Many of us are tired of smog, fog, and acid atmosphere, as well as wanton waste. Widely-read Hubbers have taught us that gardening can affect our lives in many positive ways, one of them being to help clean up the environment. In fact, NASA agrees with us in their publciation called House Plants Clean the Air. In addition, plant life is vital to maintaining an atmosphere around a planet, so one can see the importance of flora to human life in this single feat alone.

Interestingly, a company in Australia, known as Innovative Plant Technology, designs breathing walls based on the principals and biology of the rain forest to use for cleaning indoor air. In addition, at least one community in California began using a system of living plant roots in the 1990s to filter their water at the city water treatment plant. Plants can help us in many ways.

It was once the custom in hospitals to forbid plants around all patients, because it was believed that any plants took all the oxygen out of the atmosphere. Of course, this was proven incorrect. Plants generally take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, cleaning the air in this and other ways. In the 21st century, there remain some plant restrictions for certain hospital patients, but not the superstitions of the 20th Century and the Stone Age, of which some people feel to be one and the same.

During World War II, Americans and others in the war grew Victory Gardens, supplying themselves with home grown foods, while the nation's soldiers benefited from more fo the farmer's crops that could be sent overseas to the battlefields and outposts. In the 21st Century, we may benefit from a Sustainability Garden that 1) conserves and catches rain runoff, 2) slows erosion with soil holding power of plant roots, and 3) provides food, oxygen, and relaxation in an attractive setting in addition to other benefits.

Among the Hot Hubs listed under gardening and garden related Hub tags, we find the following sample of outstanding Hub Pages Garden Lore and Advice:

• Garden Your Way To Self-Confidence by Bob Ewing
• Tobacco Growing and Curing at Home by The Old Firm
• How to Grow Lavender! by Zsuzsy Bee
• Vegetable Growing in Containers by mistyhorizon2003
• Keeping Your Lawn Green in the Winter - Winter Grasses by Whitney05
• Build Your Own Greenhouse - a step-by-step guide by Marye Audet

To these and other articles about gardening, I add this about growing an annual of a perennial - the Geranium in its many varieties and cousins. If you have not tried to grow plants before, or if you seem to have killed all you have attempted to nurture, the geranium may be for you.

Geraniums are one of the plants considered most dependable for a home garden. They are annuals, which means that new plants are needed each year. However, the plants may be brought indoors in the autumn, repotted to keep inside for the winter and some will usually survive. Some US states enjoy wild, native perennial geraniums indigenous to their regions as well. 

Geraniums are available at greenhouses, garden stores, and home DIY type stores already in flower by late spring, but seeds and seedlings are also available. All of these plants can furnish a variety of colors to the garden landscape until the first frost occurs. New developments in geranium growing have produced blossoms that are advertised as “shatter proof” -- they survive rain and fairly high winds.

Geraniums can grow well in many soil types and the soil must be well-aerated and rather porous, with good drainage. A sunny site for planting is preferred, usually in mid-to-late May. Plants set out too early most likely will result in little foliage and only red blooms, no matter what color they are said to achieve. Usually, Too Cold = Red.

Heavy clay soils need organic matter added to them each year in order to improve the porous wuality and to allow easy aeration -- Tightly packed clay soil cannot get enough air into it for the geraniums to thrive. About 1-2" of sphagnum moss or compost added when digging the beds is a good choice each year.

After planting, be careful not to over-fertilize. A liquid fertilizer like 20-20-20 or can be used, but be certain to follow the package directions. Then water the plants to encourage the fertilizer to flow down to the roots.

Concerns with pests are usually very slight when dealing with geraniums. Remove fading flower stalks stave off botrytis, a concern in wet seasons. Bacterial blightcan be stopped if you notice when a plant or a few single leaves wilt for no reason, particularly when the temperature reaches 70 - 80. Just remove the infected plant altogether and discard it.

Before the first frost, Geranium plants can be dug up, trimmed to one-half original height, repotted, and set in sunny windows to over-winter. You can also dig them up, remove the soil, and hang them from the rafters in a basement if the air is not too dry – it needs to be humid.

While many varieties of geraniums are grown, "scented geraniums" are actually Pelargonium, available in a wide range of scents from apricot and lime to mint and nutmeg. Pelargonium are "tender perennials", which means that they are not hardy (they will not survive outside over the winter). Zonal types refer to a zoned pattern on the leaves.

Geraniums are often obtained by growing from seeds and include:

• Hardy variety (1) - Cranesbill or Hardy Geranium, This plant may survive outside over the winter in some locales.
• Seed families - Ringo, Bandit, Elite, Multibloom, Orbit, Pinto, Ringo, Lone Ranger.
• Cutting, red-bloom families - Kim, Mars, Tango, Sincereity, Yours Truly.
• Cutting, pink-bloom families - Blossom, Helena, Katie, Pink Expectations, Rio.
• Other families - Ive-leafed, Martha Washington (also called "Regal"), tulip-flowering, dwarf type or stellar (star-shaped leaves). Regals produce flower frills of white, orange, purple, red, and burgundy; can be grown in shade, and can reach four feet tall.
• Scented families - Not true geraniums (see above).

For Additional Information

Learn more about geraniums and other plants for the home and garden through your local University Extension Service in all US States and protectorates or affilated areas.

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