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Growing Flowers
How to Propagate Geraniums from Cuttings Download ArticleExplore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Reviewed by Ben Barkan
Last Updated: October 14, 2023 Approved
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This article was reviewed by Ben Barkan. Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 24 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 416,616 times.
Geraniums, otherwise known as "pelargoniums", are easily propagated from cuttings in spring and autumn. The great thing about growing from cuttings is that you can keep the type true to the parent plant and with new young plants, you can be guaranteed of a fresh profusion of flowers.
Steps
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1 Choose the best time to do this. Early spring and later summer are the best times, but any time in spring, summer and early autumn (fall) will result in healthy cuttings. Early cuttings will flower that summer, while later cuttings will provide larger plants ready to flower the following summer.
2 Choose a healthy plant. Select shoots that look healthy and are not flowering. (It is possible to use flowering shoots if you have no choice but it's best to avoid them.) Advertisement
3 Take cuttings. Using a clean scalpel or sharp knife (secateurs can crush the shoots), cut off the shoot at a length of about 3-4 inches or 7.5-10cm. If the plant is a miniature, the length should be half that. Cut just above the leaf joint (node).
4 Trim the cutting to just below the node. Remove the lower leaves and scales at the base of the leaf stalks.[1]XResearch source Leave at least two leaves at the top.
5 Decide whether or not to aid the cutting. Root hormone powders are not needed for pelargoniums, and indeed may be detrimental to their growth.[2]XResearch source Some advise dipping the cutting in honey––that's up to you.
6 Prepare the growing containers.[3]XResearch source Fill each container with cutting compost or peat-based seed compost. If you can't find these, make a mixture of equal parts of peat and sharp sand.
Container sizes: It is recommended that you use a container about 7.5cm/3 inches for individual cuttings, or a 12.5cm (5 inch) for up to five cuttings.
7 Make holes in the potting mix using a dibble, finger or pencil. Near the edges is best for drainage purposes.
8 Insert the cuttings with care.
9 Water the cutting to make sure that the compost is moist.[4]XResearch source The watering should be very light and avoid covering the cuttings with water, to avoid the growth of botrytis.
10 Place in a warm spot. The cuttings need a warm place for rooting. Preferably use a heating mat or propagator but a warm, sunny windowsill will do the trick, provided they're shaded from direct sunlight (choose the side of the house without direct sun hitting it), or a shaded window. If the cuttings have bottom heat, cold air won't be such an issue for them.
11 Water lightly as the roots develop, mainly when there is sign of wilt in the cuttings. On the whole, keep the compost dry. Do your best to avoid getting water on the actual cuttings. You may see roots appearing within three days for some varieties, longer for others and longer if the air is cool. New top growth will appear once the roots form and if you tug the cutting gently, it will stay in place (thanks to its new roots).
If you planted several cuttings to a pot, transfer to individual containers once they have developed roots.
Rooting should start between a week to a month after taking the cuttings.
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Question How do I make my geranium plant less long? Community Answer If you're asking how to keep your geraniums shortened, you can cut them back when necessary. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 35
Question Do I take the growing tip out of my geranium cuttings once they have rooted? Community Answer You can cut the top of the geraniums out once they have rooted as this creates a bushier plant with more foliage. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 68
Question Should I keep disbudding until the cuttings are a good size? Community Answer Yes. At this point, you want the plant to concentrate its energy on root development, not on producing flowers. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 24
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement
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Tips
Use underneath heat to encourage rooting. Thanks Helpful 85 Not Helpful 29
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Warnings
Never keep the compost wet as that will increase chances of rot. Thanks Helpful 29 Not Helpful 8
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Things You'll Need
Scalpel or sharp knife
Geranium plants
Compost
Warm place
Water
Honey (optional)
Pots (containers)
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Reviewed by: Ben Barkan Garden & Landscape Designer This article was reviewed by Ben Barkan. Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This article has been viewed 416,616 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17Updated: October 14, 2023 Views: 416,616 Categories: Growing Flowers In other languages Spanish Italian Russian Dutch Indonesian Hindi Chinese Korean Vietnamese Japanese
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Reader Success Stories
Lesley Marie Wade
Aug 13, 2017
"I'm a newbie to Geraniums. I've moved and have space for ornamental pots, so this year invested in a new variety called Orange Ice, a bright white flower with a hint of orange that I fell in love with. I was concerned with over wintering the pots, so decided to take cuttings to ensure that I didn't lose them. Your article is clear and precise, I now feel confident in taking cuttings for further cultivation of this spectacular strain."..." more Rated this article:
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Ben Barkan Garden & Landscape Designer Co-authors: 17Updated: October 14, 2023 Views: 416,616100% of readers found this article helpful. 2 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
Lesley Marie Wade
Aug 13, 2017
"I'm a newbie to Geraniums. I've moved and have space for ornamental pots, so this year invested in a new variety called Orange Ice, a bright white flower with a hint of orange that I fell in love with. I was concerned with over wintering the pots, so decided to take cuttings to ensure that I didn't lose them. Your article is clear and precise, I now feel confident in taking cuttings for further cultivation of this spectacular strain."..." more Rated this article:
Barbara Costen
May 26, 2017
"I like to plant red geraniums in the spring to decorate all around our house. This year we have a new enclosed porch, without heat. So I kept them alive during the freezing cold. I want to propagate the geraniums to add to the plants that survived the winter. I tried to root them in water, but was successful in only one cutting. This video gave me the specifics I needed for trying them in soil. Thanks."..." more
Morag Morgans
May 5, 2016
"Brilliant video. Very clear instructions and easy to follow. Have just taken cuttings. I hadn't been sure where to take them from or which leaves to remove. Had heard about honey, but was good to see how much to use etc. Looking forward to seeing the end results."..." more
Merry Miller
Aug 9, 2016
"I was greatly helped by this information. I did not know it's better not to use scissors, or to put the cutting in soil right away. I was planning on water first to get roots going. Loved the easy info that was important. Thank you!"..." more
Bernadine Cornelius
Mar 13, 2017
"Last year, I had a great success growing geraniums from cuttings. This year has been the opposite. But I now realize I was doing the cuttings at the wrong time of year, and also did not know not to get the leaves wet."..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Explore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Reviewed by Ben Barkan 
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Reviewed by: Ben Barkan Garden & Landscape Designer This article was reviewed by Ben Barkan. Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This article has been viewed 416,616 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17 Updated: October 14, 2023 Views: 416,616 Categories: Growing Flowers In other languages Spanish Italian Russian Dutch Indonesian Hindi Chinese Korean Vietnamese Japanese 
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1 Choose the best time to do this. Early spring and later summer are the best times, but any time in spring, summer and early autumn (fall) will result in healthy cuttings. Early cuttings will flower that summer, while later cuttings will provide larger plants ready to flower the following summer. 
2 Choose a healthy plant. Select shoots that look healthy and are not flowering. (It is possible to use flowering shoots if you have no choice but it's best to avoid them.) Advertisement 
3 Take cuttings. Using a clean scalpel or sharp knife (secateurs can crush the shoots), cut off the shoot at a length of about 3-4 inches or 7.5-10cm. If the plant is a miniature, the length should be half that. Cut just above the leaf joint (node). 
4 Trim the cutting to just below the node. Remove the lower leaves and scales at the base of the leaf stalks.[1] Leave at least two leaves at the top. 
5 Decide whether or not to aid the cutting. Root hormone powders are not needed for pelargoniums, and indeed may be detrimental to their growth.[2] Some advise dipping the cutting in honey––that's up to you. 
6 Prepare the growing containers.[3] Fill each container with cutting compost or peat-based seed compost. If you can't find these, make a mixture of equal parts of peat and sharp sand. 
7 Make holes in the potting mix using a dibble, finger or pencil. Near the edges is best for drainage purposes. 
8 Insert the cuttings with care. 
9 Water the cutting to make sure that the compost is moist.[4] The watering should be very light and avoid covering the cuttings with water, to avoid the growth of botrytis. 
10 Place in a warm spot. The cuttings need a warm place for rooting. Preferably use a heating mat or propagator but a warm, sunny windowsill will do the trick, provided they're shaded from direct sunlight (choose the side of the house without direct sun hitting it), or a shaded window. If the cuttings have bottom heat, cold air won't be such an issue for them. 
11 Water lightly as the roots develop, mainly when there is sign of wilt in the cuttings. On the whole, keep the compost dry. Do your best to avoid getting water on the actual cuttings. You may see roots appearing within three days for some varieties, longer for others and longer if the air is cool. New top growth will appear once the roots form and if you tug the cutting gently, it will stay in place (thanks to its new roots). 
Community Answer If you're asking how to keep your geraniums shortened, you can cut them back when necessary. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 35 
Community Answer You can cut the top of the geraniums out once they have rooted as this creates a bushier plant with more foliage. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 68 
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