How to Easily Grow Beautiful Zonal Geraniums from Seed

When I discovered how easy it is to grow beautiful zonal geraniums (Pelargonium hybrids) from seed, a world of possibilities opened up to me. I was no longer limited to what the garden centers decided to carry. I could start my geraniums from seed much earlier in the year and have them ready to go outside after our last frost date. AND, by planting from seed, I gained access to a multitude of different flower colors (and some unique leaf colors too!).  Keep reading to find out how easy it is to grow beautiful zonal geraniums from seed.

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Zonal geraniums are some of my favorite plants to grow in pots, and for good reason. They have beautiful flowers that last for weeks and keep on coming. Since I garden in an arid climate, I love that they don’t perish immediately if their pots happen to dry out. Their heat tolerance is quite high. A couple of years ago I learned that it is possible to grow zonal geraniums from seed and today I am sharing all of my tips and tricks!

Reasons to Grow Beautiful Zonal Geraniums from Seed

First, it is much cheaper to buy zonal geranium seeds than plants. For a few dollars you can buy a packet of seeds that will give you many plants versus just one. Often we need several plants of the same flower color to create a striking effect in the garden. Growing from seed is the perfect way to achieve this in a very cost effective manner.

Second, by growing zonal geraniums from seed you gain access to lots of different varieties. Flower colors varying from orange, scarlet, violet, pink, and white are available to grow from seed. There are varieties with chocolate purple leaves that can easily be grown from seed. All of the varieties are so beautiful that it is hard to choose!

Third, growing zonal geraniums from seed is just plain easy and fun! They are quick to germinate and the baby plants look so cute from the get-go. Zonal geraniums are fun plants to grow with kids because the seeds sprout so quickly and are relatively problem free. The baby plants would be darling in a fairy garden arrangement.

Where to Purchase Zonal Geranium Seed

I have always ordered my zonal geranium seed packets online since I have never seen the packets for sale in person. Swallowtail Garden Seeds offers several different varieties and I have ordered from them several times. A couple of my favorites are the Maverick Coral and Maverick Quicksilver.

Another option is collecting seed from your existing plants.  The bloom color from plants grown this way will be a total surprise.  I will be writing an article on how to collect seed from geraniums soon!

How To Plant Zonal Geranium Seeds

If you have a grow light or a very sunny window, you can start your geranium seeds as early as January. Keep in mind that geraniums are frost sensitive so cannot be planted outside until after the risk of frost has passed. They are fairly slow growers so if you wait too long to plant the seeds then you will likely miss out on flowers for a majority of the summer. 

To begin, fill seed starting cells or pots with a good seed starting mix or potting soil. Never use dirt from the garden. Water the potting mix in well and then drain off the excess. Watering before you plant the seed helps make sure that the seed does not get dislodged. Press the seed into the soil, one seed per cell, and barely cover. Be sure to label if you are planting several named varieties (check out this marker for fade proof labels!).  Covering with a humidity dome or plastic wrap should ensure that you do not need to water the seeds again until after they sprout.

Kept at 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, germination should occur in 7-14 days. I have had some very fresh seed sprout in as little as two days! Remove the humidity dome once most of the seed has sprouted. Be sure to give the zonal geranium seedlings strong light from either a grow light setup or a very sunny window. Water only when the surface of the soil begins to dry slightly.

You will not need to pot up your zonal geranium babies until their roots have filled their current pots and they have put on a few more leaves. When you pot them up, plant them in a container which is the next size up. Be cautious of planting the seedlings into a pot that is too large as they are sensitive to overwatering and can easily rot.

Once all danger of frost has passed, the zonal geranium seedlings can be moved out to the garden after a hardening off period. I like to pot my zonal geraniums into terracotta pots. Terracotta compliments the plants well visually and its permeability helps keep their roots from getting too soggy. I always use Foxfarm Ocean Forest potting soil for my container plants.

Notes on Caring for Zonal Geraniums

Geraniums are super easy to care for. The main challenge is to get the watering right. Too much, and they will rot. Too little, and they can become stunted with very few blooms. Always let the soil dry a bit in between watering. If your plant’s leaves start turning yellow and the potting mix is very damp, then it is likely that the plant is getting too much water. 

Geraniums are full sun lovers. At least six hours of sun is necessary for the best bloom. In super hot climates it is helpful to provide some shade during the hottest part of the day.

Providing a good well balanced liquid fertilizer ensures that the blooms keep coming. I use Proven Winners Premium Water Soluble Fertilizer once a week during summer to feed my plants. 

Speaking of blooms, zonal geraniums are one of those plants that do require deadheading to look their best. Once most of the petals are gone from a bloom stalk, follow the stalk down to where it is attached to a stem and snip or twist it off. Spent blooms that are not removed will likely form seed heads.

Geraniums do not require repotting very frequently. If you notice that the soil is no longer holding water, then it is time repot. You can repot the plant into the next size up, or simply trim an inch or so off the root ball, cut back the canopy, and plant back into the same pot (this method also helps control the plant size).

Budworms (the caterpillars of moths and the cabbage white butterfly) are my number one pest of geraniums. If you start noticing that you have no flowers, or that your plant’s tender buds and leaves are getting eaten, then you likely have a budworm issue. BT spray is an easy and fairly cost effective solution to that problem. Read all about it in THIS POST. 

Additionally, if you grew a geranium from seed that you have fallen in love with, check out THIS POST to learn how to easily propagate it in water so you can multiply your favorite variety.

Thanks for reading and feel free to drop your comments and questions below. Also, check out my Instagram for daily garden inspo and tips!

Happy gardening!

Heather

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