- Author: Jeannette Warnert
A sampling of the most aromatic and flavorful scented geraniums is available for public viewing and sniffing at the Fresno County Master Gardeners' Garden of the Sun, the organization's demonstration garden at the corner of McKinley and Winery avenues in Fresno. The collection was assembled by Fresno Master Gardener Emily LaRue.
She became familiar with scented geraniums when she purchased a citronella-scented plant marketed as a mosquito repellent. It didn't have quite the desired effect on the pest as she'd hoped, but the sharp smell when crushed between her fingers or just brushed while walking by piqued her interest. She began researching the plant and collected varieties of scented geraniums which mimicked the fragrances of lemon, ginger, nutmeg and rose.
Although the word geranium is widely known and accepted, it is botanically inaccurate, according to the Sunset Western Garden Book. The proper term is pelargonium and includes the showy shrubs with large clusters of red, white, coral or orange clusters commonly thought of as geraniums, as well as the related species with strongly scented leaves and less significant flowers.
“I learned that you can make tea using the scented plant's dried leaves, or simply add a leaf for flavor to your hot or iced beverage. Also, jelly can be made using the extracted juices from pelargonium leaves,” she said. “The leaves can add an aroma to meat dishes, salads and desserts, or leave a fresh scent in a drawer or the car,” she said. “I didn't know about all that before.”`
To share what she learned, LaRue adopted one of nine beds designated for herbs at the demonstration garden. She visited nurseries all over Fresno and the Central Coast to find 10 different scented pelargoniums to plant in the space. Stepping stones crisscross the plot to give visitors up-close access to all the specimens. She has also added a pot with a scented pelargonium to the garden plot, demonstrating that the plants normally do very well in containers.
“Pelargoniums can be planted around a yard where people might sit and enjoy the fragrance, or walk by and sense the unexpected aroma,” she said.
The pelargoniums prefer full sun or part shade and well-drained soil. The plants should be watered regularly during the growing season in Fresno and are drought-tolerant when mature. Pruning can keep the plant from becoming woody and leggy. LaRue plans to maintain the demonstration plants in 24- to 30-inch-wide mounds. The Sunset Western Garden Book suggests scented pelargoniums may not survive a winter freeze in Fresno, but other sources report it doing just fine as a perennial.
“I'm really anxious to see how the garden grows,” LaRue said. “This is all experimental for me. It's going to be fun to watch.”
She said she'll continue searching for additional varieties of pelargoniums, which enthusiasts have bred in dozens of scents, including chocolate mint, cinnamon, eucalyptus, peppermint, orange, balsam and apple.
The Garden of the Sun, at 1750 N. Winery, Fresno, is open to visitors from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the Master Gardeners Spring Garden Tour on Saturday, April 20. Admission is free.
- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Tasks
- When using herbicides for weed control, spray on a calm day and protect plants by shielding them with a large piece of cardboard.
- Learn to use the ‘Season Adjust' feature on your controller to make irrigation adjustments easier.
- Apply mulch to plantings for water retention. Mulch should be 3 to 4 inches thick. Don't allow mulch to accumulate against stems or trunks of plants.
Pruning
- Shape spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
- Take 4-inch soft wood cuttings to propagate perennials, such as chrysanthemum, azalea, marguerite, lavender, aster and geranium.
Fertilizing
- Feed vegetables and lawns, but use care with lawns, as nitrogen encourages lush growth that requires more water.
- Fertilize deciduous fruit and nut trees with one third of the annual amount of fertilizer needed.
Planting
- This is the end of the spring planting season. Many annuals and vegetables can be planted from seed or transplanted. As temperatures rise, water new plantings.
- Perennials: coneflower (Echinacea), beard tongue (Penstemon), gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia), plant from seed.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: fairy lily (Zephyranthes).
- Fruits and vegetables: corn, pumpkin, squash, watermelon, plant from seed.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: bottlebrush (Callistemon), cotoneaster, solanum (potato vine).
- Annuals: globe amaranth (Gomphrena).
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: dianthus, twinspur (Diascia), wallflower (Erysimum), California poppy (Eschscholzia).
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: squill (Scilla).
- Trees, shrubs, vines: Photinia, Spirea.
- Fruits and vegetables: snap peas, turnips, onions.
Things to ponder
- To cover 100 square feet of space with mulch 3 inches deep, you will need one cubic yard of trunk space.
- Use the least toxic chemical – water, insecticidal soap, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or horticultural oils – for pest control.
- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Tasks
- Pull weeds and hoe often to minimize reseeding.
- After mulching, check to make sure your irrigation runs are watering through the mulch to the correct rooting depth. If not, increase run times.
- Use a strong stream of water to rinse aphids from rose bushes.
Pruning
- Remove dead branches from shrubs.
- Deadhead roses to encourage more blooms.
- Thin the fruit of apricot, peach, nectarine and plum trees to about 6 to 8 inches apart.
- Use trimmings in compost pile or chip and use as mulch.
Fertilizing
- Feed bedding plants with all-purpose fertilizer high in phosphorus.
- Fertilize citrus. Follow directions on the container.
Planting
- Plant summer vegetables at two-week intervals to prolong harvest.
- Perennials: Million bells (Calibrachoa), Lily-of- the-Nile (Agapanthus), alstroemeria.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: fortnight lily (Dietes).
- Fruits and vegetables: cantaloupe, chard, chayote.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: bougainvillea, violet trumpet vine (Clytostoma).
- Annuals: verbena, lisianthus (Eustoma).
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: bachelor's button (Centaurea), California Poppy (Eschscholzia), godetia (Clarkia), coreopsis.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: iris.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: oleander (Nerium), Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica).
- Fruits and vegetables: cherries, cucumber, grapefruit, green onions.
Things to ponder
- To water hillsides, set emitters on upper side of slope.
- Continue to monitor and destroy slugs and snails.
- Author: Susan Rosenthal
Gray green succulent foliage forms a clump 12 to 18 inches tall and up to 3 feet wide. Brilliant magenta flowers, showy from quite a distance, are carried on 1 to 2 foot stems above the foliage. Each inflorescence is reblooming, so resist the urge to deadhead until completely spent.
Very easy to grow, Calandrinia is said to prefer full sun, but in our area a little afternoon shade can prevent sunburned leaves in the hottest part of summer. It needs a lighter soil with good drainage and very little water once established.
Overwatering will definitely kill this one. A closely related species, Calandrinia grandiflora, is somewhat larger than spectabilis and distinguished by its narrower more elliptical leaves. Both are great, just be aware when buying. More cold hardy than many succulents, Calandrinia can tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees without damage.
As older leaves die off, plants can become a little leggy. If so, cut back in late winter. It may be best to replace plants periodically, and fortunately propagation from cuttings is easy. Calandrinia is an excellent choice for a xeriscape or rock garden and also good in containers. Basically, this is one you can plant and forget (almost).
