10, every 2-3 weeks in the growing season, and dilute to 1/4 of its recommended strength.
Begin it as soon as you notice the warm weather and prune the side shoots of the plant, the first part of the training process. The low dose will keep it safe from burns, and frequency will ensure a constant supply of nutrients.
6. Perfect Sunlight for Perfect Geraniums
Geraniums thrive in full sunlight, so ensure your plant receives at least six to eight hours of light daily. Basically, the more sunlight, the BETTER!
Keeping it in the shade is a big NO as it will stunt its growth, and your dreams of making it have a tree-like shape will never be fulfilled. Consider yourself lucky if you’ve got a sunny window or balcony!
7. Pick the Right Sized Pot
It’s important to use a pot that is just one or two sizes bigger than the root ball of the plant to keep it slightly rootbound. A bigger container will accommodate too much growing medium, which can cause root rot.
It will also trick the plant into using all its energy to expand the root system to fill in the excess space in the container rather than using its energy to grow upwards and have a good height.
8. Pest and Disease Management
Keep an eye out for common pests such as aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies, which can infest geraniums and hinder their growth. Spider mites can become the biggest problem due to dry indoor air!
To control initial pest infestation, expose your plant to a not-so-strong jet of water on the leaves; if it doesn’t work, treat it with insecticidal soap.
