The problem with growing geraniums in Texas is that summers aren’t cool here. Which means that we want to enjoy them in the spring. Nurseries are chock-full of them now, and they’re a great and quick way to add color to entryways and patio pots. Here are a few suggestions.

• Plant them in clusters of 10 or 15 plants in a well-draining corner of a strategic bed – one near the front door or just off the patio.
• Set them into large decorative pots, again at focal points in your landscape. Use a lightweight potting soil and be sure the pot drains really well during periods of extended rain.
• Full sun in March, April and early May, then morning sun into the summer. (That’s where growing them in pots really pays off – it’s a lot easier to move pots than it is to lift and transport entire beds!)
• Fertilize them with a complete-and-balanced, water-soluble food. That’s doubly critical if you’re growing them in an artificial lightweight potting soil.
• Because of their popularity on the West Coast, in the North and in other parts of the world, breeders are looking for “new and improved” geraniums all the time. Popular types like the Maverick, Caliente and Calliope series have been bred by scientists to combine great growth habits, showy flowers and foliage and heat tolerance. Those are some of the types you’ll find in garden centers today.
• If you have a greenhouse or bright sunroom window, you can even keep your geraniums over the winter and then set them out into the garden in March.

Have fun with your geraniums!