What kind of geranium is Martha Washington? Known as regal geraniums, these trailing plants have bright green, ruffled leaves that make them a beautiful addition to any garden. Bright pink, burgundy, lavender, and bi-colored flowers are among the many tints of red and purple available. It’s not difficult to grow Martha Washington geraniums, although they demand a little more attention than regular geraniums do. For example, overnight temperatures of 50-60 degrees F are required for Martha Washington regal geraniums to bloom (10-16 C.). Learn how to grow this particular geranium variety by reading on.
Growing Martha Washington Geraniums
Care Instructions for Martha Washington Geraniums Hanging basket, window box, or large pot with Martha Washington geraniums. Commercial potting mix of high quality should be used to fill the container. If your winters are mild, you can also grow in a flower bed, but you’ll need well-drained soil for this. Compost or well-rotted manure should be added to the soil before planting. To keep the roots warm during the winter, cover them with a thick layer of leaf mulch or compost. A daily inspection and deep, thorough watering is all that is needed to keep your Martha Washington Regal Geraniums looking their best (but not bone dry). Avoid overwatering, as this can cause the plant to die.
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During the growing season, use a low-nitrogen fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio such as 4-8-10 every two weeks to fertilize your lawn. As an alternative, use an all-purpose plant food. Elizabeth Cady Stanton When grown inside, regal geraniums normally do well, but they need a lot of light to flower. Grow lights or fluorescent tubes may be needed to make up for a lack of natural light, especially in the winter. During the day, indoor plants prefer temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees F (18 to 21 degrees C) and at night they prefer temperatures of around 55 degrees F (13 degrees C). Taking care of the plant by removing spent blooms will keep it looking tidy and encourage it to bloom throughout the season.
The Martha Washington geranium, a cool-season member of the genus, can broaden your geranium horizons (Pelargonium x domesticum). Richly colored, velvet-like petals characterize this species of geraniums, which are also known as regal geraniums. Ruffled petals enhance the plants’ opulent appearance.
All the colors from lavender to burgundy to purple can be found in Martha Washington geranium blossoms. White and a slew of beautifully painted bicolor flowers are also present in the blossom mix. Both solid petals with white edging and a white center are popular designs.
The beautiful green leaves of Martha Washington geraniums are slightly ruffled. A citrus scent is released when the leaves are crushed, and the edges of the leaves are often sharp. In general, Martha Washington geraniums are between 12 and 18 inches in height and 12 and 24 inches in width. In the same way zonal geraniums have clusters of flowers, Martha Washington geraniums have fewer stems, making them appear crowded with blooms.
When the temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, these beautiful flowers thrive. When nighttime temperatures are in the 50- to 60-degree range, Martha Washington geraniums begin to bloom. It’s because of this that they’re a popular gift for spring festivals, such as Easter and Mother’s Day. During the hottest months of the year, plants tend to stop blossoming. The Martha Washington geraniums look great, but if you live in an area where the summer months bring sweltering temperatures, you may want to replace them with typical garden or zonal geraniums.
Geraniums such as Martha Washington prefer well-drained, nutritious soil. Before you plant your garden beds, enrich the soil with a lot of organic matter. Use a commercial soil-less mix designed for use in planters when planting in pots. Plants in containers can grow in these mixes since they have the correct drainage. Overwatering or planting Martha Washington geraniums in clay soils can cause root rot.
Martha Washington geraniums should not be fertilized with nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Choose a bloom booster-type fertilizer, which encourages the growth of flowers by promoting their development. A vegetable fertilizer with a high potassium content works well, as well. Numerical content of nitrogen should not exceed half of the other two values on a fertilizer bag. It’s not recommended to use 10-10-10 fertilizer, for example. If you want to feed fish to your plants, look for a product with a label like 4-8-10, which is commonly found in flower and vegetable fertilizers.
Martha Washington Geranium Care
How Big Do Martha Washington Geraniums Get?
This geranium, known as Martha Washington, has the potential to grow extremely huge. It can grow up to two feet in a year.
These regal geraniums can be grown outside, but they are mostly an inside plant.
Geraniums that are cultivated outside often only bloom once and produce a smaller number of blooms.
It’s best for them to grow in soil that drains well. Sandier soil is best for young plants. A mature Martha Washinton bloom, on the other hand, thrives in standard potting mix.
USDA hardiness zones 5–10 are suggested for these plants, however the flowers linger longer in cooler climates.
You should leave at least 8 to 12 inches between the regal geranium plants if you wish to cultivate them in a garden bed. In a pot, the diameter of the pot should be at least eight inches in order for the plants to thrive.
Drainage is an important consideration. Drainage holes are needed in the pot to prevent the soil from becoming overly wet.
Flowering
Despite the fact that the plant can grow rather large indoors, the blossoms tend to get larger when cultivated outside. You can often “push” a plant to flower throughout the year by growing it inside.
During the summer, the plant puts forth a profusion of huge, brightly colored flowers.
Light and Temperature
Many hours of sunlight are needed to grow the Martha Washington Geranium. Avoiding direct sunlight is a good rule of thumb.
As long as it gets at least six hours of sunlight each day, the regal geranium will thrive The leaves will begin to droop and wilt if they do not receive enough light.
In the summer keep the temperature in the low to middle 70° degrees Fahrenheit range and winter temperatures between 50° and 60° degrees Fahrenheit.
Watering and Feeding
Temperatures in the summer should be in the low to mid-seventies, while those in the winter should be between 50° and 60° Fahrenheit.
Watering plants on a regular basis can be a challenge during the hottest months of the year.
You may only need to water once or twice a week during the winter months when the plant is dormant.
During the summer months, liquid fertilizer should be used twice a month if you want to see enormous blooms and foliage.
Fertilizers high in nitrogen enhance growth rather than blooming.
It’s true, however, that this fast-growing plant doesn’t actually require any extra encouragement to flourish.
Soil and Transplanting
Well-drained soil is ideal for the Martha Washington geranium, which thrives in full sun. The best choice is a regular potting soil.
Repotting a huge geranium can be difficult. Taking cuttings is the most effective method of propagation.
During the spring, when the plant is still dormant, is the best time to transplant a mature geranium.
There are several ways to propagate a plant, but you should also trim it down and remove any cuttings you may have.
Grooming And Maintenance
Grooming is a good idea because it helps the plant live longer. Reduced illness and more blooms can be achieved by removing wasted flowers.
Geraniums can be around for many years, although they usually reach their peak after three years.
If you want to keep your indoor geraniums at their best, you’ll have to prune them at some point in the future.
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In addition, the flowers become smaller as the top shoots become weaker and more spindly.
The plant should be pruned if it has this “look” on its face. A better bushy shape and full flowering will return to the plant when new shoots grow.
How to Propagate Martha Washington Geraniums
Trim back Martha Washington geraniums and utilize all of the “not too woody” tip cuttings to propagate the plants.
The finest cuttings for rooting are four-inch tip cuttings with one or two sets of leaves.
- Cuttings can be soaked in water or rubbed with hormone rooting powder.
- A sandy, well-draining soil for potted cuttings
- Put plastic bags over the pots. (include a few air holes)
- Within two to three weeks, cuttings should begin to take root.
- Plant cuttings in a fresh container after they’ve been rooted
Martha Washington Geranium Pests or Disease Problems
The yellowing of foliage and brown patches on leaves are symptoms of dry soil.
Water thoroughly and keep an eye on the soil’s moisture level.
Insufficient light frequently causes plants to display signs of weak growth.
Solution – Relocate the plant to a more well-lit area. Make sure that the plant gets enough sunlight.
Bacterial infection can weaken plants, resulting in weaker basal shoots.
The best remedy is to get rid of the plant. Do not take cuttings from the plants.
Rotting Stems and Fungus Growth – Plants that are kept in wet, dark places may develop fungus growth and their stems will darken and rot.
Remedy – Discard the plant. Do not take cuttings from the plants.
Mealybugs can be identified by the presence of white “balls of cotton” on the leaves and stem axils of plants.
Neem oil or Insecticidal soap can be used to get rid of mealy bugs.
Many leaves, but few blooms. Far too much fertilizer. Overfeeding plants with excessive nitrogen fertilizer is a problem.
Step one of the solution is to cut back on fertilizer use. Starve the plants for a few days.
Master Growing Martha Washington Geranium
Taking the time to learn how to care for Martha Washington Geranium is well worth the effort.
Martha Washington Geraniums, unlike other regal Pelargoniums, are primarily an indoor plant.
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