But now, 3 years on, they are sooooooooo leggy that people think they're sickly! They aren't really, there's tons of new growth all the time, and while the leaves do wither and fall off, new ones are growing all the time. I am a complete neanderthal when it comes to plants, so someone will have to spell this out in words of few syllables. When I read "pinch them," what does that mean, exactly? Do I just pinch them with my finger nails? And where, exactly? Does it matter? Could I chop them with clippers instead? And should I?

Thank you all for your patience with such a basic and idiotic question.

Although this link won't be of much use to aid you in your current situation, I did want to make you aware of what you can find at the wonderful Missouri Botanical Garden web site.

Here's general information about Pelargonium (scented group)

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A534

With regard to your specific concerns, I did a quick search on the net and came up with the following site, which will link you to three useful sites.

http://dmoz.org/Home/Gardening/Plants/P/Pelargonium/

As for the "pinching", I'd just use a pair of scissors and gently cut down the plant a bit - like - take a fourth of the current growth off. Since you're going to "play barber", you want to keep in mind that you should be giving it a nice, light "haircut".

I am suggesting this "light haircut" due to the fact that the "growing season" is over i.e. the outside light will gradually diminish and plant's growth may slow down a bit.

In the early spring, I'd probably suggest another light "haircut".

In the meantime, cut back on your fertilization of this plant - a bit - use 1/2 of the "recommended" strength for example. In the early spring, you can increase the amount of fertilzation to 3/4 strength - after the second "haircut".

Hope this information is useful.

Bill

FYI - I am a Librarian with the Michigan Dept. of Corrections and followed my own "advice" this afternoon by giving the one scented Geranium in my library a "light haircut".

I also took a lead pencil and "drilled" a hole in the soil and placed a Jobe's fertilizer spike in the hole, pushed it down a bit and covered the exposed hole with a little soil.

I then turned the plant one-third the way around, "drilled" another hole, pushed the small Jobe's fertilizer spike down into the hole and covered it up.

A third twist of the pot lead to the same process.

The household plant version of these spikes can be found at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, most garden centers, etc. and they cost around $1.60 or less for a small package of many spikes.

So if you don't wish to mess around with liquid fertilizer, this is another alternative.

Since we have a horticultural program at our facility, I have several other plants in my library and they were given a similar treatment today as well.

This procedure ought to more than "satisfy' the plants until spring - say February or March - when I again will play "horticultural drug dealer" and "barber". ;>)

As for the process of sprouting some "new kids on the block" you might get a small container of a root stimulator - sorry I can't remember the name - it's late - but a local garden center should have it available. I want to say "rootone" but I am not entirely certain at the wee hours of the evening.

You will probably have to "enrich" some potting soil a bit with some "perlite" to insurea loose soil structure and thus a good and easy rooting of your cuttings.

Don't be too disappointed if your first efforts end in failure - I've been there as well - just keep on trying and reflect upon what you might have done wrong.

Speaking of failure, you ought to read the chapter on "Failure" in Eleanor Perenyi's book - "Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden". It is one of the best gardening books ever written; a treasure in my mind. By the way, the chapter on "Pruning" will be the most unusual chapter on pruning that you'll ever read and it is not - surprisingly - about "pruning" (directly).

You'll find some information about this delightful book at Amazon.com. Do take the time to read the customer reviews and then enjoy the book via Amazon, other sources, or your local library - its either on the shelf or can be had through the library's inter-library loan system.

Here's the link.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/037575945X/qid=1130211232/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0688898-0182416?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Used hardback or paperback copies in good to excellent condition can be found at either place noted below.

http://www.abe.com

or at

http://www.alibris.com

Again, I hope this information and new ideas and resources will be of great enjoyment and assistance.

Bill

Pinching can indeed be done with your fingernails. Just pinch back part of the new growth. Pinch out the tip.

When plants are pinched back, their energy is sent in another direction. Usually this done to promote better, compact growth and promotes bloom. If your plant does indeed bloom, you might wish to remove any buds that form.
This sends the energy that would otherwise be forming bloom to go where it is needed.

Your plants should be watered always to the point of drainage as seen in the saucer below. Then the plant is allowed full drainage and the excess is dumped. Always water in this manner. Allow the top to dry down about 1"...you can use your knuckle as a guide....or your pencil.

Never feed a plant that is not growing. Do not overfeed.
Always water first, then apply fertilizer. At this time, 20/20/20 is recommended at 1/2 rate. Fertilize about every 3rd or 4th watering.

Clay pots are recommended since they absorb some of the water given and are not as easy to overwater a plant. Plastic pots hold onto their water longer....less watering is the norm.

At this time you may wish to do an overall cutting back of the plants which will promote strong new growth and its need for so much sun is reduced.

Just remove the plant from the pot, tease the roots so they are more easily able to search out nutrition in the new potting soil. Cut the plant back by about half, repot and put into that sunny window. Water well til drainage is seen...then don't water again until new growth is evident.
Then resume watering as needed and feed 20/20/20 at 1/2 rate until full foliage is resumed.