How to Grow Splish Splash Geranium

Splish Splash Geranium

Pelargonium × hortorum 'Splish Splash'

flower

Splish Splash is a showy zonal geranium cultivar featuring distinctive bicolor flowers with white petals splashed and streaked with vibrant red or coral-pink. It produces dense clusters of blooms and attractive green foliage with characteristic dark zoning patterns, making it an excellent choice for containers, borders, and landscape color.

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Example Splish Splash Geranium timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Splish Splash Geranium
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
First Splish Splash Geranium blooms
Around Jun 1

≈ 45 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Splish Splash Geranium dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily; tolerates partial shade but blooms best with abundant light

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Water: Water when top inch of soil is dry; allow soil to dry between waterings. Avoid overwatering, which causes root rot. More drought-tolerant once established. Reduce watering in winter.

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Spacing: 12 inches

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Days to maturity: 45-60 days to first blooms from transplants

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Planting depth: Plant transplants at same depth as in nursery pot; seeds indoors 1/8 inch deep

Soil

Type: Well-draining, light loamy soil

pH: 6.0-6.5

Amendments:

Peat moss or coco coir Perlite or coarse sand for drainage Compost for organic matter

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Best grown in zones 10-11 as a tender perennial; treated as an annual in cooler zones or grown indoors/in containers year-round

10a 10b 11a 11b

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Growth Stages

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Small plants with 2-4 true leaves; delicate stem and emerging cotyledons

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright indirect light. Maintain 65-70°F temperature. Thin seedlings if crowded.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plant establishes strong root system and develops multiple stems with characteristic lobed, green leaves showing dark zoning

Ensure full sun exposure. Water when top inch of soil dries. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced fertilizer. Pinch back growing tips to encourage bushiness.

Budding & Flowering

4-6 weeks

Dense clusters (umbels) of buds form at stem tips; flowers begin opening with distinctive white petals splashed with red/coral streaks

Maintain consistent watering and full sun. Switch to phosphorus-rich fertilizer to promote blooming. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming. Support stems if needed.

Peak Bloom & Maintenance

8-12 weeks or longer with proper care

Plant covered with vibrant bicolor flowers in dense clusters; foliage remains lush and green

Deadhead daily for maximum blooms. Water at soil level to keep foliage dry and prevent fungal issues. Continue light fertilizing every 2-3 weeks. Remove any yellowing lower leaves.

Decline & Overwintering

Ongoing through winter/dormancy

Flowering slows as season changes; plant may become leggy or woody

In cold climates, bring indoors before frost. Reduce watering and fertilizing. Cut back by 1/3 to 1/2 in late winter to rejuvenate. In warm climates, prune after main flowering season.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) Calibrachoa Petunias Lobelia Verbena Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) Salvia Marigolds

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Cabbage family plants Tomatoes (competes for nutrients)

Common Pests

Hand-pick damaged buds; use insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage beneficial insects
Spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or miticide; increase humidity
Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap; neem oil; reflective mulches
Spray with strong water jet; use insecticidal soap; apply neem oil; introduce ladybugs
Ensure good air circulation; avoid wetting foliage; apply sulfur or fungicidal spray; remove affected leaves
Improve drainage; allow soil to dry between waterings; repot in fresh, dry soil if severe; remove affected tissue

Uses

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Ornamental Container & Garden Color

Household

Splish Splash geraniums are superb for container gardening, hanging baskets, window boxes, and mixed borders. Their vibrant bicolor blooms provide reliable, long-lasting color from spring through fall. [source]

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Cut Flowers & Pressing

Craft

The distinctive bicolor flowers can be cut for fresh arrangements or pressed and dried for botanical crafts, cards, and decorative projects. [source]

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Pollinator Attraction

Wildlife

Geranium flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators, making them valuable for gardens supporting pollinator populations. [source]

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Foliage Interest

Household

Beyond blooms, the dark-zoned green leaves of Splish Splash geraniums provide attractive foliage color and texture to container compositions and garden beds. [source]

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Traditional Herbal Uses

Medicinal

While primarily ornamental, some Pelargonium species have been used in traditional medicine; however, Splish Splash is grown primarily for beauty rather than herbal applications. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Geraniums are not harvested for food. Pinch off spent flower clusters (umbels) regularly by hand or with pruners to encourage continuous blooming throughout the season. Deadheading increases flower production and plant vigor. Some gardeners harvest small sprigs for arrangements or pressing flowers.

Fun Facts

🌱 The distinctive 'splish splash' pattern on the petals occurs due to anthocyanin pigment expression and can vary slightly year to year depending on temperature and light conditions during bloom.
🌱 Geraniums were first domesticated and bred extensively in South Africa and Europe, with zonal geraniums becoming Victorian garden favorites in the 1800s before modern cultivars like Splish Splash were developed.
🌱 Splish Splash geraniums can live for many years if brought indoors before frost and given modest care over winter, with some gardeners maintaining plants for a decade or more by taking cuttings and rejuvenating through pruning.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Cultivar Deadhead Full Sun Partial Shade pH Pinch Back True Leaves

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