Features care for geraniums, how to grow a houseplant

In this article we will tell you all about room geraniums (also called "kalachik"), namely: how to care for this plant, in what soil to plant and how to choose the right pot.

Do not forget to talk about the methods of reproduction of pelargonium.

Features of growing geraniums at home

The word "geranium" comes from the Greek "geranion" or "geranios", and translates as "crane" (the fruits of this plant really resemble the crane's beak).

The plant itself is a shrub whose height can reach 60 cm. There are two types: flowering or fragrant. In the second case, when flowering, may resemble the smell of apples, roses, or even nutmeg.

Home geranium is undemanding to care, so her mistress everywhere in her house and take pleasure in this beautiful flower.Geraniums get accustomed to their homes and you have to try to get this flower to hurt.

But, despite the simplicity, there are several features of growing geraniums, which should be considered:

1. Shine. Geranium is very fond of light, so it is often placed on the window sills, it is necessary to take into account which window to put geranium on (the southern side would be best).
Important!In the summer, you can not leave the flower in direct sunlight.
2. Temperature. Geranium is not very capricious in terms of heat, but, nevertheless, in winter, the room should not be cold (not lower than +10 С). If you want it to bloom all year round, you should provide it with light (in winter - the lamp) and put it in a warm place.
3. Watering. Watering is often necessary, but make sure that the water in the pot does not stagnate, as the roots of the plant begin to rot and the geranium dies.

Climatic conditions for geraniums

Since geranium comes from South Africa, then, accordingly, you should create a similar climate at home.Of course, this does not mean at all that you need to constantly maintain the temperature in the room at 30 ˚С and fill the geranium with water, like during tropical rain.

It is enough to keep the soil in the pot moist and provide sufficient illumination to your little ball. The maximum comfortable temperature for a flower is from +10 to +30 degrees. The need for geraniums in good lighting is due to the fact that in her homeland there is the largest number of sunny days in a year.

Do not save, the choice of a pot for geraniums

When choosing a pot for geranium, it is worth remembering the information that we considered above, namely: "How to water a ball at home". You already know that geranium needs frequent watering, although water should not "stand" in a pot. Thus, when choosing a pot it is worth considering this moment.

If we compare plastic pots and products made from baked clay, then the last will be of priority, as the soil dries out faster in them. The pot should not be very large, otherwise you risk growing a tree instead of a small flower.One plant is enough for a pot with diameters of 14-15 cm and a height of at least 10 cm.

What soil is needed for geraniums, fertilizing and plant grafting

Now tell you about what land does geranium love. In this case, we, again, will help the knowledge that we have learned from the previous paragraphs. It is worth remembering 2 important points:

1. The soil should be loose and unused;
2. The soil must have good drainage properties.

There are several varieties of soil that are well suited for geraniums:

1. We use ordinary chernozem, which is sold in flower shops, paired with expanded clay, which is placed on the bottom of the pot;
2. A mixture of chernozem with river sand and fine gravel, which is placed on the bottom of the pot.

The composition of the land "from the store" must include peat, which is required by the plant.

Go to choice of fertilizers for geraniums. Ordinary fertilizers from a flower shop that contain phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and trace elements. They are made no more than 2 times a month.

It is best to feed up a little after sunset, or rearranging the pot in the shade. Do not use liquid fertilizer if the soil is dry. Pre-water the flower.It is important to remember that fresh organic fertilizer can not be appliedotherwise the flower will dry.

We now turn to the consideration of how to plant pot flowers.

Grafting geranium - This is the transfer of a piece of escape from one plant to another. This is done in order to get flowers of different colors / odors on one bush, or to form a decorative crown.

Plant only strong plants at least 1 year old. This is done in the spring when the balls grow at a faster rate. It is important to do everything correctly and exactly according to the instructions that are set out and shown below.

1. Make a V-cut on the stock. It should be smooth, smooth and less than the cut of the stock, and the length of the wedge and the cut out part should be 2 centimeters.
2. Insert the prepared cutting into the received groove, as shown in the picture.
As you can see, the scion should have a live kidney next to the cut.
3. Graft and rootstock combine so that all parts of the stem coincided at least on one side. To do this, you need to choose the same diameter of the stem of the stalk and stem.

How to water a geranium

Potted flowers should be watered often enough, especially in the warm season, when geranium blooms or its rapid growth occurs. During the "rest", in winter, the intensity of watering is reduced, leaving the ground slightly damp.

If you notice a gray mold on the leaves or a characteristic putrid odor - this is an excess of moisture in the pot. In this case, you should either wait until the soil dries and do not water the flower, or transplant the geranium into a new dry substrate.

It is worth remembering that too dry ground for a roll will not be as terrible as excess moisture, which stagnates in the soil. In hot weather, pelargonium is watered once a day. At medium temperatures and slight evaporation, watering is carried out every two days.

Features trimming geraniums

Now we look at how to trim the balls.

Geranium should be cut off, regardless of its size and age. This is done in order to increase the number of inflorescences.

The first stage of pruning takes place before winter. This procedure helps the ball save more resources for a successful transition to a state of rest.

We begin to cut only after the geranium has completely faded: we cut off half the length of the flower (this allows us to give more light to the root flowers and reduce the chance of infection by fungi).If the cuts with time began to turn black - they need to be shortened.

Re-pruning produced in late February or early March. This is necessary if pelargonium over the winter is strongly stretched.

Crop geranium need sharp bladewhich before the procedure is sanitized with an alcohol solution. Cuts are made obliquely above the leaf node.

Pruning flowers and dried shoots are subject to pruning. In this case, you do not just make the bush more attractive and small, you help the plant cope with possible problems, and reduce the risk of developing fungus on faded parts.

Geranium Breeding Methods

Here we come to the final stage of the article - reproduction. Geranium can be propagated in two ways: by seeds and cuttings. And now we will help you evaluate the pros and cons of each method.

Seeds

So, you have geranium seeds and you need to get some beautiful bushes out of them. Let's start with what you need to know before you begin:

• Planting time;
• Soil option for planting;
• Germination period;
• Moments of transplant.

Optimal by time planting is the period when the plant is at rest (the beginning of winter - the middle of spring).

Next you need the right substrate for the landing. In this case, perfect mix turf + sand + peat (in the ratio 2: 1: 1). It will not stagnate water, and peat will give a kind of feeding sprouted plants.

After selecting the soil is worth preparing yourself seeds. To do this, they are treated with epine or zircon, and then soaked for 3 hours in water at room temperature.

Seeds and soil are ready - go to the most landing. We spread the soil with a thickness of 0.5 cm, put the seeds on top and cover with glass. We place the box with the seeds in a bright room with a temperature of +20 degrees.

The plant will germinate within one and a half weeks after sowing. The growth rate depends on several factors: the geranium variety, the room temperature and the storage period.

After 3-4 leaves appear on a young plant, you need to produce planting geraniums in a pot. It is important to properly sever the roots of several flowers that have not yet had time to crawl. Take a new pot with a diameter of the top of not more than 10 cm.

The seed propagation method is rather long and laborious. It is not suitable for everyone, as it requires attention and deadlines. In the next section, we will look at the propagation method by cuttings, which is used much more often than by seeds.

Cuttings

Many people know that geranium is the easiest to propagate by cuttings, but hardly anyone will tell you the detailed instructions. Now we will teach you how to replant the little ball so that it will take root and grow on the new place.

Transplantation of cuttings is carried out in early autumn, after flowering.

1. We cut a strong and healthy stem 8-14 cm long. We cut the cut with a sharp knife (you can use the construction one) just below the knot.
2. On the cut cuttings leave 2-3 top leaves, the rest are cut.
3. The cutting is placed in a solution of a stimulator of root formation (if there is one in stock). In the absence of a solution, the chance of successful germination decreases, but does not disappear completely.
4. Pour suitable soil in a pot with a diameter of about 10 cm; we make a notch with a pencil and plant an escape.

Now we need to make our cutting sprout. For this, most often, use water.

Shredded coal is added to the water to prevent the development of diseases. And when the sprout has taken root, it is transplanted into a pot with earth and then cared for as an adult plant.

After reading the article, you learned how to care for a little ball at home. We told you about the breeding options for geraniums, how to cut the bush and when to do it. Described the features of care for this beautiful plant. Now you will surely be able to pick up a pot and a primer for your pelargonium and be sure that it gets everything you need.