2020 Autumn in the garden: The perfect moment to propagate flowers
Summer begins in October. No we don’t mean on the calendar, but in October preparations for the next garden season begin. In the yearly life cycle of a garden the end is often also the beginning. In autumn, summer flowers wilt and flower beds are ready to be cleaned up. This is the perfect time of the year to propagate flowers for the following summer. Like geraniums – or more precisely the pelargoniums found in window boxes and garden pots all over Bern, including in the U.S. Ambassador’s residence. Here’s a handy tip; leafy and colorful geraniums, like Mrs. Pollocks, are easy to care for and serve as wonderful ornaments when not flowering. Now in autumn the geraniums can be wintered in a bright and cool place in indoors. When cut back, many head cuttings are produced, with which geraniums can be further propagated. However, these young plants need a little more heat and sunlight than their heartier parents and love to be placed on a windowsill or even better in a greenhouse. Water the geraniums sparingly during the wintering period, otherwise there is a risk of root rot. Another tip: there are also pretty, colorful varieties of scented geraniums, such as Lady Plymouth, which was first bred way back in the 19th century. Her lemony scent is one of the best natural anti-mosquito remedies out there! Yes indeed, next summer starts now in October.
