JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs Forums Photo Galleries Ask The Experts Tools & Directories        
Return to the Geranium Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
Can I divide my Ballerina Geranium?

Posted by HershiGrl Coastal CA 10 (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 28, 05 at 15:44

I have a couple of 'Ballerina' true geraniums. Can I just saw them in half and repot them up? Or do I have to take cuttings. I presume that spring is a fine time to divide.

Thanks,

HershiGrl


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: Can I divide my Ballerina Geranium?

Ballerina is not really a plant for division. Mine would always form one crown with many secondary crowns forming on it. To make a successful division, I would need more than one crown coming out of the ground with associated roots.

When I worked in a wholesale greenhouse, we would propagate the plant by cuttings from the secondary crowns forming on the large central crown. Again, the parent plants were not candidates for division since they only had one crown coming out of the soil. We would use rooting hormone on the cuttings. Success of the cuttings under greenhouse conditions was not high, only 50-60%. I always felt this was the reason Ballerina is not as widespread and available as it should be. It is a beautiful plant, very hardy.


 o
RE: Can I divide my Ballerina Geranium?

I guess "ignorance is bliss". I had 3 Geranium 'Ballerina' plants that were about 3 years old. I dug up the largest one, cut the roots or pulled them apart and replanted the divisions directly into my garden. I did this in late spring or early summer - I don't remember exactly. All the divisions survived and the following season, these divisions were blooming and were almost the size of the original plant I had divided.

After that "experiment" proved to be successful, I divided one of the two remaining untouched plants the same way with the same results.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mountain View Experimental Gardens


 
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network