Citronella Geranium (#25)
Citronella Geranium
ID: 25
Name: Citronella Geranium
Category: Leafy Plants
Description: The Mosquito plant.
Details: The Mosquito Plant. Scented Geranium.
Grows with an upright bushy habit up to 24 in. tall (60 cm) and 12-18 in. wide (30-45 cm).
Performs best in full sun or part shade, in moderately fertile, neutral or alkaline, well-drained soils. Best in full sun, but welcomes some light shade in the heat of the day. Water regularly during growing season. Drought tolerant, once established.
Plant citronella in spring once all chances of frost have passed and the soil is warm. A good rule of thumb is to plant the same time you plant tomatoes.
Space citronella 18 to 24 inches apart in an area that receives partial shade and has fertile, well-drained soil.
Improve your native soil by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter.
Check soil moisture every few days and water when the top inch becomes dry.
For abundant blooms, feed regularly with a water-soluble plant food.
Once mature, prune citronella as necessary and enjoy the fragrant leaves and flowers in summer arrangements.
Soil, Planting, and Care
Plant in spring after the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed, about the same time you plant tomatoes. Select a location with a little afternoon shade, and space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. For best results, choose young Bonnie Plants® citronella (also called mosquito plants), which are strong and vigorous.
Though citronella plants are tolerant of a wide range of well-drained soils, moderately rich, moist soil will produce the best growth. Create just that kind of root environment in your garden by mixing 3 inches of aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil in with the top 6 inches of the existing soil. If you prefer to grow in pots, fill them with lighter, fluffier Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose Container Mix, which is good for both indoor and outdoor growing.
Citronella will grow best with a mix of great soil and premium plant food. Feed regularly with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition, which feeds instantly and nourishes the healthy microbes in the soil as well as your plants.
Ideally, you'll want to water whenever the top inch of soil dries out. Good news for gardeners in drought-prone areas, though: Citronella is relatively tolerant of summer stress.
An evergreen perennial in zones 9 to 11, citronella usually grows as an annual where freezing temperatures occur. In addition, the stems can become quite woody by summer's end. If you want to overwinter your plant, propagate a new one during the late summer months by layering. Set a pot filled with potting soil beside your big plant. Bend a stem (still attached to the big plant) gently toward the pot, being careful not to break it. Bury the stem sideways at a point at which a leaf is attached, keeping the growing tip uncovered. Place a rock or piece of brick over the buried stem to hold it in place. After a few weeks, roots will emerge from the stem and grow into the potting soil. At the end of the season (and before frost), cut the stem free from the mother plant and move the new young plant indoors for the winter.
Maturity:
Spacing: 24
Seed Depth: 0.25
Seed Count: 2
Days To Emerge: 10
Germination Temperature:
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When To Start Inside: 6 weeks before the last frost
When To Start Outside: Plant citronella in spring once all chances of frost have passed and the soil is warm. A good rule of thumb is to plant the same time you plant tomatoes.
Frost Resistant: No
Heirloom: Yes
Notes: I got these from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1WB737Q. I have no idea if these are Citronella Grass, or Citronella Geranium