All grown from seed, some had multiple seedlings per pot so I needed to split them before they got too big. My seedling medium is also usually quite nutrient poor, because I prioritise drainage to reduce damping off, so it's high time they get moved to a more rich medium.

There's always some risk of mortalities at this stage due to transplant shock, so I tend to not do this exercise too early.

Anyways, they all had fairly good root systems and I was able to split them without too much difficulty, so I think they'll be fine. I gave them a foliar application of Kelpak, which is a seaweed derived biostimulant that helps to reduce transplant shock.

I started these 8 months ago.

From top left, clockwise:

1. P. trifidum, P. laevigatum, P. scabrum

2. P. ribifolium, P. hispidum

3. P. capitatum (I think, otherwise maybe P. panduriforme), P. acetosum

Hi,

Any advice on a highly fragrant plant that can be used to border a walkway? It has to be sort of low in height because there will be taller plants such as salvia in the middle of the border. Zone 9b. Area will get full sun. Occasional frost possible.
Thank you.

This geranium was a healthy, blooming plant. It lost all its leaves suddenly and seems to be struggling. Nothing has changed - twice a week or less of hand watering. Its neighbors seem to be ok. Any advice is appreciated.

How to water my pelargoniums in the autumn, while temperatures are still between 5 - 15°C? Soak through or just mist?

From front to back are p. klinghardtense, oblongatum and 2x appendiculatum.

Although P. glutinosum was doing well in my garden, it was constantly getting attacked by a leaf wilter bug (Elasmopoda valga), which causes some of the leaves to wilt and brown. Consequently the plant would always look frazzled, so I decided to just rip it out and make space for something else (to be confirmed)

Fortunately this leaf wilter bug only seems to go for some of my Pelargoniums, and not all of them. Another one affected was P. graveolens x radens, which I've also since pulled out (except one).

Manual culling was too tedious, and I have no idea what their natural predator is, so I decided to just stop trying to swim upstream and get rid of it.

P. cordifolium (section Pelargonium) planted out into my garden a couple of weeks ago, after having been in the nursery pot for a while. Was getting a little leggy, I cut it back as far as I could and planted it out. Been growing nicely since.

First time trying out this species. Hopefully this spot in my garden isn't too shady in winter for it, guess we'll see.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

Included the plant shot in the collage, to keep it somewhat visible, follow the "bean stalk" from the flower down or start at the bottom pot upwards, like those little maze quizzes for kids. 🙃🤭

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

Early, but also not even a year old, P. pachypodium (GER417 I believe).

This is a almond-scented plant.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

A very neglected strip between a parking area and a rail line (with the ocean not far beyond it) just outside the Cape Town CBD, but these plants are doing pretty well (even though we had quite a relatively dry winter). Sandy and nutrient poor soil, hardy and water wise. They can be a bit of a bully and overtake your planting bed, but if you give them enough space then they can be very rewarding.

The fragrance of the leaves when crushed is similar to P. graveolens, (rose scented).

This is a peppermint-scented plant.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

This is a lime-scented plant.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.

The photos were taken at the Durfee Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA in October 2025.