Pelargonium cultivation and care at home. Geranium at home, care for beginners

In the cultivation of pelargonium, there is a clear annual cycle, which depends on temperature and illumination. Usually, the flowering time in our climate begins in the spring and may continue for some varieties until late autumn, while there will be enough light and heat.

Lighting

When growing pelargoniums, one must remember that these are light-loving plants. Planted in open ground or taken out into the open air for the summer, they tolerate direct sun perfectly. The exception is royal geraniums, which are more picky about the effects of wind and rain, so they are preferably grown on terraces, balconies and window sills, in protected places. If the pelargonium is in a closed room (in a greenhouse, on a window), where light enters through the glass, the plant may overheat, especially in conditions of poor ventilation. Then you need protection from the scorching summer midday sun. It will tolerate pelargonium and a slight shading, but with a lack of light, the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow and die, the stem will become bare, the plant will not bloom.

It is important to rotate the plant regularly, every few days, at a small angle relative to the light source, this is necessary for uniform crown growth.

Temperature regime

In summer, pelargonium prefers moderate heat, within + 17 + 23 ° C. Landing in open ground should be done only when the danger of return frosts has passed. At a stable temperature of +12 ° C and below, pelargonium ceases to bloom, and too high a temperature also negatively affects flowering, especially indoors. The fact that the plant is cold can be signaled by reddened leaves.

In autumn, the temperature of the content and the abundance of watering are gradually reduced - growth should not be active so that the pelargonium does not stretch and become depleted in low light conditions.

winter care

Optimal wintering conditions can be created on a glazed and non-freezing, well-lit loggia or in a greenhouse. It is necessary to maintain the minimum temperature at night not lower than +6 ° C, in the daytime - about +12 + 15 ° C. In case of overheating on sunny days, open the greenhouse doors for ventilation. Angels, bicolor and tricolor varieties are best kept at higher temperatures by placing them in warmer areas of the greenhouse or loggia.

Good air circulation around the plants is required, they should not be placed too closely, if necessary, thick roots should be thinned out a little. This will help prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases. Watering this time is rather scarce, experienced flower growers spend it from pallets, clearly measuring the amount of water and determining the time of the next watering by the weight of the pots, while the top of the soil is always left dry.

There are also other ways of wintering. One of them is to keep the plants in the form of rooted cuttings, while the mother plant is thrown away. The method is used in the summer cultivation of pelargoniums in the open air.

The second method is also used in outdoor cultivation: on the eve of frost, the plant is dug up, excess soil is shaken off the roots, the plant is heavily cut and wrapped in paper, then hung in a cool basement. The room should be with good ventilation and high humidity so that the plant does not dry out. In the spring, it is planted in a pot, with the onset of heat, it is planted in open ground. You can combine the first and second methods: first take the cuttings, and then send the mother plant to winter in the basement.

Wintering falls on the darkest time of the year and lasts approximately 2.5-3 months (from November to February). Already in late January - early February, with an increase in daylight hours, pelargoniums gradually begin to wake up.

Watering

When watering pelargoniums, it is important to remember that these are rather drought-resistant plants, while at the same time easily susceptible to fungal diseases. Therefore, it is better to under-water the plant a little than water it in excess. In summer, water as the top layer dries out, provided that the plant is in a warm and sunny place. In winter, in cool conditions, watering should be limited, but not brought to complete drying of the soil.

Signs of overwatering will be sluggish, drooping leaves, often with signs of gray rot, in severe cases, stem rot will begin, which almost always leads the plant to death. Another symptom of excess moisture is the appearance of "sores" on the underside of the leaves. When the earthen coma dries out, the plant stops blooming, the leaves turn yellow, their edges dry up.

Air humidity for pelargoniums is not important, these plants do not require spraying. Excessive dampness and stagnant air can cause fungal diseases.

top dressing

Top dressing is desirable to introduce with each watering, respectively, reducing the dosage. So, if watering is done every day, then we divide the weekly rate of fertilizers by 7-10 and give such a dose in each watering. If the clod managed to dry out between waterings, then you must first moisten it with clean water. During winter rest, top dressing is canceled if the temperature is kept low and the plants are completely resting. When at least a slight increase is observed, fertilizers can be introduced at ¼ dosage. Shortly after the cuttings have rooted, use a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. For fertilizing young plants that are not yet allowed to bloom, use a complex universal fertilizer. Before the onset of the flowering period, about 2.5-3 months (in April), they begin to use a fertilizer with a higher potassium content. With signs of chlorosis, it should be treated with magnesium sulfate and iron chelate (or simply a solution of microelements in chelate form).

Landing

Priming Pelargonium prefers fertile and well-drained. It consists of turf land, humus, peat and sand in approximately equal proportions.

Lifespan an individual pelargonium bush is usually 2-5 years, after which the plant loses its decorative effect and it is better to take care of renewal in time by rooting cuttings. It will take about a year or a little more to grow an ornamental flowering plant from a cutting. Cuttings rooted in early spring may bloom as early as this summer, but it is desirable to give preference to the formation of a beautiful bush for abundant flowering next year.

cuttings can be taken at any time, from early spring to autumn. But here it is necessary to take into account the time of onset of flowering of the plant, which for different varieties ranges from 16 to 20 weeks after the last pinching or pruning (flowering occurs on young shoots that have reached this age). If you have a single copy of this variety, then you will have to wait for the end of flowering to cut the cuttings. If there are several copies, then it is better to take cuttings earlier, starting from February-March, then the young plant will have more time to develop for lush flowering next year, until this moment it is necessary to remove all emerging buds. It is not recommended to take cuttings before the end of January, with a short daylight hours. By this time, the plants are just beginning to wake up from a cool winter. If you take cuttings from dormant plants, then the level of growth hormones in them is low and rooting will take longer. For such pelargoniums as angels, royal and fragrant, it is advisable to take cuttings at the end of winter or early spring (later, with an increase in light levels, flower buds will begin to be laid closer to the tops of the shoots). For most varieties of zonal pelargoniums, this period is not so important, since their flower buds are laid along the entire length of the shoot and cuttings can be taken at any time during the growing season.

Cuttings must be cut only from healthy and powerful plants - the stronger and stockier the cutting, the better it will develop in the future. For cuttings, the apical parts of the shoots are taken about 5-7 cm long, from miniature and dwarf varieties - about 2.5-3 cm. The lower leaves and stipules should be carefully removed, and an oblique cut with a slight slope should be made under the lower node. Dry the lower cut of the cutting in the air, depending on the conditions, this may take from several hours to several minutes. You can use drugs that stimulate root formation, but pelargonium gives roots well without their use.

Rooting takes from 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the conditions and variety. The roots are formed on the lower cut of the cutting. As a soil for rooting, a mixture of a sterile peat substrate and perlite is used in approximately equal proportions. It is important that water does not stagnate in the soil. Sterilizing the soil before use reduces the chance of cuttings rotting. Small pots (6 cm in diameter) or transparent cups (100-200 ml in volume) are filled with earth mixture and kept on a tray with water until the upper part of the substrate begins to be wetted. After that, the soil is allowed to dry for about a day.

Another method of rooting is also popular. They take two pots, insert a second, narrower pot into a wider one, fill the space between them with soil, and prepared cuttings are planted here. They are immersed in the ground by about 1-3 cm (depending on the variety) and lightly pressed.

The next watering is carried out sparingly and through the pan when the soil dries. It is advisable to introduce a systemic fungicide into the soil after planting the cuttings during the second irrigation. A greenhouse for rooting cuttings of pelargonium is not required. The first 2-3 days, the leaves may wilt (do not put the cuttings in sunlight!), later they restore turgor.

The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings of pelargonium is about + 20 + 22 ° C.

After rooting the first pinching the cutting is carried out when it forms 8-10 leaves. With a sharp sterile knife, the apical point of growth is removed. This stimulates the growth of side shoots from the axils of the remaining leaves. If shoots begin to grow only from 1-2 upper buds, then it is advisable to remove them or pinch them as soon as they give 3 leaves. The next pinchings are carried out as the side shoots grow, when they form 8-10 leaves. This will ensure lush branching, and subsequently abundant flowering. It is optimal to form a crown in the form of a 2/3 ball. The last pinching of the plant is carried out no later than 16-20 weeks (depending on the variety) before the expected flowering. Since external factors (illumination) also influence flowering, it can be expected to begin in May or June, so the last pinching is carried out no later than February. As they grow, diseased or weak shoots are removed, too rapidly growing ones are shortened, trying to maintain uniformity of the roots. Also cut out all the leaves that do not match the grade in size or color.

As the young plant grows, it is several times a season transplanted(neat transshipment) into a slightly larger pot, not trying to immediately give a large volume. Transshipment is carried out only when the roots tightly braid the lump. For a one-year-old plant, the maximum size of the pot should not exceed: for miniature - 9 cm, dwarf varieties and angels - 11 cm, for other varieties - no more than 15 cm in diameter. The last transplant of the cuttings rooted this season is carried out closer to the winter rest or after it ends at the beginning of the next season.

Pruning an old plant after flowering, taking cuttings

After the end of flowering of the mother plant, apical cuttings are cut from it for rooting. Pelargoniums are very susceptible to fungal diseases, so it is advisable to make a cut on the mother plant above the node and be sure to treat the cut site with a fungicide, sprinkle with coal or sulfur, these measures will reduce the likelihood of rotting of the stems. It is optimal to carry out cuttings in warm weather, this also reduces the risk of disease. It is better not to remove old leaves that remain on the plant at this time, so side shoots will soon begin to grow. As young shoots grow, old leaves are removed. As soon as the young shoots grow 8-10 leaves, they are pinched.

To give uniformity to the crown and stimulate good flowering, old specimens are carried out immediately after winter rest. pruning, remove frail and diseased shoots, shorten long ones, leaving 2 to 5 buds on each shoot. Pruning in the fall is undesirable, because at home, without strict observance of cool wintering conditions, weak side shoots are formed that will have to be removed.

reproduction

cuttings. Pelargonium reproduces well with the help of cuttings - this is the main method of propagation of varietal plants, only it completely (excluding cases of the appearance of somatic mutations - spots) guarantees the preservation of all varietal characteristics in the plant. Read about cuttings of pelargoniums above.

seed propagation. Many cultivars are hybrid in nature, and even if they can set seeds, plants from such seeds will not necessarily retain the varietal qualities of the original plants. Species pelargoniums and a small number of varieties are successfully grown from seeds.

Mostly on sale you can find seeds of hybrids F1 (first generation) and hybrids F2 (second generation), they are produced by large seed companies by crossing two different varieties. Plants grown from such seeds are not very interesting for collectors, but are more suitable for mass gardening - they do not differ in the richness of colors, but they have increased resistance.

The optimal time for sowing seeds is the end of January - February. With an increase in daylight hours, it will be possible to grow strong seedlings, and the seedlings will most likely bloom this summer. You can sow earlier, but in winter you will definitely need additional lighting so that the seedlings do not stretch.

For seed germination, poor sterile soil is used. Seeds are sown on the surface, sprinkled with a thin layer (literally 2-3 mm) of the earth mixture, spilled and not covered with anything. The optimum temperature for germination is + 20 + 24 ° C. You can sow the seeds one at a time in individual small cups, then picking is not required. Shoots appear in 2-3 weeks.

Diseases and pests

• Great damage to pelargoniums gray rot. It appears as a gray coating on the leaves and other parts of the plant. Its occurrence provokes coolness, dampness, waterlogging, poor ventilation. Especially often the disease occurs during winter rest, which is why it is so important to provide plants with good ventilation, not to put them close to each other, and to remove diseased and unnecessary leaves in time.
• Often found on pelargoniums rust. It manifests itself in the form of concentric yellowish spots on the top and brown below on the leaves.
• From waterlogging of the soil can be observed stem rot, which manifests itself in the form of dark depressed spots at the base of the stem. This is the certain death of the plant, but you can try to take the apical cutting.
• verticillium wilt caused by a fungus that infects the conducting system of the plant. The disease manifests itself in the gradual yellowing and wilting of the plant and is not treatable.
• Damage is also possible with other pathogenic fungi that cause various types of spotting on leaves, petioles and other parts of plants.

It is important to carry out preventive treatments of plants from fungal diseases in a timely manner, especially on the eve of winter holidays. Plants are abundantly sprayed with drugs or immersed with a crown in a container with a fungicide. It is advisable to use broad-spectrum systemic fungicides, such as Skor, Topaz, Profit Gold, Topsin, etc. When a fungal disease is detected, diseased parts of the plant are removed, and treated with the same preparations.

• Pelargonium is often affected whitefly. When purchasing a plant, carefully inspect the lower part of the leaf for the presence of small white butterflies or white capsular formations, their larvae. If you find at least a few individuals, you should refuse to buy.
• Upon detection mealybug It's also better not to buy a plant. In the axils of the leaves, on the stems, clusters can be seen that look like pieces of white cotton wool.
• Pelargoniums can also be affected thrips, aphids, ticks.

Physiological disorders not associated with diseases or pests

• Leaf reddening. The reason is that the temperature is too low. We need to change the conditions.
• The plant does not bloom although its general condition is good. The reason may be hiding in too high a temperature, lack of light or excessive watering.
• The leaves turn yellow and fall, the edges of the leaves dry. The reason may be insufficient watering, with a strong exposure of the stem - a lack of light.

Photo: Nina Starostenko, Rita Brilliantova

Pelargonium treats well, so it should be watered moderately and the soil should not dry out. Although drought can endure normally.

But it’s better not to plant it in the open sun either: the optimum temperature for growth and development in pelargonium is + 15 ° C, therefore the semi-sunny side is considered the best, or it still has to be shaded.

Depending on the species, pelargonium has a number of individual characteristics, but the principle of planting and care is by and large the same. To root green cuttings in the garden, you need to plant them in a mixture of peat and river sand. But you can also root at home using.

Pelargonium Care

rest period

Getting into the garden, pelargonium blooms all summer. But like any living organism, it gets tired, so until spring, let the plant rest for about 1.5-2 months, put it into a dormant state. To do this, do not water the pelargonium and do not feed with mineral fertilizers. By spring, she will wake up and give bloom again. There are many opinions about the wintering of pelargonium. But I would not risk leaving it in the garden: for the winter, the bush must be transplanted into a pot and taken home.

For the winter, pelargonium should not be left in the garden. Pot it up and take it home

fertilizers

During the period of active pelargonium, use complex fertilizers for flowering plants.

pruning

In the spring, so that the pelargonium actively starts growing and pleases with abundant lush flowering, the tops of the shoots can be pinched. But the tops do not have to be thrown away, they can be rooted and get new plants.

The tops of the shoots need to be pinched so that next year the bush is lush

Reproduction of pelargonium

Pelargonium propagates by seeds and vegetatively (by green cuttings).

• Many amateurs root the cuttings right in the winter, for this they plant the cutting in sand or perlite and moisten it. Cuttings are cut from queen cells wintering at home at a temperature not higher than + 12 ° C. The cuttings are rooted from January at + 16 ° C, already at this temperature the plant begins to give roots. Then the temperature is raised to +20°C, the formation of a full-fledged root system of the cutting takes about 3 weeks. When the root system is formed, transplant the young plants into small pots, take them to the greenhouse for hardening and growing. You can grow on the window.

Pelargonium cuttings are usually rooted in perlite, but they give roots well and just in water.

• Seeds should be sown in containers also in winter, from December to February, the soil mixture should consist of river sand and peat or one peat. It will take about 3 weeks to wait for seedlings, all this time the soil must be regularly moistened. It is advisable to cover the top of the container with a film. When the seedlings reach the phase of three true leaves, they dive into separate containers. To make the plant more bushy, pinch it over the 6th leaf.

Types of pelargonium

The genus Pelargonium has about 250 species that grow in South Africa. In our country, the most common, which gave rise to many varieties and hybrids, have become zonal and ivy.

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Pelargonium zonale (Pelargonium zonale)

The outlined, patterned leaves of this perennial pelargonium can be light or dark green in color. In a number of well-known sources it is written that this species is annual, but I would say that it simply does not hibernate in the open field. I dig and transplant into a pot, so even in winter my pelargonium blooms.

In winter, mother liquors are kept at temperatures up to +23°C. When the plant fades, the shoots are cut to 10 cm and the container is transferred to a bright, cool room with a temperature not higher than + 15 ° C. By the way, this species tolerates drought well, has many new interesting varieties and hybrids. Bright color (white, red, dark red, raspberry, pink) and spherical umbellate inflorescences with simple or double flowers - this is why flower growers love this pelargonium so much. can decorate not only the window sill, but also hanging baskets, tubs and containers, flower beds, borders or borders.

Pelargonium of this species does not tolerate excess moisture, can withstand temperatures down to -6 ° C, and at temperatures below + 9 ° C, the leaves turn yellow. Varieties and hybrids affect the height of the plant: for example, the variety "Meteor" differs in short stature, therefore it is used for curbs. And the series Rocky Mountain you can find vigorous varieties, and besides, unusual shades.

Medium-sized unusual varieties

• "Rumba Fire"- fiery, I would say, bordering on the "poisonous" saturation of red, attracts attention from any point of view.

• "Bravo Pastel"- petals of white color, smoothly turning into pink, with a delicate raspberry eye

Pelargonium zonal "Bravo Pastel"

Ivy Pelargonium (Pelargonium peltatum)

A favorite of landscape designers for and horizontal gardening. Juicy fleshy leaves, sometimes framed by a red border, attract attention. They do not smell and do not have pubescence, but outwardly they are somewhat reminiscent of leaves in shape. The shoots of this species are falling, up to 90 cm long. Although they can be 30 cm, depending on the variety.

Pelargonium ivy "Apple Blossom Rosebud"

Again, many sources write about the annual development cycle of this species, but transplant it into a pot in the fall, and it will live on the window until the spring planting back into the garden. It has a semi-shrub appearance. Flowers on long peduncles, collected in few-flowered thyroid inflorescences. Can be terry or semi-double. The color is white, pink, lilac and red.

The most popular varieties

• Mustang- deep dark red color.
• "Pygmy"- a relatively new series with salmon-pink, cherry, pink flowers.

• "Red Pandora"- a variety of incomparable tulip-shaped pelargonium. Its cherry-scarlet flowers will not leave indifferent even an experienced gardener.

Pelargonium ivy "Red Pandora"

Meanwhile, many breeders subdivide p. ivy according to the strength of growth and ampelous coloring. In the group of medium-sized varieties, there are many new purple and lilac shades.

Pelargonium "Lady Ilchester"

Most varieties have double fluffy flowers and variegated color.

Pelargonium 'Richard Hogson'

Undersized varieties and hybrids also have a lot of new and interesting things. Juicy bright colors and greens, coupled with a small height, are increasingly becoming a welcome guest in the garden. I love simple bright colors.

Variety "Belladonna" as if descended from retro pictures of the last century, their exquisite terryness and tenderness of color becomes a tasty morsel for a gourmet.

Pelargonium "Belladonna"

There are varieties whose flowers are simple, but they contain the secret of color change with temperature. For example, flowers of the variety "Cascade White", bronze in heat and cold, under normal conditions become familiar orange colors.

Ivy pelargonium is more sensitive to frost than zonal pelargonium. It starts to freeze already at -4°C. When planting in the ground, the distance between plants is taken about 25 cm, and if containers or boxes are used, then about 15 cm.

Pelargonium ivy

Finally, I want to say that in the West, gardeners have long been using pelargonium ivy for arched structures. A favorite technique is also a pyramidal design: to create such an object, boxes are used, which, like steps, are placed on top of each other.

Do you grow pelargonium?

Did you know that at home you can grow geraniums with flowers of different shades and even scents?
Grafting a geranium is a great chance to feel like, if not a breeder, then at least an entertainer flower grower.
Only young and healthy pelargoniums should be vaccinated. The ideal time to experiment with geraniums is spring. As a basis, we take any strong pelargonium older than one year. We cut off the top of a strong stem and make a “tick” cut in it about 2 cm. We insert the prepared scion there, we try to fit it so that the sections of the stock and scion are in close contact. We bandage it with a piece of polyethylene or carefully fix it with a soft woolen thread, put the bag on top. In a week it will be clear whether our scion has taken root.
Shall we try?
More useful tricks and tips for growing pelargonium - in our material.

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Planting and caring for geraniums

• Bloom: can bloom all year round.
• Lighting: bright sunlight (south window).
• Temperature: during the growing season - the usual room temperature, during the dormant period - 15 ˚C.
• Watering: abundant during the period of active growth, as the top layer of the substrate dries. In winter, watering is stopped.
• Air humidity: common for residential areas.
• Top dressing: from the end of March to the middle of November, once every 2 weeks, with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants.
• rest period: from late autumn to early spring.
• Transfer: infrequently, before the beginning of the growing season, when the pot becomes small for the plant.
• Pruning: regularly in autumn. Shoots are shortened to segments with 6-7 leaves.
• Pinching: each shoot over the fourth or fifth leaf.
• Reproduction: seed, vegetative (cuttings).
• Pests: aphids, whiteflies, spider mites.
• Diseases: black rot, botrytis, rust, leaf spot, root rot, bacteriosis, viruses.

Read more about growing geraniums below.

Pelargonium (lat. Pelargonium)- a genus of the Geranium family native to South Africa, with up to 400 species and forms of annual and perennial plants. In Europe, representatives of this genus appeared at the end of the fifteenth or beginning of the sixteenth century. Relatives of pelargonium, or flowering geranium, are meadow geranium and common geranium. All types of pelargonium grown at home are combined under the general name "room geranium", and in this article we will tell you how to care for geraniums and how to propagate geraniums at home.

Home geranium - growing features

Geranium- one of the most popular indoor plants, which does not require any special effort or time to grow. However, there are several features that an amateur florist about caring for home geraniums does not hurt to know:

• in winter, geranium loves cool temperatures, but you should not keep it indoors with temperatures below 10 ºC;
• the geranium flower loves the sun, so the best place for a geranium pot is the south window;
• geranium can bloom all year round, for this it needs only sufficient food and light: do not forget that its homeland is South Africa;
• to enhance branching, geranium shoots need to be pinched;
• wilted flowers must be removed;
• almost all types of geraniums need regular pruning.

home geranium care

How to care for geraniums at home

Growing geraniums at home is very easy. The soil for geraniums needs moderately fertile so that there are more flowers and less greenery on the bush. It is important to provide a good drainage layer of large expanded clay in a pot with a plant. Watering geraniums should be plentiful, as the soil dries out, and in winter, watering geraniums is almost stopped. Geranium does not need spraying, as it prefers fresh, dry air, so it would be nice to take it out to the balcony in summer. The light, as already mentioned, should be bright, direct sunlight is welcome. And only on the hottest days, geraniums are slightly covered from the sun. Any temperature in the summer will suit the plant, but in winter it is desirable that the room be about 15 ºC.

Fertilizer for geraniums

Geraniums need to be fertilized once every two weeks from late March to mid-November with liquid fertilizers. An excellent top dressing for geraniums is a solution of iodine: 1 drop of iodine is dissolved in 1 liter of water and 50 ml is carefully poured along the walls of the pot. No more needed so as not to burn the roots. After such top dressing, indoor geranium blooms for a long time and plentifully. Do not use fresh organic matter as a fertilizer, geraniums do not tolerate it.

Transplanting home geraniums

Geranium does not like transplants, and does not really need them. Only when the roots start to come out of the drain hole of the pot, you can put it to this test. Planting or transplanting geraniums is carried out in early spring, when the plant begins its growing season. The pot should be chosen only a couple of centimeters in diameter larger than the one in which it grows, otherwise, if the pot is large, you will get a lot of branched shoots, but the geranium will not bloom.

In the photo: Growing geraniums in a pot

geranium pruning

In autumn, it is time to trim the geranium shoots. You need to leave a stem with 6-7 leaves. Remove shoots that do not grow from the root, but from the leaf axils. If during the winter the plant has grown again, in the spring (at the end of February or the beginning of March) it can be cut again, leaving only a few buds on the stem. Cut branches can be used as cuttings for propagation. In the future, in order to improve flowering and make the geranium bush thicker, pinch the shoots after 4-5 leaves. From December to January, flower growers do not recommend trimming geraniums at home.

Propagation of home geraniums

Reproduction of geranium seeds

Reproduction of geraniums by seed is not at all difficult. Purchased seeds germinate well and give a large number of seedlings. The use of seeds collected from our own geraniums is unlikely to give the expected result, since hybrid varieties lose the characteristics of the mother plant during seed propagation. Geranium seeds are sown in loose moist soil (peat, sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 2), sprinkled on top with a layer of the same soil or sand two and a half centimeters thick. Top spray with water from a spray bottle. So that the seedlings do not get sick with the "black leg", the substrate must first be shed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Landing should be covered with glass and regularly moisten the soil, while eliminating condensation. The temperature for seed germination is 18-22 ºC. When shoots appear, the glass is removed, the container is moved to a bright place, but the temperature is reduced to 16-20 ºC. After 1.5-2 months, the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, and they can be planted in pots, and when 5-6 leaves appear, you can pinch the shoot to enhance tillering.

Propagation of geraniums by cuttings

You can stock up on cuttings all year round, but it is better to do this in the spring. Geranium cuttings should be 5-7 cm long and have 2-3 leaves. A freshly cut stalk is dried for a day, then the place of cut is sprinkled with crushed coal and planted in a small pot with loose soil. Sometimes the cuttings are rooted in coarse sand, which should be slightly damp all the time, but when watering, the water should not fall on the leaves and stems so that the plants do not rot. It is not necessary to cover the cuttings. After the cuttings have roots, they are transplanted into the ground to a permanent place. The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings is 20-22 ºC.

Geranium diseases

Diseases and pests of geraniums

Geranium rarely gets sick, but if it does, then, as a rule, improper care is the cause. Sometimes the leg (black rot) turns black in young geraniums. Such plants are not treated, they must be destroyed, and the soil in which diseased specimens grew should be sterilized or replaced with a new one. It is necessary to ensure that waterlogging of the soil does not occur - this is the cause of black, root and gray rot. Sometimes geraniums are affected by mites, whiteflies or aphids. If your geranium has mites or aphids, wash the leaves, especially carefully from the underside, with an infusion of chamomile or tobacco with green soap. After 2-3 hours, wash off this compound with water from the leaves. The treatment of the plant with such preparations as Zubr, Confidor, Actellik and Fufanon will help you get rid of the whitefly, and all in turn, since getting rid of this pest and its larvae is not so easy.

Why does geranium turn yellow

There may be several reasons why geranium leaves turn yellow:

• if the leaves turn yellow and only the edges dry, it means that the plant lacks moisture;
• if the yellowness of the leaves is accompanied by lethargy, then the reason is just an excess of moisture;
• the geranium turns yellow and loses the lower leaves from insufficient lighting;
• check if the pot has become cramped to the plant;
• sometimes the cause of yellowing and falling of the leaves may be adaptation when changing places or after transplanting geraniums.

In the photo: Geranium turns yellow

Why does the geranium not bloom?

Usually the reason that geraniums do not bloom is:

• too low temperature or lack of light. In such cases, it is necessary to ensure that the plant is illuminated with fluorescent lamps;
• sometimes the soil is too fertile, so try to buy a special substrate for geraniums or make it yourself according to the recipe from our article;
• too spacious pot, stimulating the growth of the root system, but inhibiting flowering;
• untimely pruning: geraniums need to be “cut” regularly, then it will branch more densely and bloom more magnificently;
• irregular feeding of geraniums.

Why geranium dries

If only the tips of the geranium leaves dry, then the plant does not have enough water. Another reason that geraniums dry out is a fungal rust disease: the leaves first become covered with red-brown spots, then they begin to dry and fall off. Spray the geranium with a 5% solution of Bordeaux liquid or treat it twice with phytosporin with an interval of 7-10 days.

In the photo: Geranium leaves dry

Types and varieties of room geranium

Most often, in home floriculture, zonal geranium, or kalachik, as it is still called colloquially, is used. It is distinguished by dark concentric circles on the leaves, grows up to 30-60 cm in height, sometimes even up to a meter, blooms with simple or double bright flowers, collected in spherical umbrella-shaped inflorescences of red, raspberry, white or pink flowers.

Geranium ivy, or thyroid

Ampel plant for hanging flowerpots with brittle hanging shoots up to a meter long and with racemose inflorescences of simple, semi-double and double flowers of a wide palette of colors.

Royal, or English large-flowered geranium

She is homemade, royal noble) is represented by many varieties, shapes and colors, sometimes with variegated leaves, with simple and double flowers. The height of the plant is up to half a meter, it is distinguished by a dark spot or stripes along the veins on the lower petals.

In the photo: Geranium ivy

scented geraniums

After this article, they usually read

Comments

# Siren 04.01.2020 00:14 Reply

# Denisenko O. 04.01.2020 16:41 Reply

Grandma's flower - she is geranium, she is pelargonium- for many years it has remained an unpretentious favorite of flower growers, because geraniums are easy to care for, they bloom beautifully and smell delicious, they rarely get sick and are damaged by pests, geraniums are easy to breed at home. But even such a popular indoor plant can upset: for no apparent reason dry up, blacken or years do not bloom. From the article you will learn how care for geraniums so that it pleases with bright flowering all year round.

Given here care tips taken not from the ceiling and not from other people's books or publications. Everything is based on personal experience and verified by years of floriculture practice.

But first, a very interesting fact! Geranium, or crail, is a frost-resistant perennial that grows in gardens and winters in the ground.

What grows on our windowsills and what we call geraniums, in fact pelargonium (pelargonium)- a heat-loving plant that can grow in the garden, but only in the warm season. Therefore, geranium-pelargonium, before the first serious frosts (or better before), is dug up and transplanted into a pot, which is placed on a well-lit windowsill until May, and cared for like a houseplant. After winter, geraniums are transplanted into the ground or transferred directly in a pot back to the garden. In this case, you can even divide the rhizomes of the plant and thereby contribute to reproduction of geranium-pelargonium.

Not necessary transplant or transfer geraniums to the garden. It can grow all year round exclusively in pots at home, which is mainly practiced. In the article, I will use both the familiar name "geranium" and the correct "pelargonium", of course, referring to indoor pelargonium.

(On the left is garden geranium, on the right is pelargonium)

1. Good and competent watering

It is not worth pouring too much water on pelargonium, as it can rot and die.

3 signs of improper overwatering:

1. sluggish or even rotting leaves,
2. gray mold on leaves
3. the base of the stem turns black, which, unfortunately, is fatal for pelargonium.

It is better to forget to water the flower once again. For pelargonium, drought is not as detrimental as excessive watering, from which the root neck (the place where the stem passes into the roots) and the root itself begin to rot.

If rot has begun, then it is already impossible to fight it, no matter how much we would like to. Pelargonium cannot be saved from rot, the flower is doomed.

You just have to remember that geranium-pelargonium - drought-resistant home flower. But it is also not necessary to allow a strong drying of the earthy coma, otherwise geranium will not bloom well, and even refuse to bloom altogether, although it will not die. That is, we are looking for the very golden mean of watering.

I water the geraniums every day if it is sunny or too hot in the house and you can see that the earthen ball has begun to dry out. In cloudy weather and in the absence of heating, I water geraniums in a day or two. But these are not hard numbers. It is better to follow the earthen clod. As soon as it began to dry out, then it's time to water the pelargonium.

2. It is not necessary to spray geranium-pelargonium

And this is great, because it saves time when caring for pelargonium.

3. Geranium loves good lighting.

Geranium-pelargonium is by nature a light-loving indoor flower. She loves sunny window sills (on the south or southeast side). If geranium is grown in the garden in summer, then the place for it must be found exceptionally sunny and protected from the winds, because the stem is rather brittle, although it looks strong. Geranium will also transfer light penumbra calmly.
In low light in geranium-pelargonium leaves fall and the stem is exposed.

4. Temperature not lower than +12 degrees

Geranium, the one that is pelargonium, is a thermophilic flower. Therefore, the temperature regime is important for her, because it affects flowering. At lower temperatures, pelargonium stops blooming.

It once happened that in October I kept geranium-pelargonium in the garden at + 4 degrees for a whole week. The sight was pitiful. There was no talk of flowering at all: the leaves fell off, the stems were bare.

Conclusion- for a long time at low temperatures, geranium-pelargonium cannot be! The flower may even die. But still, the reserve of strength in my pelargonium was then preserved.

I transferred the plants to warm rooms, planted them in pots, cut off all the stems about half, and about 2/3 and put them on sunny windowsills. After planting, it was very good (even with some excess) to water the pelargonium with water, and then did not touch and water it for five days. I watered it for the first time after planting, when the earthen ball dried up a little.

A week after planting, the geranium came to its senses, the buds swelled. And by December, all the stems were strewn with leaves, new branches with leaves and buds with the first flowers appeared.

By the way, if in winter at geranium-pelargonium, which stands on the windowsill, suddenly discolored edges of leaves, then you need to move the flower away from the frosty window.

5. Pruning and pinching pelargonium

Like all indoor geranium plants pruning is best in autumn, for example, after being dug out of the ground (if the flower grew in the garden). Also possible spring pruning in the event that you transplant a flower from pot to pot or from pot to garden in spring.

I practice pruning pelargonium as soon as the branches of the plant are very bare. I cut mercilessly, leaving small stumps no more than 5 cm high from the ground (or even less). This, by the way, contributes to the formation of a lower crown of the bush, as well as good branching. I like it better when there are low and lush geranium bushes in pots than long bare stems with leaves and flowers at the ends.

To enhance the branching of the stems, you can pinch the young shoots of geraniums. You can do this at any time of the year and if necessary.

Pests and diseases of geraniums

Room geraniums (pelargonium) generally have few pests and diseases.

From diseases can develop root rot and root collar rot in case of excessive waterlogging of the soil. This is for geraniums, as already mentioned, unfortunately, fatal. It is useless to reanimate, it is better to destroy the dead plant and acquire a new one.

gray mold(gray rot) on geranium leaves is not so deadly and it can and should be fought. For this you need:

* stop watering
*remove moldy leaves
* spray with an antifungal agent for houseplants according to the instructions
* put the flower in a sunny place

The main pests of geranium-pelargonium are whitefly and aphid which are easier to deal with. It is enough to buy an appropriate insecticidal preparation for indoor plants (if pelargonium grows at home) or garden plants (if it grows in the garden) in a garden store and spray the pelargonium according to the instructions.

From personal experience I will say that I did not observe obvious diseases on my geranium. As for pests, when growing geraniums indoors, only once (10 years ago) appeared whitefly. This is a very small insect that looks like a tiny white butterfly. The whitefly settles on the underside of the leaf and there rapidly (almost like an aphid) multiplies, sucking the juice from the geranium leaves. A severely affected leaf turns yellow and falls off. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly inspect the leaves of geraniums from all sides, and if these insects are found, buy the appropriate insecticide in the garden store and spray according to the instructions. Nothing wrong with that. It is not necessary to refuse such drugs. It is like a medicine, only not for a person, but for a plant. Well, you will not treat pneumonia with honey and garlic. So here too. You may have to repeat spraying two or three times if the whitefly has bred heavily.

If suddenly your pelargonium:

* No flowering, but the plant itself looks cheerful. Most likely this is due to too warm air in the room. Geranium, although drought-resistant, will not bloom if the air is too warm in the room.

* Geranium leaves turn yellow and fall off, also the edges of the leaves dry. This means insufficient watering. But just in case, we examine the underside of the sheet. Suddenly the reason is the whitefly.

* The edges of the leaves turned red. This means that the air temperature is too low. Perhaps the pot of geraniums is close to the frosty window.

* The stems of home geraniums are bare and the leaves fall, sometimes not even turning yellow. The reason is too little light. Do not forget that pelargonium is photophilous. By the way, the whitefly can also cause the same effect, so we regularly inspect the lower part of the leaf.

* Leaves home geraniums are sluggish and rot, after which they fall off. The reason is over watering. We reduce watering, put a pot of pelargonium on a sunny windowsill.

* watery pads on the leaves. The reason lies again in excessive watering.

* There is gray mold on the leaves. This is gray mold. The reason is also in excessive watering. What to do? Remove leaves with mold, spray the flower with a drug against fungal diseases (we buy it in a garden store and use it according to the instructions). We reduce watering, put indoor geraniums on a well-lit windowsill.

* The base of the geranium stem turned black. Bad sign! Pelargonium, unfortunately, is doomed. She will die and cannot be cured. So you have to break up with her. The cause of death is excessive waterlogging of the soil. Or maybe there was contaminated soil.

Reproduction of geranium-pelargonium

Pelargonium (geranium) reproduces well dividing the bush. This is the easiest and most common way.

Can be propagated in spring cuttings. I tried to propagate by cuttings in the fall. It also happened. The cutting (the prettiest and thickest piece of the stem, 10-15 cm long) was simply placed in a glass of water, and as the roots appeared and grew, the young plant was transplanted into a pot of earth. But I don't really like cuttings. With this method of reproduction, many of my plants die. Although it is believed that pelargonium is easily propagated by cuttings. Apparently, I do not have enough experience in this method of propagation, so I prefer to propagate geraniums by dividing the bush. With this method of lunges, I have never had.

Growing pelargonium in the garden

I don't transplant indoor geraniums into the garden, but just take the pots out into the yard and arrange something like a patio.

But if there is a desire to transplant geranium-pelargonium into the ground, then I do it in the spring, when the threat of frost has passed. In central Russia, this is not earlier than the second half of May, even better than the 1st decade of June.
The night before, pots with homemade geraniums are well spilled with water, you can even with some excess. I do this so that the earth ball is saturated with moisture and, therefore, keeps its shape during transplantation, and does not crumble into dust, which would expose the roots and harm them. In addition, roots saturated with moisture are easier to tolerate the “moving” procedure and are not so much injured.

It is better to plant homemade pelargonium in the garden in a sunny place, in moist and well-drained soil. I repeat, the flower also tolerates light partial shade well.

After planting, it is necessary to squeeze the earth around the geranium well with your hands so that there are no air voids in the ground. This rule must be observed when planting any plants in the ground.
When growing in the summer in the garden, it must be borne in mind that if the summer happens to be damp, then the geranium-pelargonium will not bloom much, although there will be a lot of green leaves.

Here, perhaps, for now, is all that I wanted to talk about caring for geraniums at home. All of the above is based on personal experience and many years of growing geraniums. Learn from the mistakes of others, not your own. Following the recommendations from the article, you will not have problems with domestic geraniums, that is, with pelargonium, of course. And she will surely please with bright and lush flowering throughout the year.

You can also read about geranium-pelargonium:

A note about pelargonium pets, their condition and cuttings.

Updated: 2018-09-24

Quoting and partial copying articles and stories, possibly indicating the source in the form active link to the corresponding page on the site.

Total comments: 17	1
Thanks a lot for the article! A lot became clear to me, as a beginner, I'm just starting to make friends with pelargonium But help me figure it out: six months ago (in April) I bought fragrant pelargonium on the market: one stem, diverging by 3, with a total height of 40 centimeters. And so we left in June, and returned in early October. All this time, the husband watered the pelargonium once a week and it looked quite healthy, it only grew very large: it threw out huge whips: one about 1 meter, and 2 more than a meter !!! I read on the Internet that long stems need to be supported, and carefully tied them to the cornice, gently patting with a thick napkin so as not to damage the stems. A week has passed and today I saw that all the leaves began to fade .. :oj-oj: What to do??? Trim? Water? feed? Help, please, fragrant pelargonium teapot Answer: Lyuba, first of all, don't be so upset. No matter how you slice it, it's just a plant. And even if it dies, you can always buy a new one) Regarding your pelargonium. As I understand it, the pelargonium has grown, but the pot has remained the same. Then your overgrown pelargonium simply does not have enough nutrition. With such huge stems, the root system also grows to take as many nutrients from the soil as possible to maintain the life of the root (stem, leaves, flowers) of the plant. Most likely you need to transplant the pelargonium into a new nutrient soil. Stems should not be spared. After all, they have already lost the leaves. So there is no point in leaving them uncircumcised. Nothing wrong with that. After a week, the plant will begin to grow new stems and leaves, taking on a new green look. By the way, I noticed in my pelargonium. Every autumn, she sheds a significant part of her leaves, exposing the stems. Apparently, pelargonium also feels the seasonal cycle. I just trim the stems as much as possible, thus renewing the plant and giving the potential for new stems to grow. So we cut (it can be strong), water and fertilize. And, if the reason for the leaf fall is not a serious illness, but I think it is not, then after 7-10 days your pelargonium will again begin to please you with its renewed appearance. She may not produce such long stems again. With age, plants, like humans, also weaken. But it's not scary. Small lush bushes look very nice. Hello, a week ago I bought geraniums, the flowers and buds turned yellow and withered on some leaves along the edges a little yellowness, what could be the reason? ps was in a draft, can this be the cause and he has not yet been transplanted. Answer: Hello! Yes, draft can be the cause. It also looks like a lack of moisture. Garden and flower shops often sell potted plants with soil that is high in peat. Such soil requires abundant watering. Roots in such soil with a lack of moisture literally "burn out". So it is better to transplant the purchased plant into a normal soil mixture, which can be easily bought at the same store. Transplanted, watered well. And put in a place where there will be diffused light. No direct sunlight. And, of course, no drafts, which also provoke all sorts of rot. And let the geranium, i.e. pelargonium, takes root. Plants moving can also be difficult to survive. Therefore, they need to be provided with "soft" conditions and peace)) By the way, look at the back of the leaves. Suddenly there is a whitefly or a spider mite hiding. Beautiful and tenacious geraniums for you! Katia Hello, I have a geranium. the stem turns white and white leaves grow there. the lower green leaves dry and die. was lush now half white and naked. Answer: Hello, Valentina! As far as I understand, the whiteness of your geranium leaves is not plaque. And there is no small pest on the back of the leaves? If so, then most likely the leaves and stem turn white (plus the lower ones fall off) from hot and stuffy air. Now the batteries in the apartments are working. And the air can be "stale". Pay attention to whether it is hot and stuffy in the apartment? How often do you ventilate? Are the batteries burning hot? After all, the geranium is clearly standing on the windowsill, under which the battery is)) Poor lighting can also cause whitening of the leaves. So we need to improve the conditions for geraniums. And it is better to cut off the bare parts. New shoots will grow quickly. Katia Good afternoon! My pelargonium began to bloom, but! As soon as the buds appear, they immediately dry and turn brown around the edges :-( What could it be? Thank you. Answer: Marina, good day! First, check the watering. Pelargonium, although drought-resistant, drops buds with insufficient watering. Secondly, the heating season has now begun. And if the room is very dry and hot because of the batteries, then this will also affect the flowering - the buds will most likely crumble. Katia Good afternoon. Please tell me the answer: is it necessary to cut off the color when it appears on the cuttings? In February, I cut, rooted and planted in pots. Almost all bloomed. I plan to plant them in the ground. Is it necessary to cut off all the flower stalks so that the forces go to rooting and the formation of a bush? Answer: Dear Elena, opinions on this matter are diametrically opposed. Some believe that it is necessary to remove flower stalks so that all forces go to rooting. Others believe that it is not necessary, because. removal is also a trauma for the plant. I will say this about my experience: I used to remove flower stalks (and not only on pelargonium), now I don’t always do this. If I see that the cutting (or transplanted plant) is developing well, and it is clear that flowering does not interfere, then I do not touch it. Unless I feed it with some soluble fertilizer for flowers (according to the instructions). The main thing is not to forget to remove faded flower stalks in time. Katia Hello! On this page I found almost all the answers to the questions that interested me about growing geraniums. But one still remained - the leaves of my flowers fold in half, as if bent. They did not bloom even once after being transferred from the balcony to the room (in September). What could it be? I read a lot of articles on the Internet, but nowhere did I find the answer to my question. Hope for help. Thanks in advance! Answer: It seemed to me that the article indicated the reasons for the non-flowering of pelargonium and twisting of the leaves. Okay, let me expand on this topic. Pelargonium does not bloom if: 1. too much watering 2. little light (shade from other plants, short daylight hours, constantly cloudy weather, north window) 3. too dry and hot air (this is common in rooms with central heating) 4. the plant is old, i.e. it was not cut in the spring (it is useful to cut the pelargonium in the spring, leaving up to two stems with two buds on each); it may even require not pruning, but a complete renewal of the plant 5. too spacious pot (as a result, pelargonium is busy building up the root mass, and not blooming); but too tight a pot can also have a bad effect on flowering 6. not enough potassium supplements 7. winter is still a period of rest, and pelargonium may simply want to rest 8. there are also varieties and capricious pelargoniums (royal or noble); they do not bloom for long, and in winter they may stop blooming altogether if the conditions are not suitable (and the conditions are the same as above) These causes of non-flowering can be both in the complex, and one of them. Causes of leaf bending: 1. a tick, whitefly or someone else has settled on the inside of the leaf 2. too dry and hot air (from the same batteries, for example) 3. over watering 4. too cold window glass (and the pot is close to it) can also cause the leaves to bend over the winter. Here, too, both one cause and a complex can be observed. Katya (Grushenka) Spam message is hidden.
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Geranium (Pelargonium) - although incorrect, but the more familiar and generally accepted name for the pelargonium flower, therefore, in the future, in most cases, we will call it that way.

In everyday life, pelargonium is most often mistakenly called geranium. Systematically, it belongs to the "geranium" family, which includes the genus "geranium" and "pelargonium". The house flower familiar to us belongs to the genus "pelargonium".

Representatives of the genus Pelargonium are perennials native to South Africa. Among them there are both dwarf varieties, whose height is not more than 12.5 cm, as well as giants with stems up to 1 m.

The plant needs pruning every few years. Fortunately, geranium grows very quickly and gains a height of 25-30 cm in a year.

The plant has a long flowering period - starting in early spring and ending in late autumn.

Growing geraniums in the house of flower growers is prompted not only by a craving for beauty, but also by childhood memories. Without any doubt, it can be called a plant with a history. After all, it is not at all surprising to see geraniums in the house where people of the older generation live. Planting pelargonium is already a tradition.

	Growing fast. In one season, the plant adds 25-30 cm in height.
	Blooms from late spring to early autumn.
	The plant is easy to grow.
	Perennial. Rejuvenate every 2-3 years.

The medicinal properties of geranium have been known since ancient times. The main healing substance of pelargonium is geraniol.

Folk healers still use the roots and leaves of the plant for the following ailments:

• insomnia;
• headaches;
• stress, depression;
• radiculitis;
• with bacterial and fungal infections;
• neuroses;
• osteochondrosis, etc.

It is known that pelargonium has a positive effect on skin regeneration, performance and psycho-emotional state of a person.

Geranium care at home

Geranium is not a capricious plant. But, as for any culture, for good growth and flowering, it needs to create the most comfortable conditions for keeping it.

Temperature	Depending on the season 13-25°C. The plant is adversely affected by heat and sudden changes in temperature.
Air humidity	Not demanding. Spraying is needed only when the air in the room is dry.
Lighting	It is recommended to grow on the south window. Keep away from direct sunlight.
Watering	As the top layer of soil dries up. Abundant in summer, 3 times a week. Moderate in winter, once every 10-14 days.
Priming	Ready-made universal soil mixture. Does not grow well in fertile soil.
Top dressing and fertilizer	From spring to autumn, 2 times a month with liquid potassium-phosphorus preparations.
Transfer	When roots appear from the drainage hole.
reproduction	Protect the flower from drafts and water on the leaves; kept indoors, in cold weather they do not take it out into the street; dried lower leaves are removed in time.
Growing features	Geranium at home most of all needs sunlight and timely pruning. These 2 factors are the key to abundant, lush flowering plants.

geranium bloom

Home geranium blooms for several months. A distinctive feature of the genus "pelargonium", to which indoor geranium belongs, is the asymmetric structure of the flower. Its lower and upper petals are of different shapes.

Depending on the variety, flowers can be white, pink, red, burgundy. The size of the inflorescences also depends on the variety. There are both large-flowered representatives of the genus, and varieties with flowers that do not carry special aesthetic value.

Temperature regime

Geranium comes from hot countries, so it prefers to grow in warmth. Different species have different plant temperatures. On average, for the genus, daytime temperatures are considered to be in the range of 20-25 0 С, at night - 12-16 0 С.

Lighting

The flower is tolerant of content on the western, eastern side of the house. But geraniums at home are best grown on a south window. The ideal appearance of the plant can only be guaranteed if the daylight hours last at least 16 hours. Otherwise, the geranium stems begin to lengthen and become unattractive. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to illuminate the plant with fluorescent lamps.

Geranium can grow in the shade, but the appearance of the plant leaves much to be desired: the lower part of the stem is exposed, the leaves become smaller, the flowers thin out or do not form at all.

Watering

In summer, plants need abundant watering several times a week. In winter, geraniums are watered with a small amount of liquid every 2 weeks.

The need for moisture is determined visually - the upper part of the soil should dry out.

The flower is extremely negatively affected by overdrying and overflowing of the soil.

spraying

Geranium flower at home does not require regular spraying. Humidification of the leaves is necessary only if the air in the room is excessively dry - on hot summer days or during the heating season.

As necessary, you can carry out hygienic cleaning of the leaves.

Feeding geraniums

Pelargonium needs additional sources of nutrition in the spring and summer. The frequency of top dressing is once every 2-3 weeks.

Spring and summer are the time for active flowering of geraniums. Therefore, fertilizers for it should be selected with a predominance of potassium, phosphorus. The amount of nitrogen in the preparation should be minimal.

Substances are applied in liquid form under the root, or foliar top dressing is carried out by spraying.

Priming

For planting a flower, ready-made store soil marked “universal” or “for pelargoniums” is suitable. When buying, you should pay attention to the constituents of the soil. It should not contain a large amount of humus, as this can lead to overgrowth of green parts and inhibition of flowering.

Given the low quality of the finished soils, experts recommend making a mixture for geraniums on their own.

Soil options:

1. sand, sod land, peat, humus (in the ratio 1:2:2:2);
2. sand, peat, garden soil (1:2:2).

Transfer

Pelargonium is best planted in clay pots. Be sure to have a drainage hole in them.

When caring for geraniums at home, it must be remembered that large containers are not suitable for planting it, as this affects their flowering.

Transplantation is carried out in the spring-autumn period. The need for the procedure is determined by the roots that begin to appear from the drainage holes.

In adult plants, even if they are not cramped in a pot, the soil is changed every few years.

A prerequisite for transplantation is a layer of drainage under the ground.

pruning

A beautiful pelargonium cannot be grown without the formation of a bush. Without pruning, the plant stretches, the stems thicken and become bare, flowering becomes scarce.

Geranium is mainly formed in the spring. Remove most of the leaves and stems. This pruning delays flowering. But at the same time, the bush rejuvenates and looks more attractive, and the flowers develop more magnificent.

To form a beautiful bush, the plant also needs pinching, removing dried leaves and flowers.

Pelargonium is prepared for winter by cutting off all weak vegetative parts.

Geranium propagation

Propagating geraniums is not difficult. To do this, it is enough to buy seeds in the store and sow them or cut off the apical cutting from an adult plant and root it.

Reproduction by cuttings

With the help of cuttings, pelargonium is often propagated in autumn or spring. But the plant takes root well at any time of the year.

Cuttings are considered the easiest way to propagate, so they are best suited for beginners. The procedure is carried out as follows:

1. a stalk is cut from the upper part of the bush, 7-15 cm long;
2. remove flowers and lower leaves;
3. the cutting is placed in water and placed in a place with a moderate amount of sunlight.

The cut part of the bush quickly forms roots. Usually, geraniums are ready for transplanting 2 weeks after pruning.

Reproduction by seeds

Seed propagation of pelargonium is longer and limited in time - available only in spring.

Before sowing, the seeds of the plant are pre-prepared - soaked in a moistened cloth. But this procedure is not mandatory, most of the seeds have already been processed by the manufacturer.

Ready seed material is planted in the soil mixture. Watered and covered with film or glass. Placed in a warm place. The first shoots should appear no later than 14 days after sowing.

After the appearance of several true leaves, the landing is dived.

Diseases and pests

At home, geraniums may show the following signs of the disease:

As for pests, the guests of pelargonium can be:

• mealybugs;
• spider mites;
• whiteflies;
• cyclamen mites;

Types of home geraniums with photos and names

The genus Pelargonium includes more than 250 plant species. Among them are both pelargoniums, bred exclusively for indoor cultivation, and plants for open ground.

Pelargonium from southeastern Africa. Because of the drooping stems indoors, it is often used as an ampelous plant. The leaves are smooth, sometimes with a slight pubescence. Wide - up to 10 cm.

Flowering is long - from spring to autumn. The number of flowers in an umbrella is up to 8. The color can be red, white, pink.

Royal Pelargoniums can only grow indoors. Lots of leaves. The surface is finely pubescent or smooth.

Plant height - up to 50 cm. Leaf blades are almost odorless.

Unlike other varieties, the flowers are larger - up to 7 cm in diameter. Coloring can be white, red, pink, purple, burgundy, etc. The flowering period is spring-autumn.

- a tall plant, the stems of which can be up to 0.8-1.5 m. The leaves are rounded. In the upper part of the leaf blade there is a pronounced brown "girdle". Smooth to the touch, may be slightly pubescent.

The flowers are red. Umbrella multicolored. Flowering is long - from spring to autumn.

Outwardly, it resembles a small shrub, up to 22 cm high.

Leaf blades are pubescent, pleasant to the touch. Size - up to 2.5 cm. They emit a sweet aroma.

Flowering occurs in summer. Up to 10 small flowers are formed in one umbrella. Their color can be pink or white.

Geranium is an unpretentious plant that even novice flower growers can grow. The main thing when growing is to provide it with enough light and cut it in time. Geranium has a large number of varieties, so every lover of a fragrant flower can choose the variety that suits him.