Before considering what diseases can affect a loved one blooming geranium and how to deal with them, let's look at other reasons why plants begin to wither. For example, such external signs, as the appearance of brown spots on the leaves or the dropping of flowers, may be associated with:

• Too small a pot, because of which the root system of the plant simply does not develop.
• Lack or lack of drainage in the tank.
• Drafts or lack of sunlight.
• Excess moisture during watering.
• Frequent application of nitrogen fertilizers, as a result of which green mass develops rapidly to the detriment of flowering.
• Deficiency of phosphorus or potassium in the soil.

withering geranium

To eliminate these factors, you just need to reconsider by putting in order watering and fertilizing. But to cope with diseases and their consequences is quite difficult. Let's take a closer look at how diseases can "attack" indoor geraniums and what methods against them are considered the most effective.

A frequent "guest" of geraniums is the Botrytis mushroom, which can appear at any time of the year and affects flowers. different ages. Most often, this fungus appears as a result of excessive watering or due to too humid air. Its main feature is a dark fluff that appears on the leaves or stem. At first, the spots are small, after a couple of days they begin to grow, which can lead to a complete infection of the flowers.

To preventive measures include cleaning the soil in a pot from weeds, removing all wilted flowers, competent watering - water should not stagnate in the ground. And during the watering itself, make sure that water does not fall on the leaves and flower buds. It happens that the mushroom appears as a result of too dense plantings, when individual flowers do not have enough ventilation. That is why, when planting geraniums, keep in mind that the distance between plants should be about 10 cm. Having noticed the sprouts affected by the fungus, remove them, and treat the flowers themselves with fungicidal agents.

Removing wilted geranium flowers

Another famous fungal disease- root rot, most often appearing due to strong stagnation of water in the soil.

From the roots, the rot passes to the stem and leaves, the plant turns brown, the roots are usually covered with a gray coating, which is somewhat reminiscent of a cobweb. If you do not know how to deal with this disease, the plant will rot very quickly. The first thing to do is to improve the drainage in the tank. It is also worth replacing the soil mixture with a new, looser and air-permeable one, which will avoid stagnant water. At the time of the fight against the disease, it is worth abandoning the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. It is also worth removing all the affected parts of the flower and treating it with a suitable agent.

Unlike fungal infections, bacterial diseases caused by various pathogenic bacteria. Usually on the affected flowers appear brown spots, which at the very beginning of the disease are small and located on the back of the leaves. Another feature- black veins of leaves and their drying.

Pelargonium bacterial disease

If the disease becomes systemic (sometimes manifesting itself, then disappearing), the plant becomes very weak and lethargic, the branches gradually die, the stem turns black, and the flower eventually dries up. Prevention is simple: make high-quality drainage, monitor watering, use soil for planting that passes air and water well. Sick plants also need to be watered with fungicides. But if the stage is too thick, when there are no treatment options, the geranium will have to be burned so as not to infect the rest of the plants.

So, the most famous disease caused by "bacteria" can be called rust, when red spots form on the leaves, in the middle of which spores are located. If you do not know how to deal with the disease, it will very quickly absorb your favorite flowers and destroy them. To the most effective remedy anti-rust blue vitriol- prepare a solution, tear off all infected leaves and pour the plant with the prepared mixture. To consolidate the result, repeat the treatment after a week.

At room geranium, like any other plants, quite a lot of enemies. For example, these are aphids, caterpillars, ants, whiteflies. We will talk about the most proven methods of pest control:

• Aspirin, which can be used in the fight against almost all pests. Simply dissolve one tablet in 1 liter of water and treat the flowers three times a week until all pests have been killed.
• Marathon counts a good remedy against whiteflies and aphids. This drug is convenient in that it does not need to be diluted in water, and the duration of its action is almost three months. Just sprinkle with granules Marathon flower pots and water.
• In the fight against such a pest as a caterpillar, you need to use a remedy Monterey. Just spray the flowers and buds with the liquid solution, after preparing it according to the instructions. For best results, repeat treatment after a week.

Spraying flowers with liquid solution "Monterey"

And to make geraniums more resistant to pests, diseases and their consequences in the form of poor growth and lack of flowering, be sure to use a remedy for prevention Messenger. This drug allows you to increase the immunity of flowers. Just dilute the product according to the instructions and water the soil. By the way, this drug will also help you with.

Why geranium stopped blooming - find out and fix

Geranium is very responsive to good care and, with the right actions, gardeners will delight their bright bloom. But even with proper care, geraniums sometimes stop blooming. What to do in this case? The beginning of a long flowering in this plant is a competent content in winter time of the year. In winter, this plant prefers coolness and minimal watering. The cooler it was in winter, the longer the geranium will bloom in the summer.

In April, the flower should be transplanted into a new pot and fed using potash fertilizers. To stimulate the development of new buds and further flowering, be sure to remove all faded inflorescences. One more important condition- high-quality lighting. In summer, it is advisable to put a pot of geraniums in a lit place, but at the same time so that direct sunlight does not fall on the plant - this will lead to burns. In winter, geraniums need to create artificial lighting for 4-5 hours every day. In the spring, the flower should also be cut, leaving 2-3 of the most powerful shoots.

Other reasons why your indoor flowers suddenly stopped blooming:

• Too large a pot, as a result of which the geranium develops its roots and does not have time to bloom.
• Too frequent watering can also lead to a lack of flowering of geraniums.

Geranium - famous indoor plant which has several varieties. In floriculture, it is also known as pelargonium. In the people it is sometimes called "kalachiki". Consider home care and how winter goes in the apartment.

Flowering directly depends on compliance with the rules of care

Temperature and lighting in summer and winter

In summer time tolerates any temperature. That is why some types of geraniums are planted on open air. In winter, it is desirable that the temperature does not fall below 10 degrees. During the dormant period, the most optimum temperature 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Pelargonium lighting requires bright. It belongs to light-loving plant species. Tolerates direct sun well. If there is not enough light, then the geranium will not give abundant flowering, and the shoots will grow weak.

Therefore, the more sun, the better. In particular bright days at noon you can shade a little so that the leaves do not burn out too much.

How often to water in the apartment

AT high humidity pelargonium is not needed. Moreover, spraying the flower is not recommended because of its fluffy leaves, which can leave spots. Geranium prefers fresh air, so in summer it feels great on balconies and verandas.

Watering requires regular and plentiful, but there should be no stagnation of water. The earth needs to be evenly moist, at the bottom of the pot a drainage layer must be made.

Expanded clay and perlite are often used as drainage

In winter, when the dormant period sets in, watering is done more rarely, paying attention to sufficient drying of the soil.

The choice of substrate and top dressing: how to fertilize correctly

Many people ask the question: what kind of top dressing does the "kalachik" need? The following land is suitable for pelargonium: a mixture of soddy land, humus and sand in a ratio of 8: 2: 1. It can also be used for garden soil, having previously processed it from pests.

The store sells universal primer, which is also suitable for this flower. In general, she is unpretentious.

From March they begin to fertilize. You can feed twice a month.

Organic is not suitable for her, only mineral supplement. A good helper for the development of buds will be special fertilizers for flowering plants.

Preparation for wintering: winter storage

autumn geranium should be cut. 6-7 leaves are left on the stem. Also remove the shoots growing from the sinuses, they only pull nutrients. Pruning from December to January is not recommended.

Wintering should take place at a temperature of 10-15 degrees, so that flowering is abundant next season.

Plants can be kept on the windowsill. There is a fairly cool temperature and a lot of light.

Miniature and variegated varieties more demanding on the conditions of detention and usually do not need pruning. Storage in winter: on special shelving with lighting, the temperature is suitable for them up to 25 degrees.

Since the apartment is usually warm in winter, it is most convenient for these purposes basements. Light day under artificial lighting should be 10-12 hours.

Ivy varieties leave lashes 40-50 cm long. If at the same time the pruning was not done on time, then it is better to wait for the end winter period- the beginning of spring, as any interference can weaken the plant.

To put pelargonium into rest mode, in the fall they begin to gradually reduce watering and stop feeding.

Reproduction and transplant

Reproduction is available in several ways.

Pelargonium can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Seeds: how to care

Growing from seeds is fairly easy. Seeds are best purchased at the store, in which case they will give greater germination than collected on their own.

drop them off in loose soil to a depth of 2 cm. Moisten with water from above, it is better to do this from a spray bottle so as not to wash out the ground. The soil must first be disinfected, for which it is spilled with a light solution of potassium permanganate.

The seed pot is covered with glass to create uniform humidity. For seed germination, the most favorable temperature is 18-22 degrees. After the emergence of seedlings, the glass is removed, and the temperature is lowered to 16-22 degrees.

After about 1.5-2 months, when 3 true leaves appear, the pelargonium is transplanted to permanent place. When she grows 5-6 leaves, pinch the plant for better branching.

blooms with this method of reproduction about six months later.

Growing by cuttings

This breeding method is not difficult. Geranium cuttings can be cut at any time of the year, but the best period is still spring. The stalk is taken in the size of 5-7 cm. So that the cut does not rot, it is sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Then they are planted in a loose substrate or wet sand. They don't need top cover. When roots appear, pelargonium transplanted to a permanent place. Flowering is possible in three months.

Landing

This plant does not particularly like transplants, and there is no need for them. This should be done only if the roots begin to sprout from the drainage hole. Capacity for planting is taken 2 cm more than the previous one. Geranium does not like too spacious pots and blooms worse in them, but it gives a lot of shoots.

Young shoots that have reached 7 cm, pinch to branch. Pruning is also done in autumn, leaving a stem with 6-7 leaves. Periodically, excess shoots that grow from the sinuses, and not from the root, should be removed.

If the pelargonium has grown strongly during the winter period, it can be cut off in the spring, so flowering will be better. Periodically, shoots should be pinched at a height of 4-5 leaves.

Transfer

It is only necessary if the pelargonium has become too crowded. This is done in autumn or spring, avoiding the flowering period.

Potassium permanganate helps to disinfect the soil

• Pre preparing a new container, a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one. If the pot is clay and new, it must be soaked in water for several hours so that it is saturated with moisture.
• The soil is being prepared. If the earth was taken from the garden, it should be disinfected by spilling potassium permanganate or holding it for several minutes in a hot oven.
• During transplanting, the soil should be slightly damp, so it will be easier to remove the plant from the pot.
• With one hand, hold the geranium, turn the pot over and, gently tapping, remove the plant. It's better not to disturb the roots, slightly remove upper layer, place the whole lump in a new pot and add fresh earth.

A geranium transplant is done every two to three years and only if the pelargonium has grown greatly.

Possible problems

Sometimes the plant becomes ill due to the appearance of pests, insects or exposure to microorganisms.

Symptoms

At the plant may appear:

• Yellowing of leaves.
• The appearance of spots on them.
• Falling leaves.
• Leg rot.
• The appearance of pests.

PICTURE Yellowing of foliage, Spots on leaves

Why indoor geranium dies

Why does a plant die? This is observed in the most different occasions. The most common reason is improper care. If you forget to water the plant in time, then not only its upper parts, but also the root system begin to die off.

More more dangerous systematic bay and stagnation in poorly permeable soil.

The death of a plant is often observed when attacked by pests. The deterioration is gradual. At first, the leaves may begin to turn yellow, dry and curl. Then they die in turn, and the plant is depleted and dies.

In some cases, an incorrect transplant can damage pelargonium if the root system was severely disturbed in the process.

Diseases and pests: how to save a kalachik

From time to time, yellowing of the leaves can be observed. In small quantities, this is normal for geraniums. The old lower leaves die off. You should be concerned if yellowing is profuse and young leaves are lost.

Blackleg

The loss of some amount of green mass is observed when pelargonium after summer period returned from the street to the premises.

Other reasons:

• If lethargy is observed along with yellowing, then the cause is excessive watering.
• Yellowing of leaf edges- lack of moisture.
• If the lower leaves fall abundantly, then the plant does not have enough light.

Geranium often suffers from fungal diseases. She may have leaf rust, "black leg". For their treatment, they are treated with fungicidal preparations. If the trunk began to rot, then most often the only way to save the geranium is to grow it again from cuttings.

Of the pests, pelargonium is attacked by: whitefly, aphid, spider mite, mealybug, caterpillars. To get rid of them use special means. The most common are Fitoverm, Aktellik.

Refuse to bloom may be for the following reasons:

• Lack of light.
• Too much low temperature air.
• Too much fertile soil , therefore, geranium gives an increase in green mass and does not bloom.
• A very spacious pot, which also causes rapid growth of foliage and shoots.
• Untimely trimming or its absence.
• rare and irregular fertilization.

If there is an excess of nitrogenous fertilizers in the soil, then the plant will produce a green mass, and flowering will not occur or will be weak.

general information

In the rooms they like to grow varieties:

• Zonal
• ivy
• Fragrant
• dwarf species

We described in a separate article. As well as the Fragrant section

A variety of colors and shapes allows you to collect beautiful collections, use pelargonium for gardening at home, balconies and gardens.

Medicinal properties and benefits of the flower

Pelargonium has mass useful properties, not without reason our grandmothers kept it in their homes. The plant releases substances into the air that have a detrimental effect on bacteria and viruses.

Used with benefit and traditional medicine- from the leaves make an infusion for gargling. The leaves are applied to the back for rheumatism.

The smell of geranium relieves stress. This plant is useful for people suffering from insomnia, nervous and heart diseases.

According to some beliefs, geranium normalizes the aura and the atmosphere in the house, removing negative influences.

Pelargonium is a great plant for the home. It is easy to care for her even for beginners, she has an abundant and varied flowering. The most important thing is the watering regime, cut the shoots in time and put the geranium in the brightest place. Subject to these conditions flowering will continue for a long time.

Home doctor on the windowsill - fragrant geranium. It is absolutely unpretentious in care, it treats the choice of place of residence without whims. An adequate young lady, what can I say. But after all, in search engines there is often a request why geranium leaves turn yellow and dry. What to do?

Some flower growers believe that if the description of a flower is unpretentious, it means that it grows by itself. They remembered - they look after, they didn’t remember - maybe they will live somehow. But after all, any indoor plant needs at least minimal care. And geraniums are no exception.

Let's analyze the causes of yellowing and drying of the foliage of geraniums.

lack of light

Signs. The lower leaves gradually turn yellow and dry, the stem stretches out, geraniums bloom very rarely and little.

Decision. Change the place of residence of your young lady. Put it closer to the light or even hang additional lighting with phytolamps. Do not touch the leaves themselves. You can pinch the top of the head so that the geranium grows in width. Otherwise, only a bare stem and a bunch of leaves at the top will remain.

If you already have such a "miracle", then the best option there will be cutting cuttings and rooting. Because new leaves will not grow on the stem.

Sunburn

Signs. Leaf plates turn yellow, and then turn white all over the plant. Then they dry up.

Decision. Geranium is of course photophilous and quite easily tolerates direct sunlight. But everything has a limit. For example, in last years summer middle lane brings incredible surprises. On the windowsill, the temperature is far beyond + 40 ° C. Here even a cactus will wither, not like a geranium.

Be sure to shade the bush for the summer with white paper or a cotton curtain. If the design of the window does not allow, then simply move the pot from the windowsill to the table or bedside table near the window. The light will be enough, but the burn will not happen.

Too much moisture

Signs. The leaves turn yellow at the tops of the shoots, then become lethargic, watery. The last stage is the rotting of the stem and the drying of the leaves.

Decision. Stop creating a swamp in your geranium pot. Check the drain holes for clogged debris and overgrown roots. If this problem is relevant, then carefully release the holes. Or better yet, transplant the plant into another pot.

Water your pet properly. Since geraniums are often placed on sunny window, then the top layer of soil dries out quickly enough, forming a crust. But the bottom is still quite wet. Many are too lazy once again before the next watering to pick the ground and see what happens below the level of the crust. And water the geraniums again.

Get in the habit of sticking a wooden skewer or sushi stick all the way to the bottom of the pot for 12-14 minutes. Then take it out and see. On unpainted wood, the level of moisture in the ground will be clearly visible.

And further. Geraniums do not have a strict regular drinking schedule. Water is given to the plant only when the soil in the pot is almost completely dry.

Water scarcity

Signs. Geranium leaves have a dry yellow border of dark, almost brown shade. Pigmentation is noticeable throughout the plant.

Decision. Irrigation is discussed above. You should not rush from one extreme to another and completely dry out the earthen ball. geranium too living plant loves to eat and drink. Especially in the summer and in the heat.

Don't have time to water the flower often? Put him in safer hands. Or change the place of residence of the geraniums, where the temperature is lower. So the moisture from the pot will evaporate more slowly, and the roots will not suck it up at the speed of the pump.

By the way, if possible, then in the summer you can not torment the beauty with a hot window sill, but transplant it directly into open ground. Just not in direct sun. Preferably where you most often run with a watering can or watering hose. You won't recognize your geranium in autumn. Instead of a stunted stick with yellowing drying leaves, a beautiful powerful bush with juicy green lobes will grow.

Just do not plant it in the far corner of the garden or plot. After all, you will definitely forget.

Low temperature content

Signs. The border on all leaves is red at first, then turns yellow and dries.

Decision. The normal temperature range for geranium content is between +15 and +24°C. A lower thermometer reading is not at all comfortable for the plant. The cold season is especially rich in unpleasant surprises. Hot, dry air comes from the heating radiators, and cold and damp blows from the window. So it is not surprising to get sick with geraniums.

Move the pot to a more comfortable place with an acceptable temperature and normal humidity air. If this is not possible, then do the following:

1. The batteries under the window are covered with a thick towel or blanket. Better wet. This eliminates excessive dryness of the air.
2. Cold glass is fenced off from the pot with a foam plate or a strip of foam insulation. Even a piece of cork coaster for hot dishes, a flap of thick woolen fabric will do.
3. The same materials are placed under the pot to warm the root system.
4. Place the geranium on the windowsill so that the shoots and leaves do not touch the glass.

As you can see, the procedures are not so complicated, and the benefits from them are huge. Thanks to these actions, the temperature of the geranium content on the windowsill evens out in winter. It is close to the room and does not fluctuate from drafts from the window. The leaves will stop turning yellow and dry.

fungal diseases

Signs. First, yellow spots appear on the leaves. Over time, they grow over the entire surface. Sometimes a gray or whitish mold may appear. Then the leaf plates dry up. The fungus infects the entire plant.

Decision. When the disease has just begun, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, it will be impossible to save the geranium later. Use spraying with any suitable systemic fungicide. Strictly according to the instructions and without increasing the dosage.

young plant small size you can simply dip the whole thing into the treatment solution. An adult large bush, most likely, will not be able to atone. But it is necessary to spray carefully, until all leaf plates are completely wetted from the outside and inside. Because the villi trap microdrops of the solution and prevent it from working directly with the green mass.

If time has already been lost and the plant is completely affected (the fungus has moved to the stem), then fungicides will no longer help. Can you find not heavily infected shoots? Cut them off with a sterile knife or blade. Then try rooting. Couldn't find at least one healthy branch? You will have to say goodbye to geraniums.

By the way, the soil from under it must also be thrown out. Before the next use, the pot must be disinfected with boiling water or a hot strong solution of potassium permanganate.

Pests

Signs. Small yellow dots appear on the leaves. Uninvited guests are always clearly visible from the underside of the lopushki. Sometimes there are cobwebs or sticky coating on the shoots. Then the dots grow into spots, the leaves dry up. Absolutely any part of the plant can be damaged.

Decision. Found enemies? Get rid of them immediately! Not only do they suck out all the nutritious juices and vitality from geraniums, but pests often carry pathogenic bacteria and spores of pathogenic fungi.

There are recommendations to use a solution of household or potash soap to wash the leaves. You can try. This method does a good job of dealing with nasty guests. The complexity of its use lies in the fact that the fluff on the geranium prevents the soapy solution from washing the leaves with high quality.

Much more convenient in this regard is any systemic insecticide of complex action. Even if you fail to wet the leaves with a high-quality solution, some part will remain on the villi and will certainly fall on insects.

tightness

Signs. The leaves turn yellow evenly throughout the plant, first from the edges, then as a whole. Gradually dry up, the bare trunk remains. Flowering is not and is not expected. Roots are visible from the drainage hole.

Decision. The reason is banal: the geranium's pot has become small. This plant is quite loyal to small containers. Transplantation requires every 3-4 years. But sometimes, when good care and high-quality top dressing, the flower grows too quickly. This is especially true for young plants.

Just transplant the geranium into a larger dwelling. Just not much. Otherwise, you will not see flowers in the next 2 years. The plant will begin to grow vigorously root system to the detriment of foliage and buds. It is very important not to feed him for 3 months after transplantation. This is a time of acclimatization and adjustment.

By the way, if you notice thickenings, tubercles or knots on the roots, then we sympathize with you. Geranium is affected by a root nematode. This can also cause yellowing and drying of the leaves. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this problem. You will have to throw away the entire plant along with the soil and the pot.

Even prolonged soaking of the container in bleach or boiling does not give a 100% result in getting rid of the larvae and the worms themselves.

After discovering such a muck, you will have to inspect all neighboring plants. Often they also have to be disposed of. Do not buy plants in spontaneous markets and avoid a similar fate.

Those who truly love home flowers will never worry about why geranium leaves turn yellow and dry. What to do? - they also know very well. For everyone else, including beginners, this article will help.

Video: how to care for geraniums

Geranium (pelargonium) is a common indoor plant. It is known for its phytoncidal properties: essential oils contained in the leaves, have a detrimental effect on pathogens. But, unfortunately, the geranium itself can also get sick. One of the symptoms of poor health of the flower is yellowing of the leaves.

Why do geranium leaves turn yellow and how to solve the problem

If the leaves turn yellow, you need to immediately find out why and start resuscitation.

Wrong choice of location and microclimate

Often the reason lies in the wrong choice of growing conditions for pelargonium. Its leaves may turn yellow due to the following problems:

Violation of the irrigation regime

With excessive watering, the leaves at the first stage begin to dry and turn yellow. Inexperienced flower growers take the symptom as a sign of drying out and finally destroy the plant with additional watering. You should always focus on the state of the earth in a pot - its top layer should be moist, but not damp. And also there should be no stagnant water in the pan.

At the stage of yellowing, a flooded plant can usually be saved by simply letting the soil dry out. But it is still more reliable to transplant it by checking the condition of the roots. If they are in order, then we dry the earthen ball, blotting it with newspapers, toilet paper etc., or you can let it dry for a couple of hours in the air, without a pot. If the roots are rotten, the algorithm of actions is as follows:

Insufficient watering is easy to recognize by dry soil in a pot and shrunken or drooping, yellowing leaves, they can also fall off. You can save the plant by noticing the problem in time and starting to water it.

Over or under feeding

Excess nitrogen in the soil leads to yellow leaves. An alternative to nitrogen fertilizers is complex ones, for example, diammonitrophoska or nitroammophoska. They also contain nitrogen, but one and a half times less. Of course, they must be used in moderation, as an excess of any substance can lead to problems.

Nitroammofosk contains a little nitrogen

Another reason for yellowing leaves is a lack of trace elements. Selecting all useful material out of the ground, the geranium begins to "starve". If you transplant a plant once a year, this problem is not so relevant - in most soil mixtures there is necessary complex substances. Otherwise, geraniums must be fertilized periodically.

Table: proper care is the best prevention of yellowing

Optimum temperature	Watering	pot size	top dressing	Optimal location
In summer - 20–25 0 С; in winter - 10–15 0 С	Regular and frequent, but without waterlogging the soil; drainage is needed; in winter, watering is reduced by 2 times; foliar spraying is not required	For one adult plant: height 12–14 cm; diameter 12–15 cm. Smaller geraniums can be planted in smaller containers, replanting them every year into larger ones (1-2 cm) until the pot reaches the optimal "adult" size	From March to September twice a month; it is best to use special complex top dressing for flowering houseplants	In winter, keep away from batteries and drafts, it is advisable to illuminate with fluorescent lamps

Fungal infections

A common cause of yellowing geranium leaves is a fungus:

• with verticillium wilt, the disease begins with yellowing of parts of the lower leaves, which are later completely affected and wither, and the fungus goes higher. It is necessary to remove all affected leaves and shed the soil with a fungicide or Trichodermin;

  With verticillium wilt of pelargonium, the lower leaves turn yellow first.

• with rust, yellow spots with a clearly defined edge appear on the upper side of the leaves, and brown spots appear on the lower side, consisting of small spots. If the disease is not treated, then the leaves turn yellow entirely and fall off. The affected parts of the plant must be removed and treated with fungicides, for example, Topaz;

  With rust, yellow spots with a clearly defined edge appear on the upper side of geranium leaves.

• with rhizoctonia rot, the upper leaves turn yellow and wither, and on the lower ones appear dark spots. Geranium is treated by spraying it with fungicides such as Vitatros and Fundazol;

  Rhizoctonia rot on geraniums appears as dark spots

• If the geranium is ill with alternariosis, then brown spots appear on the leaves in a light border. For treatment, the flower is treated with preparations such as Skor, Ridomil Gold.

  Noticing the yellowing of geranium leaves, measures should be taken in time to save the plant. Then, most likely, he will delight you for a very long time with beautiful flowering.

At this time, it is already required to prune geraniums. After all, geranium is photophilous, and in winter there is little light, and the plant stretches out, it becomes not very beautiful.

At the geranium, you need to cut the bare shoots to the height that you need (but not quite to the stump, of course), new branches will come from them.

And you can update the geranium every year, transplanting from a new cutting, as our great-grandmothers did in the old days.

Suitable for propagation of geraniums apical cuttings about 7 cm long with 3-5 sheets.

We cut the cuttings, making an oblique cut under the kidney, cut off the lower pair of leaves, dry the cut and the place where the leaves were broken for 2-3 hours, so that the cut is tightened with a film, and plant immediately in prepared pots with soil, lightly water.

To form a lush bush, we pinch the apical bud. We put in a bright place, but not in the sun!

Many simply cut the cuttings and put them in water, you can put tablets in a jar of water activated carbon so that there is no decay.

Roots form very quickly. Then they are planted in pots.

The pot should be small. You don't need much geranium land. The faster the roots will braid the clod of earth, the faster the plant will bloom, and the smaller the pot, the more abundant the flowering will be.

In large pots, a plant may not bloom at all, it does not need it - life is already good, why bother? You can even plant several cuttings in one pot.

In the process of rooting, the lower leaves may turn yellow - tear them off when a couple of new leaves appear.

To form a beautiful lush bush, pinch the top on 8-10 leaves, side shoots- on the 6-8th and constantly turn the pot so that the bush is even.

Geranium loves:

- the sun (but also tolerates a light shadow);

- warm (but will survive very light autumn frosts);

- not frequent, but plentiful watering;

- good drainage in a pot;

- moderately fertile, even poor soil, (otherwise there will be a lot of greenery, but few flowers);

— regular feeding;

- removal of faded inflorescences to continue flowering.

In June-July, if necessary, cuttings can be made.

Iodine water is a very good top dressing: dissolve 1 drop of iodine in 1 liter of water and pour 50 ml of this composition along the walls of the pot. Do not overdo it so that the roots do not burn!

After such watering, the geranium blooms continuously and gorgeously!

If the leaves turn yellow, the reasons may be as follows:

- if only the edges of the leaves dry, the reason is a lack of moisture;

- if the leaves are sluggish or rot - the reason is excess moisture.

In both cases, the leaves may fall off. The stem is exposed, the lower leaves fall off - lack of light. In summer, geraniums love to live on fresh air- take it out to the balcony or garden, plant it well in the ground.

At first, having survived the stress associated with a change of place, the geranium will hurt, its leaves may turn yellow and fall off. But then she will delight you with abundant flowering.

Outside, the geranium is blooming amazingly, and the bush is growing like never before.

In the sun, sometimes geranium leaves become pink color- this is a normal phenomenon, as if "sunburn", the plant is no better, no worse.

In autumn, when the weather is cool at 10-12 degrees, geraniums “go crazy” from such a temperature!

You can keep geraniums outside until the start of frost, until the temperature drops to + 2-5. Then it will need to be cut, transplanted into pots and put in a cool place (10-12 degrees) for hibernation or, gradually accustoming to a higher temperature, brought into a room where it will continue to bloom.

WHAT IS PELARGONIA AFRAID?

There is an opinion that pelargonium never gets sick, and pests are not afraid of it. But still there are times when the plant begins to feel bad. What could be the reason?

It happens that the leaves of pelargonium begin to turn yellow and fall off, after which the plant dies completely in a matter of days. To accurately determine the disease, you need to take a closer look at the symptoms.

Pelargonium diseases

1. Bacterial spotting. A warm and humid microclimate causes the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris to grow on the plant. Because of them, pelargonium leaves turn brown and fall off, and black rot may appear on the stems.

How to avoid: Check if seedlings are infected. When planting, leave free space between plants. Water pelargoniums in the morning, do not splash water around. Examine leaflets more often, remove suspicious ones. If signs of disease appear, treat the plants with copper sulphate.

2. Black leg and/or black stem rot. This is usually a disease of the cuttings, but sometimes signs of damage can occur on adult specimens. First, the stem turns black at the base, and then the disease gradually "rises" upwards.

How to avoid: Take cuttings only from healthy plants. Before pruning, do not water the pelargonium for a couple of weeks. Spill the soil before planting with boiling water with the addition of potassium permanganate. Infected cuttings can be saved if they are treated with a fungicide in time.

3. Gray rot . Spots appear not only on the leaves, but also on the petals. Gray rot fungus develops on pelargoniums that grow in too cold and damp rooms. If at least one diseased specimen appears in the collection, then soon it can infect all nearby plants.

How to avoid: Check your plants regularly. Keep the pots at some distance from each other so that good ventilation occurs. Place pelargoniums in bright light dry room. Treat the plants with a fungicide when a gray-brown bloom appears.

Pelargonium is sick

4. Rust. Most often, this disease affects zonal pelargoniums. At the same time, spots appear on the leaves: yellow - on the upper part of the plates, brown - on the bottom. Over time, the leaves become deformed and fall off. The fungus also affects stems and petioles.

How to avoid: Check your flowers regularly. The disease can come to you with a sick "newcomer" brought from the store. Treat new pelargoniums with a fungicide and quarantine them for the first time.

Pelargonium pests

When growing pelargoniums in flower beds, there is a possibility that the plant will be interested cabbage caterpillars. They can be harvested by hand or processed with 70% vinegar essence (1 tablespoon) diluted with 10 liters of water.

On the underside sheet plate colonies can settle greenhouse whitefly. To get rid of this pest, it is enough to spray the leaves of pelargonium with water: the larvae are washed off, and the butterflies get wet and die.

At this time, it is already required to prune geraniums. After all, geranium is photophilous, and in winter there is little light, and the plant stretches out, it becomes not very beautiful.

At the geranium, you need to cut the bare shoots to the height that you need (but not quite to the stump, of course), new branches will come from them.