Geraniums make beautiful additions to any windowsill or balcony. They love to bask in the sun in warm weather. I’m not sure they do well as an indoor plant. I don’t remember ever seeing one indoors, except at winter time. I just love how our back porch looks with the gorgeous red petals fluttering in the breeze. And, they come in a variety of colors and variegation.
Picture Credit: Miraclegro.com
It’s interesting how legends grow, isn’t it? There are those in Palestine who claim the geranium grew under the cross as well as the graves of those who died in the Holy Wars. They call the geranium “blood drops of Christ”.
In another legend, Muslims tell us that Prophet Mohammad went to the mountain to pray. When he got back, he was quite sweaty and took off his shirt. He saw a mallow plant and hung his shirt on it to dry. The Prophet was so pleased by how well the plant held his shirt up to the sun, he covered it with velvety red petals.
Did you know the geranium supposedly also has medicinal properties? The leaves can be used for a tea that can either be drunk or used as a compress for pain relief. I know people who use a few drops of geranium essential oil in a bottle of water to ward off insects, particularly mosquitos. Just spray it on the skin and it works magic against the blood-sucking little blighters. I’ve been told that having geraniums growing on a deck, porch, or patio will help to keep mosquitos away. It didn’t work last year, so I plan to double my planting this Spring!
I hope you’re enjoying your spring. Are you planting anything? Share with us!
olbigjim 
I just wish geraniums had a better fragrance. Apparently they don’t to mosquitoes, either.
A little springtime story. I purchased a compost container through Amazon about 3 years ago. I have been dutifully filling it with shredded paper, coffee grounds, various vegetable skins and the like, knowing that when I was ready for it, I would have some lovely composted mulch. I put it in the back yard between two trees and away from the neighbors nostrils and let it do it’s magic. Yesterday, I opened the little gate at the bottom where it would be the most seasoned. I wanted to spread it around my new tomato plants. Well … I couldn’t even get the shovel to penetrate the compost through that gate. What I hadn’t anticipated was that the tree roots found a delightful place for daily nutrition. Some of the roots are big around as my thumb!
Happy gardening,
Jay
LikeLiked by 1 person
Weirdo extraordinaire that I am actually enjoys the acrid fragrance of the geranium.
I love the compost story! I would’ve loved to have seen the roots invading it! Mother Nature never stops surprising and delighting us, does she?
I bought a “compost maker” last year. Rather small and something like a tombola. It didn’t make much more than a shovelful of compost. Now, I’m in the process of building a compost heap using old pallets.
Thanks for your continued support, Jay!
LikeLike