Subject: scented geranium question

From: [email-masked] (Erika McNeil)
Date: 28 Mar 1995 13:46:27 GMT

I'm hoping someone can help me out with my latest herb problem.  I'm a huge fan
of scented geraniums and keep them in pots in my kitchen.  The first year I 
tried I bought 3, and one month later they died!  Last summer I bought six, 
kept them in different pots, both plastic and clay, and bought them from 3 
different stores, yet they all died within several weeks before summer's end!  
I had lemon, strawberry, orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, and peach.  I was 
heartbroken!  I saw no sign of bugs or fungus.  Why after 3 months did they all
of a sudden die all at once?!  I'd like to buy more this year, but I hate to 
make the investment and then be so disappointed.
And will my husband really want me to have children if I keep killing the 
plants!?
:*)
Any help would be much appreciated!  Thank you!
********************
Erika McNeil
********************

---

From: [email-masked] (Flyinggoat)
Date: 28 Mar 1995 14:48:13 -0500

>The first year I tried I bought 3, and one month later they died!  Last
>summer I bought six, kept them in different pots, both plastic and clay,
and >bought them from 3 different stores, yet they all died within several
weeks >before summer's end!  

1)What kind of soil did you use? 
2)What kind of watering schedule do you keep them on?
   I found I had the same problem initially with my scented geraniums in
regular potting soil and daily watering.  Geraniums like to have a
fast-draining soil, and they hate to stand in water. I switched the soil I
had been using to a mix of cactus and potting soil mixes, and watered less
often.  I haven't lost any since.  

Betty Cunningham([email-masked])
illustrator, animator, and likes to collect dead things

---

From: [email-masked] (Steve Rehrauer)
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 1995 16:44:39 GMT

>often.  I haven't lost any since.  

I'll second the watering advice.  We have ours in clay pots, in standard
potting soil, but I go light on the water frequency.  I basically drench
them once a week, with a mid-week sprinkle if they appear to be drying
out (as often happens in the dead of winter).  They're all thriving,
happily.
-- 
"I feel lightheaded, Sam.  I think my brain | Steve [email-masked]
 is out of air.  But it's kind of a neat    | Massachusetts Language Lab
 feeling..."  --Freelance Police            | Smack-dab in USDA Zone 5

---

From: [email-masked] (Chris Doelle)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 20:36:16 GMT

Erika McNeil ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I'm hoping someone can help me out with my latest herb problem.  I'm a huge fan
: of scented geraniums and keep them in pots in my kitchen.  The first year I 
: tried I bought 3, and one month later they died!  Last summer I bought six, 
: kept them in different pots, both plastic and clay, and bought them from 3 
: different stores, yet they all died within several weeks before summer's end!  
: I had lemon, strawberry, orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, and peach.  I was 
: heartbroken!  I saw no sign of bugs or fungus.  Why after 3 months did they all
: of a sudden die all at once?!  I'd like to buy more this year, but I hate to 
: make the investment and then be so disappointed.
: And will my husband really want me to have children if I keep killing the 
: plants!?
: :*)
: Any help would be much appreciated!  Thank you!
: ********************
: Erika McNeil
: ********************

How much sun are they getting.  I'm no expert but I tried for a couple years
to grow them inside in pots and they just got very leggy and weak.  
Frustrated, I stuck one in my herb bed outside when it was about to croak 
and now it is a bush about 3 feet across and 1 1/2 feet high.  It looks 
awesome - the only difference seems to be the greatly increased sunlight 
and the added room for the roots.
 
Chris

---

From: [email-masked] (Chris Doelle)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 20:36:16 GMT

Chris

---

From: [email-masked] (Leslie Rena Sims)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:35:19 GMT

Where can I find scented geraniums?  I really want to grow some!  

Leslie
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Teresa7777)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:24:25 -0400

Here in Central CA I find lots of varieties of scented geraniums at local
nurseries. They're often in the herb section, in small containers.
Shepherd's Garden Seeds usually offers a scented geranium "collection"
(started plants, not seeds). Their phone number is (203) 482-3638. Enjoy!
(They're wonderful plants...)

---

From: [email-masked] (Leslie Rena Sims)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:35:19 GMT

Leslie
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Teresa7777)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:24:25 -0400

---

From: [email-masked] (Teresa7777)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:24:25 -0400

---

From: [email-masked] (Pattynyne)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 22:50:18 -0400

I had the same problem when I had my new scented geranium plants in my
window. Of course it was December when I got them and it was cold and
rainy here in SF Bay Area. They were looking pretty pitiful..but when the
sun came out and I moved them outside and left them in the rain for a
day..they pepped up. They are still small, but growing!! I have collected
quite a few from local nurseries, including Orchard Supply Hardware.
I have:
Lemon
Rose
Attar of Rose
Chocolate Peppermint
Nutmeg
Fruit Cocktail
Lemon Rose
Strawberry
Peach
Lime
"French lace"- lemony type

I am still looking for Apple and Orange. But Sandy Mush Herb Farm has 70
varieties! I waited for the local nurseries to start carrying them thgis
month to save the shipping and found quite a few...
They have alot of other herbs also. Let them know you are interested in
scented geraiums and they will send an insert sheet describing the
different varities:

Sandy Mush Herb Farm
316 Surret Cove Rd
Leicester, NC 28748-9622
704-683-2014

---

From: [email-masked] (Pattynyne)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 22:50:18 -0400

Sandy Mush Herb Farm
316 Surret Cove Rd
Leicester, NC 28748-9622
704-683-2014

---

From: [email-masked] (Pattynyne)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 22:50:18 -0400

Sandy Mush Herb Farm
316 Surret Cove Rd
Leicester, NC 28748-9622
704-683-2014

---

From: [email-masked] (Steve Rehrauer)
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 14:18:27 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (MUNCHE) writes:
>
>==========Leslie Rena Sims, 4/3/95==========
>Logee's Greenhouse has a very large selection of scented geraniums.  I bought
>several a few years ago from them and I still have them.

Richter's had a very nice selection of them in their catalog, as I
recall.  I've not (yet) ordered from them, but their selection is
very nice, and they've gotten some good reviews here.  Plus, they're
online! :-)

RICHTERS HERBS                     | Info:                 [email-masked]
Goodwood, ON  L0C 1A0, Canada      | Catalog Requests:  [email-masked]
Tel +1-905-640-6677  Fax 640-6641  | Conrad Richter:     [email-masked]
-- 
"I feel lightheaded, Sam.  I think my brain | Steve [email-masked]
 is out of air.  But it's kind of a neat    | Massachusetts Language Lab
 feeling..."  --Freelance Police            | Smack-dab in USDA Zone 5

---

From: [email-masked] [Maura O'Neill]
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 05:40:39 GMT

I just saw them in smith and hawken, but am surprised if your local nursery 
doesn't carry them, altho, a few years ago, i could only find them at 'saso's in 
saratoga, ca., but now everyone seems to have them (they are wonderful, 
especially the: peppermint, lemonrose, damaskrose, nutmeg...} if you lived near 
me i would give you cuttings...they are easy to propogate
but i haven't had any luck with seeds
good luck, 
maura, santa cruz county, ca