pigments will flood to the center of the florets, leaving the edges pale or streaked. Pelargoniums 
stand cooler night temperatures, and 40-degree minimums do not slow growth appreciably. 
AIR. Plenty of air is very desirable. An occasional thorough airing during the winter is 
of great advantage. 
WATER. The commonest cause of plant loss is disease or debility, encouraged by over or 
under-watering. Geraniums should be well soaked, and then allowed to become reasonably dry, 
but not arid, before watering again. Geraniums are herbacious plants and use lots of water 
during periods of heavy growth, such as late spring; but they can go for long periods in winter 
without being watered. When an abundance of water is used the plant must be fed, so that 
the water will carry ample food chemicals. Otherwise, the plant becomes waterlogged. 
SYRINGING. Growers have always avoided syringing because of the danger of spreading 
bacterial stem rot, botrytus (grey mold) and other fungi. However, Parzate, or its equivalents, 
Dithane Z-14 or Z-78, will contro! or discourage these troubles and, being reasonably clean, 
may be used freely on plants and house. In cool weather, houses should be sprayed once each 
month; and during periods of high heat, once a week is not too often. If kept clean with 
Parzate, plants may be syringed during hot weather, thereby cutting down on pot watering. 
PINCHING. California cuttings are strong and heavy-calipered. We have found that 
experienced users of California Geraniums prefer 4 to 6-inch cuttings because of their more 
profitable returns. For example, after the cutting has been potted and about an inch of growth 
made, a “hard pinch’’ should be made. This means, cut the tip out of the cutting for a length 
of about two inches. Then the grower has a short cutting which has not required stock-bed 
space, yet will make a good late plant, cutting his stock costs considerably. The prime reason 
for the “hard pinch’ is that the hormones (auxins), which control growth and keep the side 
eyes dormant, are manufactured in the growing tip. To nip out only the uppermost tip will 
merely cause the plant to make new growth from the uppermost eye. By removing all wood 
which is still in a state of elongating, one removes all of the hormone producing area. Thus 
the chemical which controls root growth and keeps the side eyes dormant is. removed, and all 
side eyes become active. Then growth is made until the side branches themselves produce 
sufficient hormones to again check growth. 
CUTTING PROPAGATION. Any recognized rooting medium may be used for geraniums. 
We use washed plaster sand and change it each time, never chancing contamination. No 
medium should be tamped. Merely fill the bed, flat, or pot; check for weak places around the 
edges, and water down well. 
Cuttings should not be damaged by being forced into the medium. In our own practice, 
we use a short piece of plaster lath which is rounded on one end and sharpened along the 
edge and rounded end. With this lath, a slot is made in the sand a little deeper than the 
cuttings will be planted. Now the cuttings can be planted about 1’ inches deep in the slot, 
without forcing. 
Cuttings should be recut straight across, just below an eye (leaf node). Actually, under. 
ideal conditions, geraniums will root just as well, and with more roots, when cut about halfway 
between the nodes. However, there is far more chance of disease entering the soft center 
area, and growers rooting more than a million cuttings a year, including ourselves, find that 
the cost of recutting the ends is well repaid. Any leaves which aopear to be in good enough 
condition to remain will help get the cutting started, and should be left on. 
Cuttings that turn black from the base upward to about the level of the sand and appear 
OK above the sand, are usually the victims of a rooting powder which is too strong. ‘Off the 
shelf’’ brands of rooting powder are usually four or five times too strong for geraniums and 
may be satisfactorily diluted with about four parts of cheap talcum powder to one part of 
rooting powder. However, extra-mild rooting powders are formulated with mild-acting chemicals 
and should be used when possible. Geranium stems are hairy, and excess powder should be 
tapped off with the hand. Never dip geranium cuttings in water before powdering. The 
geranium trade in general uses CUTSTART 1X powder for all geraniums. Pelargoniums prefer 
CUTSTART 2X. Disease can be practically eliminated by adding from 10 to 15% of PARZATE 
to the rooting powder. 
After recutting the ends, allow the cuttings to dry only long enough to be free of actual 
wet juices—1I5 minutes to 2 hours, not a day or more as was once practiced. Powder the ends 
and plant in the sand; then water well unti! the sand is smooth. This will compact the sand for 
proper water content and allow proper aeration. At the same time, the water will activate the 
rooting powder and freshen the cuttings. Follow-up watering should be made only when the 
sand is beginning to change color at the cutting-end level. Cuttings must not become dehydrated, 
but roots will appear faster if they have to ‘’go out and get the water’. Tight, wet sand accounts 
for many unnecessary losses. 
For fastest root action, especially if rooting powders are used, a bottom heat of 65 degrees 
should be maintained, with a top heat of 50 to 55 degrees. Cuttings should be striking and 
ready to pot in 10 to 20 days, depending upon weather, heat, and amount of roots desired. 
fay BS 
