In Good Thyme - by Mariana Graham

Last week I returned from a three-week stay in Northern Italy. Needless to say, I reveled in the lush Italian gardens, ranging from abundant backyard plots of tomatoes, basil and fig trees to the classic formality of the palazzo garden, adorned with fountains and statuary.

Each region I visited has representative flora. In Tuscany, for instance, golden fields of sunflowers unfurl along gentle hills, and gardens are fragrant with lavender, rosemary and roses. In coastal Liguoria, pastel stucco buildings are draped in magenta bougainvillea, while oleander trees drop their pink blossoms onto the placid blue surface of Lake Como. No matter where you are in Italy, however, one plant dominates. Whether standing tall in stately urns or trailing rakishly from apartment house windows, from Venice to Vernazza, the geranium is the undisputed queen of flowers. It's no wonder that the annual geranium (pelargonium, to be botanically accurate) does so well in Italy. Native to South Africa, it thrives in a climate of warm, sunny days and cool nights. It isn't fussy, as long as it can stretch its roots into well draining soil. It appreciates a few feedings during active growth, but the happy-go-lucky geranium will likely bloom its red, white or pink head off even if you neglect it. It's said that pelargoniums take a lot of magnesium from the soil. Adding a teaspoon of Epsom salts to a gallon of water and feeding this solution about once a month should give them all the magnesium they need.

If ever there was a plant made for containers, it's the geranium. In Italy I saw them growing in rusty tomato cans on windowsills as well as in the ubiquitous terra cotta pots. I even spotted a crimson geranium thriving in the bow of a Venetian gondola! They don't mind being a bit pot-bound. Just make sure that your containerized pelargoniums don't get wet feet. Water only when the soil feels dry, and when you do so, pour off any excess from the saucer.

In Italy and other gentle climes, geraniums can live happily outdoors year round. On Whidbey Island, however, they're generally treated as annuals. In a few weeks we'll be facing freezing temperatures that can turn them into mush, so it's time to think about saving your favorites for next year. There are several methods of wintering over geraniums. As Fran Sabine mentioned in her September 12th column, you can hang 'em out to dry for the winter. Gently remove them from their outdoor beds or containers, shake off the dirt clinging to the roots, and suspend them upside down in a cool, dry place such as a garage. They can be pruned and replanted in spring. Another method is to take green (not woody) stem cuttings from the mother plant and over the winter, propagate new plants from them on a sunny windowsill or under lights. I remember that my grandmother used to root them in vermiculite on the kitchen window.

I don't have room for cuttings in my kitchen, but here's how I keep my favorite potted geraniums going for years: Force dormancy by cutting them back to about four or five inches and move them into a dim, unheated garage or another cool indoor location where they won't freeze or get much light. Water lightly only two or three times during the entire winter - just enough moisture to keep the plants alive. Don't let the soil remain damp or rot will set in. As spring approaches, move the pots to a window or another source of light and gradually increase the water. You'll see new growth appear on the dormant woody stems. Remember not to overwater! When all danger of frost has passed, the plants can go back outside where they can either be repotted using fresh, well-draining soil or new soil can be incorporated into the current pots. I like to add a little time-release fertilizer during this process. I've used this method successfully with zonal, regal (Martha Washington) and ivy geraniums and last year for the first time, with a collection of scented geraniums.

Of course, there's no need to go to all this trouble. At the end of each growing season, you can relegate your pelargoniums to the compost pile and in the spring, go to the nursery and choose from a wide selection of beautiful, healthy new plants.
Next week I'll be out of town attending a Master Gardener Advanced Training Conference and once again, Fran Sabine will be writing this column.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES
I often get requests for copies of past columns. Every column I've written since April 2000 is available on the Washington State University Extension website, www.island.wsu.edu. Click on my name for the most current column, then on "more articles" for a list of past columns by date and title. Click and print the ones that interest you.

Garden questions or comments? Call 675-6611, e-mail wnt@whidbey.net. Mariana Graham is a Master Gardener and member of Garden Writers Association of America.

MASTER GARDENER CLINICS (click on picture)