How to propagate and grow geranium flowers at home. Why doesn't geranium bloom even though enough time has passed? What to do

Select appropriate place for landing. Whether in the garden or in a pot, geraniums are one of the easiest flowers to care for. Geraniums can be planted in an area with 24-hour light, partial light, or even light shade. Typically, geraniums need about 5-6 hours of sunlight per day, although this number can be less or more. It is best to plant geraniums in well-drained soil. Geranium does not like its roots to be too wet, but marshy soil can lead to various diseases.

If you live in a fairly hot climate, find a location with afternoon shade and relatively moist soil.

If you decide to plant geraniums in a pot, choose a suitable pot. There should be holes at the bottom of the pot for water drainage, since geraniums do not really like wet soil. Depending on the variety of geranium, buy enough big pot. If you have a small flower, buy a pot with a diameter of 15-20 cm. Large varieties of geranium will need a pot with a diameter of 25 cm.

Choose the right time to plant the plant. It is recommended to plant geraniums in the spring, after the last severe frosts. Depending on the variety, the plant may bloom in mid-summer, late summer, or fall (although sometimes the flowers have their own minds and may bloom even in the spring). Regardless of the flowering time, be prepared for their appearance in all their glory at any time except winter.

Prepare the garden bed. Geranium grows best in loosened and tilled soil. Take a shovel or rake and dig up the soil to a depth of 30-35 cm. After this, mix 5-10 cm of compost to enrich the soil with as many nutrients as possible.

Each plant should be planted at a considerable distance from each other. Depending on the variety of geranium, each plant should be planted at a distance of 15 to 60 centimeters. If you bought a large geranium variety, each plant should be two meters apart.

Dig holes for each flower. Each hole should be approximately twice the diameter of the pot in which the flower was located. For example, if you bought geraniums in a 15 centimeter pot, you should dig a hole with a diameter of 30 centimeters.

If you decide to grow geraniums from seeds, plant them directly in the ground. If you really decide to grow geraniums from seeds, you should know that your flower will take a long time to grow and bloom. If you are planting seeds in a pot, let the pot sit inside until the seeds grow roots. Once the seeds have sprouted, you can take them outside.

Pelargonium, or the more common name in Russia, geranium, is a completely easy-to-care for plant and very easy to propagate. Many generations of flower growers have been convinced of this, who even unite in communities of pelargonist fans. There are many reasons to love pelargonium: it has decorative and aromatic greens, it blooms beautifully and for a long time, it is healing. But there is one unpleasant feature in the docile nature of pelargonium. Indoor geranium does not really favor transplantation. A procedure that is routine for most plants can end disastrously for her. To prevent this from happening, before transplanting geraniums, read the simple rules of this procedure.

Pelargonium: features of home care

Pelargonium, which has firmly established itself on the windowsills of our apartments, comes from the South African savannas. And like all Africans, she loves the sun very much, is warm and has a negative attitude towards soil that is too nutritious and too wet, because rain in the savannah is rare, and the soil is very poor.

IN indoor floriculture Three types of pelargonium are known: zonal, royal and ampelous. It is the zonal or garden geraniums that are planted in flower beds in the spring. They bloom for a very long time and reproduce without problems from cuttings. Royal or royal pelargoniums are more whimsical. Their flowers are larger and more original than those of zonal ones, but the flowering time is shorter, propagate royal pelargonium more difficult. Ampelous geraniums are the most delicate and difficult to care for. But in general, pelargoniums are not very demanding on conditions and are grateful for good care flowers.

The characteristics of the southern woman must be taken into account when caring for them at home. Place pelargonium window sills on the south, east or west side. Plant it in a cramped pot so that it blooms better, give it not very greasy soil with a good drainage layer. As the plant grows and blooms, water generously but infrequently. In winter, pour less water, only slightly moistening the soil. It is not worth spraying pelargonium, in nature high humidity she's not spoiled. Slightly hairy leaves may even become diseased if they are exposed to drops. In summer, expose the flower to fresh air or even transplant it into open ground. The geranium will literally bloom there. In the fall, bring the whole plant or its cuttings home again. Organize a cool winter, +10–15 degrees is optimal. And in winter, just as in summer, pelargonium needs plenty of light. If there is not enough sun, artificial lighting (phytolamps, fluorescent or LED) will help.

Indoor geranium responds well to pinching and pruning. Be sure to remove faded flower stalks so that new ones appear.

But don’t rush to transplant pelargonium from pot to pot. This plant is not prone to changing places. After a seemingly harmless operation, she may turn yellow and become depressed so that resuscitation is required.

It must be said that cuttings of pelargonium (with the exception of some particularly delicate varieties) take root very readily in light soil, the survival rate is almost 99%. And for those in the remaining 1 percent, inventive gardeners have come up with the most incredible rooting methods.

What you need to know to transplant a flower correctly

Houseplants cannot be grown successfully without replanting. Sooner or later the pot becomes small, the soil is depleted, the growth of the green pet stops - and then the time for change inevitably comes. A new pot and fresh soil should stimulate flower growth. But sometimes, instead of positive changes, the grower discovers that the new resident has fallen ill or even died. How to act to bring benefit and not harm to pelargonium? First of all, we need to determine whether she needs a transplant.

Reasons for transplantation indoor geranium:

Pelargonium roots have entwined the entire soil in the pot and are peeking out from drainage holes. It’s easy to verify this: take out a lump of earth and inspect it. The roots hold the soil tightly and there is no room for them to develop - replant! The roots are not visible at the edges - return the plant to the old pot;
the plant shows signs of disease (turns yellow, withers), the soil is very wet and does not dry out - you flooded it, and the roots began to rot. This means that the soil urgently needs to be changed;
pelargonium has stopped growing, although it receives feeding and proper care. Perhaps it's a matter of unsuitable soil;
the geranium bush has unattractively exposed the lower part of its stems, which is almost inevitable over time. The flower needs rejuvenation, and a transplant will help it with this;
In the spring you planted pelargonium in a flowerbed, but on the eve of frost you need to return it to its native windowsill.

Unless there is a compelling reason to replant your geranium, leave it alone. This plant will feel better in its old place of residence. An unreasonable move will only cause problems.

Choosing a pot

If your pelargonium definitely needs a transplant, choose it the right pot, in which the plant will feel comfortable and will reward it with bright greenery and flowering.

Let's start with the material. If your pelargonium has been living with you for a long time and is doing well, do not change the material of the pot, as this will certainly entail changes in the watering regime. But if the flower was uncomfortable or a new plant is being transplanted, you need to choose which is better: a plastic or ceramic pot. Plastic is cheaper, easier to clean, lighter and does not break. Pelargonium, of course, will grow in such containers. But she often suffers from waterlogging of the roots. Ceramics are more hygroscopic; the porous walls of the pot are able to absorb excess moisture. In addition, clay removes harmful salts from the water, which is also beneficial for the plant. Conclusion: if you have a choice, give preference to a pot made of natural ceramics.

A new ceramic pot needs to be prepared for replanting. Wash it thoroughly and soak it for several hours in hot water. If it has already been used, you need to not only wash it, but also remove the mineral salts that have soaked into the walls, sterilize it: pour a weak solution of acetic acid into it, and then pour boiling water over it.

Choose the size of the pot for pelargonium depending on the size of the plant. The diameter of the new container should exceed the old one by only 3–5 cm. A small pot is better than a large one. Pelargonium will then begin to bloom when the roots become crowded. For a plant average size A pot with a diameter of approximately 15 cm and a height of 10 cm is sufficient. Several cuttings can be placed in a large container at once. Pelargonium is often grown in flower boxes, especially in summer. Place plants in them at intervals of 15–20 cm. For hanging varieties you will need hanging planters or baskets.

What soil is needed for planting geraniums?

Some admirers of pelargonium believe that the soil quality for this plant is not the best. important factor. They remember how they used to grow indoor geraniums in heavy, cement-like soil. And they grew and bloomed. Only this was not thanks to, but despite the difficult conditions of existence. Now that there is big choice soil compositions, do not torment the plant.

Pelargonium prefers moderately nutritious soil. Geranium may react to overly fertilized soil by actively growing foliage to the detriment of flowering. But the looseness and air capacity of the soil - required condition. Although, as experienced pelargonists assure, heavy loam will not hurt geraniums.

Soil options:

ready-made store-bought soil for pelargoniums, or for Saintpaulias, with the addition of sand for looseness;
10 parts purchased universal primer plus 1 part of chopped sphagnum moss and 0.5 parts of humus;
gardening soil, peat and sand, mixed in equal parts;
for 4 parts turf soil, 1 part humus and 0.5 parts coarse sand;
equal parts leaf, turf, humus soil and river sand;
loam, peat and coarse sand or perlite - all in equal parts.

During sterilization, not only harmful, but also beneficial inhabitants of the soil die. Special EO biological products or home remedies will help restore the microflora. For example, some gardeners add milk to water for irrigation.

For pelargonium you need good drainage. In addition to expanded clay, you can use large vermiculite or perlite, brick or foam chips.

Whatever good soil neither was, over time it upper layer will become denser. And pelargonium loves its roots to breathe. Give this pleasure to the plant. Be sure to loosen the top layer of soil between waterings. Pelargonium will appreciate such care and will grow and bloom better.

When is the best time to plant

Young pelargoniums are replanted every two years in the spring, before active growth. Mature plants - if there is a need to change the pot. Otherwise, it is enough to update the top layer of the soil substrate.

Sometimes, when the threat of spring frosts has passed, geraniums are planted in a flowerbed. The plant can remain in open ground until the average daily temperature drops to +15. Before the onset of cold weather, usually at the end of September, it is again transplanted into a pot to return home.

Replanting indoor pelargonium with the addition of new soil

Like any serious matter, transplanting a living plant is a responsible operation that requires careful adherence to the rules. This fully applies to geranium, not loving change living place.

Step-by-step instruction:

Prepare the container, soil and drainage. Sterilize everything.
Place 2–3 cm of drainage layer and part of the soil at the bottom of the container.
Carefully remove the pre-watered pelargonium from the old pot with a lump of earth. If the plant does not give in, lay it on its side and knock on the side of the container, and then turn it upside down, holding the bush.
Inspect the roots. Trim off the rotten and dried ones, being careful not to touch the healthy roots.
Place pelargonium with a lump of earth in the center of the new pot.
Between the wall of the pot and the lump of earth, gradually add moistened soil, lightly tamping it. Shake the container periodically so that the earth falls down and fills the voids.
Water the pelargonium, place it in partial shade or next to a sunny window, but not in direct sunlight.
After a week, move the plant to a well-lit place.

How to return geraniums from the flowerbed to the pot in the fall

At the beginning of September, it’s time to move pelargonium from the “dacha” to the winter apartment:

Water the plant well so that everything is moistened root system.
Prepare a pot with a drainage layer and place a little soil at the bottom.
After waiting for the soil to absorb water, dig up the pelargonium with a root ball of soil.
Remove excess soil from the clod and inspect the roots.
If the roots have grown too much, trim the ends of the side ones. Remove damaged or rotten ones.
Transfer the plant with some garden soil to the pot.
Deepen the upper roots, but the plant should remain in the soil at the same level as it grew in open ground.
Using careful tamping, fill the voids between the roots with soil.
Water the pelargonium.
A plant that spent the summer on fresh air, after transplantation, do not immediately place it in the sun, keep it in partial shade for some time.
Perform light pruning: the length of the shoots should remain at least 20 cm. Reducing the amount of green mass will help the plant adapt to the pot and home conditions.
At the end of winter, pelargonium will need a new haircut.

If possible, increase the temperature of the pelargonium gradually. After the street, let the plant remain for about a week. warm veranda or loggias, only then move the geranium into the house.

Video: transplanting pelargonium from open ground to a home pot

How to replant a purchased plant, whether to remove the purchased soil mixture

When buying pelargonium, choose a healthy plant with no signs of disease or wilting. It is better if there are buds on it rather than blooming flowers.

There is no need to rush to replant a recently purchased plant. Moving from a store, changing the microclimate, lighting, water quality and irrigation regime is a serious stress. Let the pelargonium rest and get used to the new place for a couple of weeks or a month. And if the purchase was made in the fall or early winter, adaptation will take even more time. Wait until the end of February or March to transplant.

There is an opinion that the transport soil in which store-bought plants live must be completely changed, supposedly it is harmful. This is wrong. In fact, its composition is most often quite high quality. It is loose, absorbs moisture well and dries out. As a rule, it contains a lot of peat. The only drawback is that the soil is poor to limit plant growth nutrients. If you try to remove store-bought soil, for example by washing the roots, the plant will get sick and may even die.

Rinse the roots, getting rid of the old substrate, only in special cases when the plant is clearly sick, the roots rot and the soil turns sour. Then choose the lesser of two evils: injury to the roots is better than rot. Wash the roots, possibly in a fungicide solution, trim off the rotten areas and plant the pelargonium in fresh, sterilized soil.

If the value store pot corresponds to the size of the plant, it is enough to take a container with a diameter 2–3 cm larger and transfer it, that is, save the lump old land, adding a little new. This operation is the least traumatic for the roots. Only damaged roots should be removed.

Post-transplant care requirements

Geraniums find it difficult to take root in a new place. Immediately after transplantation, pelargonium needs gentle care. It is placed in a warm place. For some time, the light-loving plant is shaded from direct sun. Water moderately, as unestablished roots easily rot. Excess moisture in the soil is the cause of most diseases. The flower is not fertilized the right soil There will be enough nutrients for at least 2-3 months. None water procedures, spraying - pelargonium does not like this.

Video: how to replant geraniums at home

How to plant geraniums without roots

Geraniums can be planted without roots. To do this, you need to correctly cut the branch-cutting and prepare a light substrate or other material in which rooting will take place without problems. Whatever rooting method you choose, follow general rules: cuttings need warmth, light and moderate substrate moisture. And no bags or cans on top.

Rooting in the ground

Rooting cuttings in the ground is the most common method of propagating pelargonium:

Cut apical cuttings 7–10 cm long with 4–6 leaves. Make the cut at an angle. Remove the lower leaves and dry the cuttings, leaving them in the air for 2-3 hours. The cut should be covered with a film.
Prepare small containers ( plastic cups 200 ml each), make drainage holes in them.
Place drainage at the bottom, and light soil on top consisting of sand, peat and perlite. Lightly moisten the mixture.
Use a wooden stick or pencil to make a hole in the ground. Place the cutting there, deepening it 3–5 cm, and carefully compact the soil around it.
Place the container with the seedling in a bright and warm (at least +22) place. There is no need to cover the geranium plantings, creating something like a greenhouse.
Water the plantings from below, through the tray.
Rooting occurs in 2–4 weeks.
When the plant has put out true leaves and has become stronger, pinch the top bud so that the side buds develop. Then the bush will turn out lush.
If pelargonium was rooted at the end of summer or autumn, transshipment in new pot and make more nutritious soil in early spring.

Pelargonium lovers claim that cuttings of ordinary non-varietal geraniums take root well without treatment with stimulants. But if you capricious plant, treat the cut before planting, dip it in a solution of Epin, Kornevin or other root formers for half a minute.

Video: transplanting a rooted cutting into a permanent pot

Another option is to germinate in water first

You can also root geranium cuttings in water. Most often, roots appear and grow quickly; this process is interesting to watch. However, the method has a significant drawback: “water” roots do not always successfully adapt to the soil. Some cuttings die after moving into the soil.

How to root cuttings in water:

When cutting capricious varieties of geranium, for example, royal geranium, spend 3 weeks before stimulating the mother plant. Make small cuts under the buds along the entire branch you plan to cut. Root tubercles will appear at the incision sites. Cut the cuttings underneath. Then young roots will appear in 2-3 days.

What else do gardeners like to plant geraniums in?

Pelargonists came up with original ways rooting your favorite plant. Here are the options tested in practice. They are suitable for cuttings of whimsical varieties, weakened or diseased plants. Try planting cuttings in moss, vermiculite or padding polyester. According to reviews from flower growers, such methods provide 100% rooting.

In sphagnum

In vermiculite

Fill a plastic cup halfway with dry vermiculite.
Bury the cutting about 1.5–2 cm into it.
Gently pour warm water under the future root.
Place in a warm and bright place.
Water a little at a time to keep the vermiculite slightly moist. The roots should reach towards the water.

Natural vermiculite is a mineral from the hydromica group. These are plate-like crystals of yellowish-brown color. They do not rot and decompose; microorganisms do not live in them. In floriculture, vermiculite is used as a drainage material and for rooting cuttings. It can be purchased at flower shops.

In padding polyester

Video: rooting cuttings in peat tablets

Is it possible to replant flowering geraniums?

Those who have just started growing geraniums sometimes have a dilemma: whether to replant a flowering plant or not. Flowering takes away the geranium's strength; at this time it is more vulnerable. A transplant is a serious stress, and it will be followed by a period of adaptation, which will also require a lot vital energy. It turns out that by replanting a flowering bush, you are guaranteed to lose both buds and flowers, and perhaps destroy the entire plant. He doesn't have the strength to handle both cases.

But sometimes there is simply no other way. For example, you flooded your pelargonium, and the roots were affected by rot. Then, to save the plant, an urgent transplant is needed, regardless of flowering.

How to rejuvenate geraniums by renewing the stems

Over the years, the lower part of the shoots of indoor geraniums inevitably becomes exposed; as flower growers say, it “grows out.”

Pelargonium can be rejuvenated by transplanting. After moving the plant into a new pot, the roots will have more space and nutrition to develop. A aboveground part it is necessary to trim heavily; in some advanced cases, literally “stumps” with several buds are left. For some time, pelargonium will get used to its new position. When the roots become established, the remaining buds will begin to develop.

The cut top of a geranium can also continue to live and bloom. It will make excellent cuttings. With proper rooting (how to do it was discussed above), you will be able to grow several healthy plants.

Problems associated with replanting: soil composition and others

Pelargonium does not like changing the pot, but in most cases it successfully adapts to the new place. Of course, she may get sick; according to some observations, the adjustment time lasts on average 2–3 weeks.

Most often, gardeners complain about rotting cuttings or roots. If rooting is carried out in water, the addition of activated carbon will help. Cuttings do not rot in completely depleted soil or its surrogates - moss, vermiculite, synthetic padding. When transplanting adult pelargoniums, root rot may occur if unsterilized soil mixture it is infected with a fungus, the soil in the pot is flooded or the pot itself is too large.

Why does geranium turn yellow?

It is normal if after transplantation pelargonium loses a few leaves. But sometimes almost the entire geranium turns yellow. This is also a natural reaction to a change of place. Don’t worry, don’t try to place the geranium in a greenhouse or spray it, but just give it time to acclimatize. Most likely, everything will return to normal.

But just in case, check that the soil is not drying out and that you are not flooding the plant. Pelargonium should be watered only after the top layer has dried 2–3 cm. For better adaptation, you can add stimulants (Kornevin or Epin) to the irrigation water.

Knowing how to transplant or plant plants correctly is important for a gardener. Especially when it comes to flowers that do not tolerate changing places, such as pelargonium. The simple rules are easy to learn. True, sometimes the grower does everything as expected, but the plant gets sick after transplantation. And the other one breaks the rules, but the flower is cheerful and cheerful. What's the secret? Pelargonium lovers claim that this plant senses a person’s mood and energy very well. You need to care for geraniums with love and good mood. So, in addition to the pot and soil, prepare positive attitude- then everything will work out.

Geranium or pelargonium will delight the eye in the cold season on the windowsill, and in the summer - in the flowerbed. This flower is distinguished by bright flower caps that cover almost the entire bush. Therefore, most housewives love geranium very much and are glad to have it in their home. To do this, you need not only to be able to care for it, but also to know the secrets of geranium propagation, so that if the plant dies, the window sills will not be left empty.

You can grow geranium using cuttings and seeds. Recently, more and more flower lovers are choosing the second method, since such a plant takes on the appearance of a neat small bush with a large number of flowers. Therefore, we will discuss how to grow geranium yourself using seeds.

When purchasing a pack of geranium seeds, it is worth looking at their condition. Most often, they are already prepared for planting and the keratinous material has been removed from them. hard layer. Thanks to this, all the seeds will sprout at the same time and quickly enough.

If you use geranium seeds collected with your own hands, then they must be scraped sandpaper to remove the hardened leathery layer.

Now you need to know and take into account the following factors:

sowing time;
soil selection;
where the seedlings should be kept;
germination time and care;
how and when to dive;
thorough transplantation of the bush.

When to plant seeds?

If available required lighting, then you can plant seeds at any time of the year. It is still better if the plant has natural light and sunlight. That's why the best option The period is considered to be from November to April.

Essentially, during this time, the length of the day gradually increases, which helps the growing seedlings also get used to the duration of light.

Soil preparation

Three types of prepared soil can be used. For the first option, the following will do:

sand - 25%;
turf - 50%;
peat - 25%.

Second type of soil:

peat - 50%;
perlite - 50%.

And for the third type the following components are needed:

peat - 50%;
sand - 50%.

Each type of soil is excellent for planting geranium seeds. And if you properly care for the seedlings, the result will be almost the same.

To avoid further diseases of the sprouts, the prepared soil must be calcined in the oven for 30 minutes. Then you need to dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate and water the soil with it.

When the prepared mass has cooled, it can be used for planting seeds.

Disembarkation process

Pour soil into the selected container. Place the seeds at a distance of 5 cm from each other and sprinkle them with settled water. Then sprinkle soil on top, without covering the seeds more than 5 mm. It is important that the top layer of soil is always moist. To do this, cover the container with film and, if necessary, spray the top layer of soil with a spray bottle.

The container with the planted seeds must be placed in a bright place, but should not be placed in direct sunlight. Then the root system will be strong and healthy. The temperature in the room should not rise above 23 degrees. But you shouldn’t cool the soil too much, lowering the temperature to 17 degrees or lower.

No later than in 2 weeks the seeds will sprout. But often shoots appear earlier. It depends on the geranium variety, seeds, temperature and soil care.

Caring for geranium sprouts

You shouldn’t stop at seed germination and then stop caring for the plants. Now we need to protect the little geranium from various diseases. The most common is the so-called “black leg”.

Therefore, you need to monitor the condition of the soil. It shouldn't be dry, but it shouldn't be filled either. The soil should be moist. Then the sprouts will grow strong and be able to resist various diseases.

Geranium pick

The picking process should be carried out when the second and third leaves appear on the stem. After this, you need to plant each bush in a separate vase. If this is not done, the roots of the plants will simply intertwine and when transplanted, the geranium will hurt for a long time. Moreover, it is not a fact that it will even survive replanting if the roots are severely damaged.

Pots with a diameter of 10 cm are suitable for picking. After two weeks, each bush needs to be fed with mineral microfertilizers.

After transplanting, you need to regularly water the geranium and make sure there is enough light. If there is not enough of it, then the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow. And this can lead to the development of mold at the site of yellowing.

Therefore, you need to quickly remove such leaves.

The last steps of growing geraniums

If you want to see geranium in the form of a bush, then you will need to pinch the crown. This can be done when 6 - 7 leaves appear. After this, side branches will begin to grow. You should not do pinching if you want to grow tall geraniums with a long stem.

At the end of May, each geranium bush needs to be transplanted into open ground. Thanks to this, the plants fully adapt. After 3 months, a healthy geranium will definitely bloom. And the flowering process will continue until the cold weather. Before the first frost, the geranium will need to be dug up again and replanted in a pot so that it continues to bloom, only at home.

With the advent of new garden centers fashion for house plants changes faster than fashion for clothing. Every year more and more appear on the shelves of these stores. and more exotic plants that you just want to decorate your home with. But there are house plants whose popularity is not affected by fashion. Such indoor plants include geranium, which was grown on the windowsills of our grandmothers. True, in Lately Many species of plants belonging to the geranium family appeared. And pelargonium is one of them. It is this plant that raises the popularity of geranium to great heights today.

The most popular among geraniums are garden pelargoniums, or the so-called “blooming geraniums”. They feel great not only in the garden, but also on a sunny windowsill. Among these species there are those that delight with their flowering, and those that are bred for the beauty of their leaves. If you see this plant in person, you will probably be interested in how to grow geranium at home.

Thanks to its healing qualities and ease of care, geranium has long become one of the most popular indoor plants. IN folk medicine It is used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, nervous disorders, and kidney stones. A century and a half ago, this plant gained popularity, and it began to be grown in gardens and greenhouses. Then many new varieties appeared, and geraniums began to be grown at home. Nowadays indoor geranium grows in almost every home. She pleases her owners abundant flowering throughout almost the entire year and folk beliefs protects the family from evil forces.

How to grow geranium

If you decide to grow geraniums at home yourself, then, unfortunately, there are still few options. You can either buy a ready-made flowering plant and learn how to care for it, or grow geraniums yourself. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings. You can try to find pelargonium seeds and grow your future geranium from them. But keep in mind that it takes about five to six months from the time the seeds are planted to flowering. In addition, pelargonium seeds germinate rather slowly and poorly. And lastly, it’s not always possible to find pelargonium seeds in the store.

Cuttings for propagating geraniums at home are more preferable. To do this, you need to cut off the apical shoots 7-8 cm high with four to five leaves from an adult plant. Then remove the two bottom leaves and place the cuttings in water. You can simply dip the cuttings in a means that stimulates the formation of roots and plant them in soil in which garden soil, peat and sand are mixed in equal quantities. In good lighting and room temperature The cuttings should take root quickly. From one adult plant in this way you can get from five to fifteen new ones. By the way, such pruning also benefits the adult bush.

All types of geraniums are easily propagated by cuttings throughout the year, but the most favorable time for cuttings is the beginning of spring - February-March - or the end of summer - July-August. During cuttings, the cut cuttings are slightly withered, and then, planted in the substrate, they are kept dry, that is, they are not sprayed and rarely watered. After rooting, the sprout is pinched.

Geranium care

Caring for homemade geraniums is very simple. It does not require much attention, but will delight you with the beauty of its flowering almost throughout the year.

Lighting

Geranium is a very light-loving plant and, unlike its counterparts, is not afraid of direct sun rays. If there is not enough lighting, then the geranium loses the brightness of the color of both leaves and flowers.

Temperature

Growing geraniums requires moderate temperatures up to 18-20°C. In winter, it is advisable to provide it with a lower temperature, but not lower than 8-10°C.

Watering

In summer, geraniums require abundantwatering , and in winter - moderate. It is advisable to drain excess water, because stagnation of moisture leads to rotting of the roots. Geranium accumulates moisture in its leaves, so waterlogging is more dangerous for it than lack of moisture. Spraying geranium is not required.

Top dressing

Feed the plant once or twice a month with universal fertilizers. There are special fertilizers for geraniums, so it is preferable to buy them.

Substrate

A universal soil mixture is suitable for geranium, but this plant needs good drainage, because stagnation of water is very dangerous for it.

Transfer

If the pot becomes too small for the plant, it needs to be replanted in the spring. Otherwise, it is enough to limit yourself to replacing the top layer of soil. To do this, you need to remove about two centimeters of soil and add fresh soil mixture.

Geranium diseases

At proper care geranium rarely gets sick. But even if this happens, the plant is easy to save if you provide it with timely care. the help you need. Diseases of home geraniums are the result of poor or improper care- insufficient lighting, high humidity air and roots. But there are also viruses that can infect your geranium through the soil. Therefore, the soil must be sterilized when transplanting.

The most dangerous diseases for geraniums are nematodes, since when affected by this scourge the plant dies. A characteristic feature The disease is the formation of large nodes on the roots. Such soil becomes generally unsuitable for growing any plants.

They pose a danger to geraniums and fungal diseases, such as gray and root rot,rust etc. They are most often the result of poor drainage and waterlogging. Geraniums also have pests - aphids, mites and whiteflies. We need to fight them in the usual ways. For aphids, washing the plant with a solution of laundry soap is suitable. The geranium crown is thoroughly washed to remove mites with running water.

Whitefly is a serious pest close to aphids, which is not so easy to deal with. The development of this pest is promoted by dry, hot air, and the most significant damage is caused by the larvae. They, located on the lower surface of the leaves, draw out all the juices from the plants. At the same time, they contaminate the leaves with sugary secretions, on which sooty fungus develops because of this.

This interferes with the normal development of the plant. The leaves turn yellow, dry out and then fall off. Whiteflies, when treated with poisons, adapt to them very quickly, therefore, to get rid of them, it is necessary to alternate different preparations. For example, Fufanon, Aktellik, Konfidor and Zubr. Read the instructions on the package carefully. Whiteflies are very difficult to control, so you should simply prevent their occurrence.

Possible problems when growing geraniums

Turn yellow and then fall off lower leaves plants. Possible causes may be lack of light, insufficient or excessive watering. With a lack of light, the leaves simply turn pale, and their shape and appearance does not change. In this case, you should simply provide additional lighting to the plants. If there is insufficient watering, the tips of the leaves dry out, and if there is too much watering, the leaves wither and then rot.
The edges of the leaves turn red. This means the plant is cold and should be moved to a warmer location.
Geranium does not bloom. This happens either when there is not enough light or when the temperature is too low.

Knowing all the secrets, you can easily grow very beautiful geraniums.

Geraniums are unpretentious and readily flowering plants. And yet, if geranium appears, care at home becomes the key to the duration of its flowering. It depends only on the care of the florist how long the external attractiveness of the plant will remain, how lush and bright the inflorescences will be.

Over two hundred years of growing as indoor plants, geraniums have firmly entered the everyday life of Russians. Pink, scarlet, white and variegated umbrella inflorescences of pelargoniums or geraniums can be seen on the windows of city apartments, on summer cottages on summer days and on verandas rural houses. Became truly folk flower in fact, a native of South Africa, who Russian conditions not always comfortable.

In nature, wild geraniums are perennial plants:

with powerful, weakly branching shoots;
with smooth or slightly pubescent split leaves;
with umbrella inflorescences containing up to 20 individual flowers.

The culture is valued for its mass production and duration of flowering, which, with proper care of geraniums at home, lasts from spring until pre-winter. At the same time, many species are quite fragrant, and the plant’s docile nature is its great advantage.

At home decorative varieties geraniums remain decorative for at least 4–5 years. But properly organized care helps extend the life of a flowering specimen to ten years or more. How to care for geraniums so that they bloom and remain attractive and healthy for a long time?

Growing conditions and care features for geraniums to bloom

Geranium feels best in well-lit places and only on the hottest days requires light shading from the sun's rays. If the pot is placed in a north window or in the back of the room, the gardener should expect that with insufficient lighting the shoots will stretch out and the plant will lose its compactness and decorativeness.

How to care for geraniums at home if it is not possible to bring them into the light, or lack of lighting threatens the plant in winter? IN winter time, when kept on a loggia or on northern windows, it is useful to use special ones. Extending daylight hours to 12–14 hours has a good effect on:

to preserve the shape of the bush;
on the uniformity of shoot growth and their quality.

In geranium bushes that receive enough light, the newly formed stems have a rich color. The same applies to the foliage, which does not become smaller or paler, but remains juicy and bright.

In order for geraniums to bloom, caring for them necessarily involves maintaining a room temperature that is comfortable for the crop. It is best if the air in the room where the pot is:

in summer it warms up to 22–27 °C;
In winter, during the dormant period, the temperature is about 12–16 °C.

Plants respond well to ventilation, but like other indoor crops, they do not like cold drafts. Being near hot radiators, geranium will also experience discomfort.

Watering and fertilizing indoor geraniums when caring at home

Geranium can do without spraying or additional air humidification, but it responds well to these procedures. If caring for geraniums, as in the photo, at home includes irrigating the foliage, then this should be done warm water, filtered or pre-settled. Otherwise, unsightly spots from salt stains will appear on the bright foliage of the plant.

As the main measure for caring for geraniums, it should be plentiful and regular. IN summer time It is important to moisten the soil under the bush as soon as signs of dryness appear earthen coma. In winter, the intensity of watering is much less. On average, plants are watered more than once every 7–10 days. In this case, the soil should not dry out completely. If the leaves on the bush turn yellow, caring for geraniums at home should be reconsidered. Obviously, the plant does not receive enough water, or the roots, sensing an excess of moisture, have begun to rot.

Geraniums are fast-growing crops that require not only watering, but also replacement of nutrients taken from the soil. Plant feeding is carried out from March to August, that is, at the height of active growth and flowering.

To maintain the splendor of the inflorescences, they are used to feed geraniums twice a month. If a complex composition is chosen as a top dressing, it is better to give preference to the one with the least amount of nitrogen compounds. This element promotes the growth of green mass, and the growing foliage inhibits the formation and opening of buds.

Geranium pruning and care at home in winter and spring

And for experienced flower growers, and even for beginners, caring for geraniums at home will not seem difficult or time-consuming. But one operation always causes a lot of concern - pruning.

The growth rate of geranium depends on the type and variety. But in all varieties, as the stem length increases, the lower leaves gradually wither and fall off. Greenery remains only at the very tops. Inflorescences are also formed here.

As a result, if the shoots are not shortened in time, the geranium turns into a shapeless, voluminous bush completely devoid of any attractiveness. To prevent this from happening, geraniums are pruned in the fall, when new flowers stop appearing.

The more pruning included in caring for geraniums at home:

the more new shoots you should expect next spring;
the greener and denser the crown of the plant will be;
the more abundant and longer the flowering will be.

There are dormant buds on the bare stems, so there is no need to be afraid of deep pruning. Moreover, geranium growth continues even in winter, and some particularly “fast” plants have to be formed again, but already at the end of February or early March, before the active growing season begins. Particularly important pruning is for zonal geraniums, which are most often found on the windowsills of amateur gardeners. Royal varieties have slightly different agricultural technology, so such plants are formed more accurately and only in the second year after planting.

In winter, it is better not to prune geraniums when caring for them at home, since from December to early February the plant goes into a dormant period, its defenses and metabolic processes are weakened. Shoots cut at this time are unsuitable for rooting.

The tops cut from the shoots are not thrown away. This is an excellent material for propagating plants and obtaining new ones. blooming geraniums. With this method, young specimens completely retain all parental characteristics, and the first flowering is already possible in the first summer after rooting.

In the summer, so that the fading inflorescences do not delay nutrition, they are carefully cut off.

Replanting geraniums when caring at home and taking plants out into the garden

How to care for a geranium flower at home if the roots of the plant are completely entwined, there is little soil left in the pot and a large bush noticeably withers soon after watering?

In this case, you cannot do without replanting, which is a real stress for geraniums, as for other houseplants. You need to carefully transfer your green pet to a new pot, without disturbing the existing earthen coma, and no more than once every two years. Every year you can only add a little fresh substrate.

In order for the flowering of geranium to be long and abundant, the plant to develop well and produce new shoots, you need:

loose, nutrient-rich soil;
powerful drainage;
a small pot, with approximately the same depth and width.

As a substrate, they use ready-made soil for decorative indoor crops, to which they add a little sand and humus, or make a mixture of equal parts of humus, peat, turf soil and sand.

If a plant is taken out into the garden for the summer, then it is better not to remove it from its usual container. This will help you avoid:

And when in the fall, before the onset of cold weather, geraniums are taken back indoors, they cannot be immediately placed on the usual window sills with other crops. To ensure the health of the plants and the absence of pests, geraniums are quarantined for a month, and in case of alarming symptoms, they are treated with fungicides and insecticides.