Question
someone asked you about wintering geraniums, and i read your three ways of how to. Then your response followed up with specific way of geranium cuttings?  I need to know how?  thanks

Answer
Hi Dee:

The first thing you need to know is that everything you use for geranium cuttings has to be very clean. Geranium cuttings are prone to blackleg a fungal disease that rots the stem, so if everything that touches them is clean then you cut the chances of this problem.

If you reuse pots wash them in water to which you've added a small amount of bleach. I start my cuttings in the small 4 packs like you buy plants in because they don't hold as much water as bigger pots and yes they are reused. Over watering can cause blackleg too. When when they are rooted I transplant them into pots.

Use a soilless mix like pro mix or one that is for cuttings and seeds.

Taking your cuttings: With a sharp knife or scissors or razor blade cut about a 4 or 5 inch piece from the growing tip of your plant, cutting just below a leaf joint. All roots and branches on the stem come from a leaf joint. You can also cut pieces from the stem but you must mark which end is the bottom or it won't grow. Remove all the leaves except the top 3 to 5 leaves. Place your cuttings on newspaper and leave them to callus over for 3 days to a week( I wait closer to the week and I keep them on my spare room floor). If you have more than one color you might want to write the variety on the paper. The cut end will shrivel and dry, and the leaves will look wilted--they're not dead.. It won't hurt the plant but this helps with blackleg too.

Prepare your pots to take the cuttings: In a container mix your soilless mix with water to which you have added some damp off. You want it thoroughly wet but not sopping. Squeeze some in your hand and a little moisture should come out but not a lot. Fill your pots with this mixture. With your finger or a stick poke a hole in the center of your pot so you don't disturb the rooting hormone.

Planting: dip the shriveled cut end of your cutting in rooting hormone. It comes in powder or gel. I use the powder--Stim root no. 1 for softwood cuttings. Just coat the leaf joint and end, don't use too much. Slip you cutting in the prepared hole and push the soil around it. Put it in a sunny window or under grow lights, and you're done.

You will know it is rooted when it starts to show new growth. Do not over water. The soil must be kept damp but not wet. Stick your finger into the soil and if it feels wet don't water.

A short note: if you do get blackleg discard the cutting and the soil it's in as fast as you can, so it doesn't spread. If the cutting is discolored right up from where it meets the soil--that's blackleg.

Rooting hormone and Damp off are only about $2 or $3 and if you only use it for Geranium cuttings it will last a few years. so it's fairly cheap to do this when you consider the cost of plants and
seed.

I hope this answers your question, if you need help don't hesitate to write again.               
                                  Myrna