How to properly transplant geraniums into a new pot. Tips for home gardeners: how to grow geraniums correctly

If you want to decorate a room or front lawn beautiful plant, plant geraniums. This flower is also called pelargonium, and it has many species. You can often see geraniums on windowsills, delighting people with their bright blooms. Its leaves have a specific smell that can repel insects and purify the air. Those who don’t like an exotic aroma plant fragrant geraniums that smell like lemon. The variety of geraniums is amazing, and everyone can reproduce and care for them, which is why it is so popular.

Planting indoor pelargonium

Geranium - unpretentious plant. Its cultivation does not require special care at home. For planting, select a container with several drainage holes at the bottom. The roots of the plant are sensitive to moisture and can rot from constant contact with water, so good drainage is essential. Buy a pot with a depth of about 25 cm. This is enough for growth and flowering.

Planting must be done in a clean container. Be sure to wash the pot and rinse with a weak solution of manganese. It will destroy bacteria and pest larvae.
It is better to use purchased soil and try to choose soil that drains water well and dries quickly. This will protect the roots from rotting. A universal soil mixture is ideal for growing at home.

To ensure successful planting, place a small layer of expanded clay in the pot. Sprinkle some sand on top and fill most of the container with soil. Make a small depression in it. If you want to plant geranium as a shoot, place a cutting with a root there and cover it with soil. Water well with settled water and place the flower pot on the windowsill.

How to plant geraniums in open ground

Types of garden pelargonium look great in the garden bed in front of the house and bloom continuously until the onset of cold weather. These are perennial flowers, but if they are not provided proper care, they die in winter.

Pelargonium should be planted in the spring, after the last frosts have passed.

First of all, thoroughly loosen the soil by digging it with a shovel to a depth of 35 cm.
Then scatter 5-10 cm of compost over the surface of the bed and mix it with the top layer of soil. This will enrich the soil with the nutrients necessary for geranium growth.
Dig holes 25 cm deep. Small species need to be planted at a distance of 15-20 cm, large ones - 60 cm.
Carefully remove the rooted shoot from the pot and place it in the hole. Sprinkle with soil and fill thoroughly with water.

To plant geraniums, choose a sunny spot in the garden bed. The flower loves light and warmth.

Plant care

Garden and indoor views pelargoniums need proper lighting. Growing with a lack of light leads to the fact that the plant loses its splendor, begins to stretch upward and withers. In spring, flower pots can be taken out onto the balcony, where the geranium will quickly grow. Sometimes on the leaves bright light a red tint appears. This is not a sign of illness and is considered completely normal.

Do not spray geranium leaves with water. Care includes moderate watering. It is carried out systematically, preventing the soil from drying out. At the same time, you need to make sure that the soil is not too wet and that moisture does not stagnate in it.

In winter, watering at home needs to be reduced. Plants accumulate water well, so water them 2-3 times a month, but not less often. Overdried soil causes the leaves on pelargonium to turn yellow and fall off.

To ensure that the plant has a beautiful crown, trim branches that stretch in height. New shoots will begin to grow from them.

Feeding geraniums

In addition to comfortable living conditions, growing pelargonium requires regular feeding. In spring and summer, garden and indoor geraniums need to be fertilized once every 2 weeks. In winter, the amount of fertilizing should be reduced. It is enough to feed the plant once in January, using half the usual dose.

It is best to use store-bought ones at home. mineral fertilizers. For abundant flowering, geraniums need:

phosphorus;
potassium;
nitrogen.

These elements are found in the Dutch fertilizer “Kristalon”. It is excellent for root treatment of pelargoniums. Dissolve 2 tbsp. l. fertilize in 10 liters of water and water the plant according to the instructions. Such care is necessary for geraniums after winter holiday to accelerate growth.

Do not forget that the plant cannot be fed with liquid fertilizer when the soil is dry. This care may burn the roots. First, water the pelargonium with a small amount of water, and after an hour, add fertilizer.

Iodine water increases growth and flowering well. Add a couple of drops of iodine to the liquid and water the flowers in pots. The main thing is not to make the solution too concentrated so as not to burn it root system. At home, geranium is often fed by stirring 100 ml of milk in a liter of clean water.

How to care for autumn and winter

All types of geraniums love cool, sunny autumn weather. Then they take a break from the riotous flowering and gain new strength. At this time, caring for pelargoniums consists of feeding and crown formation. If flower pots are on fresh air, bring them into the house when the temperature drops to 12 degrees Celsius.

Garden geraniums should be cut to a length of 5 cm before the first frost.
Dig it out of the ground and trim the roots by a third.
Prepare a wide tray, fill it with soil mixed with a small amount of compost, and plant the plants.
Water and place on the windowsill.

In the spring, you can cut off the cuttings of young shoots and begin propagating geraniums. Or plant overwintered plants back into the ground.

Secrets of growing pelargonium from cuttings

To grow a new geranium bush, gardeners use different methods. The easiest way to do this is with cuttings. For breeding to be successful, you need to prepare.

Buy plastic cups, make small holes in their bottoms and pour drainage inside.
Prepare the soil for planting. To do this, add a third of sand to the universal soil and mix.
Then pour in a weak solution of manganese. If it is not there, moisten the soil with boiling water. Such disinfection will destroy harmful microorganisms that can harm the shoot.
When the soil has cooled, pour it into cups and begin planting.

Propagation by cuttings is carried out in early March. Select strong shoots and cut off stems 3-5 cm long from their tops. They must have 3 green leaves. The cut is sprinkled with coal dust. The shoot is carefully inserted into a cup of soil, compacted and watered with a small amount of water. If the flower shoots out buds, tear them off, otherwise they will interfere with good rooting.

Place the cups with cuttings in a wide tray and place them in the shade. It is advisable that the room temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. Ensure watering by pouring a small amount of water into the pan. Do this when the soil in the cups begins to dry out.

If you notice that the leaves have turned yellow, propagation is not going well. Cover the shoots with a half-liter jar for a couple of days. A greenhouse environment will help it take root.

After 2-3 weeks, new leaves will appear on the cuttings. Now you need to wait until the roots get stronger. This usually takes about a month. Then the geranium can be planted in the garden bed. It is advisable to leave indoor plants in a temporary container until the first flower buds appear on them, and then transplant them into permanent pots.

Some gardeners root pelargonium cuttings in water. This propagation is not successful for everyone, because contact with moisture often causes the flower stem to rot. To try this method, cut a shoot and place it in a jar with a little water. Wait for the roots to grow and plant the cuttings in the ground.

Planting by seeds

Propagation by seeds is a long process. If you want to grow pelargonium at home using this method, choose the seeds carefully. The germination and health of the flower depends on their quality. Purchase planting material only from specialized stores or trusted suppliers.

Prepare a wide container with small holes at the bottom, fill it with fertile, disinfected, moist soil.
Sow the seeds on top and lightly press them into the soil. Cover the container with plastic wrap and place in a warm, shady place.
Carefully monitor the crops, and when the first shoots hatch, remove the film. Once the leaves appear, the geranium can be transplanted into a pot.

Propagation by seeds is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The difficulty is that the crops do not always germinate, so it is easier to buy a ready-made plant or root pelargonium using cuttings.

When a flower becomes cramped in a pot, it needs to be replanted. You can also divide the bush into several parts and plant them in separate pots. The day before transplanting, fill the geranium with water. Then carefully remove the plant, divide it, being careful not to damage the roots, and replant it in new nutrient soil. This type of reproduction is considered the fastest.

Disease control methods

The main culprit of geranium diseases is improper care. To keep it healthy, loosen the soil regularly, do not over-moisten the soil, and remove dry leaves.

Sometimes gray rot affects pelargonium. The fungus covers the plant with dark spots, and it begins to quickly disappear.

To combat the disease at home, do the following:

remove infected shoots and leaves of geranium;
moderate watering is carried out before lunch;
clear the soil of weeds;
treat the flower according to the instructions with fungicides.

In summer, geraniums can be attacked by whiteflies. It is easy to get rid of it with the drugs “Iskra”, “Actellik” or “Commander”. Dilute them according to the instructions and treat the plant.

Growing pelargonium is a fun activity that does not require much effort or expense. Provide her good feeding, proper watering, and it will decorate your home for a long time.

Flowering geraniums look spectacular. Therefore, gardeners often use the plant in landscape design. He is happy to be planted near alpine slides and around large tall bushes.

Growing plants at home is a fun and interesting process. But to see results, you need to know some features and follow the rules. How to grow geraniums?

What kind of plant is this?

The first specimens of geranium appeared in Europe in the 16th-17th centuries. From Greek this name is translated as “crane”. Since 1789, the plant began to be called pelargonium, and this is the name that is considered generally accepted, but for many, the name “geranium” is much more familiar.

Geranium is an annual or perennial (depending on the type) herbaceous rhizome plant. The stem can reach a height of 50-70 centimeters, as a rule, it has many branches.

Flowers can be either single or collected in inflorescences. A flowering branch can have an entire umbrella of flowers. The color can vary from white to red and even dark purple. The leaves are covered with small fibers and have an interesting bizarre shape, and their shade varies from light green to dark green (sometimes there are purple inclusions).

There are many types of geraniums: garden, zonal, unique, royal, fragrant, angelic, ivy-leaved, home and many others. Some species feel great at home, while others live in gardens and forests.

How to grow?

How to grow indoor geranium? Several options are possible. Firstly, you can buy a ready-grown plant in a pot. Secondly, you can grow from cuttings. Thirdly, you can grow geranium from seed. Let's tell you about everything in more detail.

Growing from cuttings

So, how to grow geranium from cuttings? Here's what your actions should be:

The top shoots will be ideal for cuttings. Their optimal height is 7-9 centimeters. The branch should have 5-7 good medium-sized leaves.
You need to cut the branches under the bud, making an oblique cut. It is better to cut off a couple of lower leaves.
You can then place the cutting in water until roots appear, or simply dip it in the mixture to stimulate growth. And some dry the cut site and immediately place the branch in the ground. Ideal soil is a mixture of sand, soil (for house plants) and peat in equal proportions.
A large amount of soil is not required, so it is better to take a small pot. If the container is large, the geranium is unlikely to bloom.
Once the plant has taken root, you can transplant it into a larger (but not too large) pot.

Growing from seed

You can also grow geraniums at home from seeds; it’s not that difficult. Here is the algorithm of actions:

The seeds do not require any special preparation; they take root well. Prepare a container for planting. For example, you can take a plastic shallow container.
Pour the peat mixture into the container and water the soil.
Place the seeds in the soil at a distance of 5-7 centimeters from each other. Sprinkle a little more soil on top and sprinkle everything with water from a spray bottle.
To create a special microclimate, cover the container with cling film.
On about 4-5 days you will see the first shoots. The film can be removed.
When the sprouts become stronger, you can plant them in pots. Select the best sprouts, they are the ones that will give good shoots.

Bush formation

If you do nothing with the geranium, it will grow upward, which is not very beautiful. To form a beautiful bush, you can do the following:

If you want to form a low and dense bush, then trim the top shoots. Pruning is done with sharp scissors. In this case, almost the entire branch is cut off, leaving only a stump.
To make the stems more branched, prune young shoots.
Pinching (trimming) should be done on the 8-10th leaf in the upper part and approximately on the 6-8th leaf at the side shoots.
Immediately tear off yellowed leaves so that the plant does not waste nutrients on them.
To keep your geranium beautiful and its leaves growing evenly, turn it over regularly. In this case, each side will receive a sufficient amount of sunlight.

How does a plant reproduce?

Reproduction can be carried out either by seeds or cuttings. The ideal time to sow seeds is January or February. As for cuttings, it is better to do it at the end of February or beginning of March or at the end of summer.

How to care?

Planting is not the most important thing, because if proper care is not taken, the plant will simply wither. Let's take a closer look at several important points.

Watering

In summer, watering should be done quite often, in winter time it should be more moderate. Water the plant quite generously, but don’t overdo it! Moisture accumulates in the leaves, and excess moisture can harm geraniums. For withdrawal excess moisture be sure to organize drainage. There is no need to spray the leaves; they do not need it.

Temperature conditions

The optimal temperature for growing geraniums is 18-20 degrees. Minimum temperature should not be below 10-12 degrees, geranium may freeze.

Lighting

Geranium is a light-loving plant, so the lighting should be sufficient. It is best to place the plant on a windowsill with south side. But direct scorching rays can cause the leaves to dry out, so especially sundial It is better to remove the pot in partial shade. But geranium definitely cannot withstand a constant lack of light.

Fertilizers and soil

As for the soil, you can choose a universal mixture, but the soil must certainly be nutritious. Purchase a mixture of peat, sand and garden soil.
Be sure to provide drainage, as stagnant water is dangerous and harmful. By the way, to prevent moisture from stagnating, the soil must be loosened periodically. Do this carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Fertilizers can be either universal (for indoor plants), and special ones intended specifically for geraniums. This plant especially loves mineral or organic complementary foods. The mixture must certainly contain potassium and phosphorus. Feeding should be done once a month.

Transfer

If the geranium has grown and the pot has become too small for it, then take a container 2-3 centimeters larger and move the plant into it. Don't touch the roots. Surround the lump of earth surrounding them with new soil.
Do not choose a pot that is too large; the geranium may stop blooming and direct all the substances into the leaves.
The best time to transplant is the end of winter or the beginning of spring, that is, before flowering (it is better not to touch geraniums during the flowering period).

Possible diseases and problems

Geranium, like all plants, can get sick. So, the roots can be affected by rot, which often leads to death. The leaves are affected by mold, but it is not that dangerous. Geraniums are also threatened by various fungal diseases. Among other things, some insects are also dangerous: mites, whiteflies, nematodes, aphids and some others.

Now we list some alarming symptoms and their causes:

If the leaves fall off or turn yellow, the geranium is most likely not getting enough moisture.
The reason for the lack of flowering may be too warm air.
If the edges of the leaves change color and turn red, the plant is probably freezing.
If the leaves begin to rot, it may be that you are watering too much.
If there are few leaves and the stems are almost bare, this may indicate a lack of light.
If the base of the stem turns dark, most likely the roots are affected by rot.
Gray coating on the leaves is mold.
Bubbles on the leaves appear from excess moisture.

Why is geranium needed?

Geranium is not only bright and beautiful flowers, but also numerous beneficial features. The leaves are used to prepare cosmetics and medicinal products. This plant is also used to make oil, which is incredibly beneficial. So don’t rush to throw away torn or cut shoots!

Let the geranium bloom and not get sick and always bring joy to you and your household!

Geranium is a fairly popular plant grown both in the garden and in rooms. But few know that indoor geranium is actually a pelargonium, but the garden one is actually a geranium.

Types and varieties

Indoor geraniums can be divided into fragrant – touching their leaves, you feel different smells (lemon, coconut, ginger and others), which depend on the variety. The flowers of such plants are usually small, pink or purple in color.

Angels – the flowers of these geraniums resemble pansies. Their inflorescences form caps and hang down. The bush itself is small - up to 30 cm.

Uniques - these varieties are obtained by crossing shiny geraniums with royal ones. Such plants have very dissected foliage, and the flowers resemble those of royal geraniums.

Succulents - this group is small, there are only 10 species in it, which are distinguished by the curvature of their shoots. Succulent geraniums are popular flowers for bonsai.

Let us separately remember the royal geranium and ivy-leaved geranium.

Royal (English) geranium is the parent material for huge amount flower varieties. Variegated varieties, as well as terry ones, have been bred from it. The height of the bush is about 50 cm.

Geranium ivy (thyroid) this species is valuable for its long stems, thanks to which it is grown as a hanging plant. It has beautiful flowers that come in single and double varieties.

Types of garden geraniums are also quite diverse:

Forms tall bushes slightly higher than a meter. Flowers are lilac in color.

Balkan distinguished by massive roots. It grows very strongly, although the height of the bush is only 30 cm. The flowers are purple in color.

Bolotnaya medium height species (60 cm) with straight shoots that branch well. Inflorescences are purple.

Growing quickly, reaching half a meter in height. Young flowers have a violet coloring, which becomes more pronounced as they age. brown tint. This geranium does not propagate by seed.

A species that is easy to grow, since in nature it lives in rather difficult conditions. It may not be replanted even longer than other geraniums. The color of the flowers is purple.

Highly decorative view. It has unusual bluish foliage and dark purple flowers. The bottom of the shoot and lower leaves begin to turn red in the fall.

Geranium care at home

Geranium is quite easy to grow at home, just know some of the features of this plant and everything will be fine.

Geraniums like strong light and like to be in direct sunlight. If you provide the plant with enough light and fertilizer, it will be able to bloom throughout the year.

The soil for geraniums should be chosen fertile; you can use a universal soil mixture.

It is necessary to water the flower moderately, since any excess moisture has a detrimental effect on it. Geranium does not need spraying.

The best temperature for growing is 18-20°C. In winter, it is better to lower the temperature, but the thermometer should not drop below 10°C.

Fertilizer for geraniums

You need to feed the flower once every 15 days, starting at the end of March and ending in November. It is better to use liquid fertilizers. You can buy special fertilizers for geraniums, or you can use an iodine solution.

To prepare it, dilute a drop of iodine per liter of water. Apply 50 ml at a time. Try not to increase the dose so as not to burn the rhizome. You can also fertilize with crushed eggshells.

Do not use organic fertilizers for fertilization - geranium does not like them.

Transplanting geraniums at home

Also, this plant practically does not need transplants, and it does not tolerate them well. This procedure should only be performed if the pot is filled with roots.

Replanting should be done in early spring, before the period of green mass growth. Don't use a pot that's too big because you'll end up with a lot of greenery but no flowering.

Geranium pruning for lush flowering

With the arrival of autumn, geraniums need to be pruned. All stems that grow not from the root, but from the shoot, are removed. Also cut off the foliage, leaving 7 leaves. When large quantity foliage in winter; pruning is also done in spring.

Geranium from seeds at home

Propagating geraniums by seeds is quite simple; the condition is to use purchased material, since those collected from homemade geranium Even if the seeds sprout, they will most likely lose their varietal characteristics.

You need to sow the seeds in a mixture of peat, sand and turf soil (1:1:2). A couple of centimeters of sand are poured on top. The soil is also slightly moistened. Before planting, do not forget to treat the soil with a manganese solution to avoid the appearance of “black leg”.

Next, the planted seeds are covered with glass and the soil is moistened from time to time. It is better to keep the planted plants at a temperature of about 20°C. With the appearance of a couple of true leaves (this will happen in about one and a half to two months), it will be possible to transplant into a permanent pot. Once five leaves are formed, pinch to make your flower bush better.

Propagation of geraniums by cuttings at home

Geranium can be propagated by cuttings at any time of the year, but spring is best suited for this. You need to prepare seven centimeter cuttings with a pair of leaves.

After cutting, they are left to wither for a day, and then the cut is powdered with coal and planted in sand for rooting. When watering the cuttings, try to ensure that moisture only reaches the substrate. Rooting should be done at 20°C. Once the roots appear, you can safely plant the cuttings in separate pots.

There is no point in trying to propagate geranium with leaves - it will not grow even if roots appear. The cutting must have part of the stem.

Garden geranium perennial planting and care

Planting and caring for perennial garden geraniums (this is actually geranium, not pelargonium) also does not require special skills, you just need to know a couple of features of this plant.

It is better to buy rhizomes for planting in specialized stores at the end of winter. Choose a solid material that will have a lot of adventitious roots. The growing point should be solid.

The purchased root is placed in slightly damp peat and then in the refrigerator. Every 15 days, slightly moisten the peat until it is time to plant the root.

When buying a flower that has just begun its growing season, plant it in a container the size of which will be the same as the roots of the flower. The container should also have holes for drainage. The plant is kept in a lighted place until planted in the ground.

You can also buy the plant itself, which is immediately planted in the garden or stored in a shaded place until planting, not forgetting to water. Correct fit is one of the most important stages in caring for geraniums.

Choose an area that will be well lit. Next, you need to dig a deep hole, which will be 20 cm deeper than the root. Between individuals you need to maintain a distance of about 30 cm. Do not put unrotted manure in the hole - it is harmful to geraniums.

Geranium grows quickly and crowds out weeds, so there is no need to weed it, and by mulching the soil, you will save yourself from loosening it.

Pruning geraniums for the winter

In the fall, after flowering has finished, some geraniums require pruning, but keep in mind that most of these flowers overwinter with green leaves, so pruning is not necessary.

This plant tolerates well winter cold and does not need shelter for the winter.

Geranium from seeds

The seed method of propagating geraniums is quite complex and with it varietal characteristics are lost. Collecting seeds is also difficult - the fruit cracks and the seeds are lost.

If you want to try it, you can sow the seeds immediately after harvesting. Perhaps in next year they will bloom.

Propagation of geraniums by dividing the bush

The best way to propagate garden geraniums is to divide the bush, which is done in the spring. Compost and peat fertilizers are added to the soil and part of the rhizomes are planted.

At first, water generously. Fertilization can begin 30 days after planting.

Diseases and pests

If geraniums are not properly cared for, a number of problems can arise.

If your pelargonium grows in a dark container, it is exposed to drafts or is over-watered winter period, then its leaves begin to turn yellow. Yellowing can also be caused by lack of drainage, dryness and excess nitrogen in the soil.
If the plant does not bloom, the reason for this may be that the pot is too large, which is why the flower will devote all its energy to growing roots.
Also, delays in flowering occur due to pinching. Royal geraniums need to be pinched less often than others, as they may not bloom at all.
Warm wintering and excess nitrogen fertilizers also cause this effect.
If geranium leaves turn yellow and dry out, the culprit is a spider mite, which can be recognized by the thin webs on the foliage.
White coating on the leaves indicates powdery mildew.
Geranium foliage curls when there is a lack of nitrogen, light, or moisture. This may also be to blame spider mites or viral diseases. The latter, in addition to leaf curling, appear in crooked colors.
If your geranium is not growing, it may be that it is not getting enough light or the room is too hot and dry. Another reason is poor soil or its depletion.
Small leaves appear without pruning. They may also indicate the aging of the plant.
Limp stems and leaves indicate excess moisture, resulting in rotting of the roots, which often leads to the death of the flower; or about its lack.
When there is little light, geranium leaves begin to fall.
Blackening of stems and leaves occurs due to various rots or “black leg”.

How to grow geraniums that are pleasing to the eye abundant flowering? There's nothing complicated about it. Small tricks will help with this and practical advice, accumulated by more than one generation of flower growers.

Several decades ago, pelargonium was extremely popular. You could meet her in the apartment of a simple worker or in an elite greenhouse. Over time, the demand for the flower fell somewhat, but today the fashion for growing geraniums is returning again.

The undying interest in geranium is not difficult to explain. Pelargonium is a real storehouse of ideas for both landscape and interior designers. More than 400 varieties of this plant are known. The crane bird is valued for its medicinal properties and for the ability to repel insects. However, finding a ready-made bush in the store is still not easy. Therefore, if you want to have geranium in your flower garden, you will have to grow it with your own hands.

There are only 2 ways to propagate geraniums at home - cuttings or from seeds. The second method is complex and time-consuming. But painstaking work is rewarded with a neat, compact and abundantly flowering plant. It is not easy to purchase geranium seeds, but it is possible to grow rare varieties on your windowsill.

If geranium seeds are purchased in a store, they do not require pre-treatment. And here planting material, obtained at home, must be processed before planting sandpaper. This procedure will help clean the hard skin and ensure smoother and faster germination. The following tips will help reduce germination time and significantly improve the quality of sprouts:

Experienced breeders advise sowing pelargonium from November to April;
immediately before planting, geranium seeds must be treated with a biogrowth stimulator (they are available in a wide range at any gardening store) and soaked for 3 hours in water at room temperature;
the most suitable composition will be combined and not too drained soils;
each seed is planted at a distance of 5 cm from the previous one or in a separate pot;
the layer of soil above the planted seeds should not exceed 0.5 cm;
For geraniums to germinate, the temperature in the room should not fall below 20°C.

After planting, the pots must be covered with film (covered with glass) and placed in bright room, remembering to maintain constant soil moisture. Exposure to direct sunlight is undesirable (Fig. 1).

When to expect the first shoots of the cranebird depends on the type of flower, the freshness of the seeds and the microclimate in the room. Geranium seeds begin to hatch after 1.5-2 weeks. And if there are favorable conditions for growth, after another 7 days, pelargonium will delight you with its first true leaf. After its appearance, you can safely start picking and replant the plants on permanent place, where in 3-4 months the bush you have grown will bloom.

Picking or seating young animals is a very important procedure in which you need not to miss the right moment. If you leave the picking for a few days, you will end up with a lump of intertwined roots. Of course, you can separate them. But a damaged root system will poorly nourish the young seedling. As a result, the transplanted bush will begin to hurt and, at best, will slow down in growth.

It is also important to select pots for new plants taking into account the size of the seedling. The best option There will be containers 10 cm in diameter.

Subtleties of cuttings

Breeding geraniums by cuttings is considered the most the easy way. The shoots quickly produce new roots and take root well. However, failures happen even to experienced flower growers. In order for the young shoots to turn into strong bushes with a dense crown, and for the mother seedling not to be damaged, some factors must be taken into account when cutting:

It is better to make cuttings at the end of summer or beginning of autumn, after the crane bird has flowered;
if necessary, you can plant the cuttings in the spring, but the flowering of the mother bush will be significantly delayed;
the main rule for successful planting is that you only need to choose healthy and strong shoots;
the length of the shoot depends on the size of the adult plant (most often the stem length varies from 7 to 15 cm);
you need to cut off the shoot sharp knife(the main thing is not to damage the bark of the sprout and the mother bush) below the node;
if the upper leaves of the cutting are large, then it is better to cut them in half - this will allow the sprout not to expend extra energy on feeding the foliage;
Before planting, it is advisable to place the shoot in a nutrient solution for some time.

But choosing and cutting the cuttings correctly is only half the battle. To ensure that the planting material does not disappear, you need to know some subtleties.

Rooting methods

After trimming the cuttings, the gardener needs to choose The right way rooting:

1 Place the shoot in a container of water and wait for roots to appear, then replant it in soil prepared in advance. If you choose this method, add a little crushed coal to the water; it will protect the plant from infection with diseases. But it is worth considering that such propagation is not suitable for all varieties of geranium. Some varieties simply rot when left in water for a long time (Fig. 2).
2 Planting cuttings in polyethylene is the second and youngest method in floriculture, which most likely will not be convenient for 1-2 shoots. But if you decide to grow geranium in large quantities, then best solution you won't find any problems. Take plastic bag, pour light soil into it, cut through required amount holes - that's all, you can plant the cuttings. The advantage of this method is that watering in such a container can be done much less frequently, since cellophane does not allow moisture to evaporate for a long time.
3 The third is the most common. Regular pot fill it with soil, moisten it, plant the prepared sprout, press down the soil (if the soil is not compacted, the roots will grow worse due to air bubbles). Water again and wait until the plant takes root. The nuance of such planting is that the shoots take root faster in soil of average nutritional value and density. In order to speed up the rooting process in a pot, you can insert a support in the form of pegs into the flowerpot and cover it with transparent cellophane.
4 You can use the fourth method and purchase an indoor greenhouse for growing cuttings. Today they are presented in a large assortment in stores. The designs are lightweight containers with a transparent lid.

However, no matter what method you choose, the main thing to remember is that direct Sun rays and excessively wet air. The best option for propagating geraniums would be a bright and warm place without drafts or sudden temperature changes. The young animals can be transplanted to a permanent place after 4 weeks. If by this time the sprout has not formed roots, then it is better to discard it.

Attention and care

Rooting a plant is only half the battle. A small list of recommendations that will help the gardener avoid problems when growing already germinated seedlings:

1 Direct sunlight is not harmful to an adult plant, but its excess can lead to leaf fall.
2 Geranium does not like excessively hot temperatures. Try to maintain a temperature of +15...+ 20°C for its maintenance.
3 Pelargonium should not be watered often, but abundantly. It is necessary to moisten the soil only when the soil is completely dry. When watering, do not allow water to get on the foliage.
4 Stagnation of water causes rotting of the roots, so good drainage is another condition for growing geraniums. When cultivating in flower beds, the soil is drained with sand. It is good to use expanded clay in pots.
5 Don’t forget to feed pelargonium. Special and balanced fertilizers can be found in any flower shop, and you can add them no more than 2 times a month.
6 If you want your bush to always be covered with lush inflorescences, remove faded flowers in a timely manner.
7 Drying and dying lower leaves also need to be removed - this will prevent the formation of fungus.
8 In order to give the bush a compact shape, pinch the shoot after 6-7 leaves have formed. Then the bush will begin to round, sending out side shoots (Fig. 3).

The conditions listed above are quite sufficient for the plant to feel comfortable. But diseases are not excluded even with ideal maintenance. If you notice that your flower looks unhealthy, try to properly identify the cause so that it can be eliminated as early as possible.

if the leaves begin to turn red, this means that the plant is freezing;
yellow leaves indicate lack of water;
dark pigment or gray mold talk about waterlogging;
if the bush begins to shed its lower leaves too actively, the plant does not receive enough light.

Another point worth noting is the transplant street plants. Although pelargonium is a perennial, outdoor bushes need to be moved indoors for the winter, and the pots for winter bushes should be slightly larger than those for indoor plants.

There is nothing difficult about growing pelargonium. The main thing is desire, a little attention to the plant, and you will definitely be able to grow a beautiful geranium bush.

How to grow beautiful geraniums. You can grow geranium from seeds, but I prefer cuttings, which are carried out from mid-February to early March. At this time, it is already necessary to prune geraniums. After all, geranium is light-loving, but in winter there is little light, and the plant stretches out and becomes not very beautiful. In geraniums, you need to trim the bare shoots to the height you need (but not quite to the stump, of course), new branches will come from them. Or you can renew geraniums every year by replanting them from new cuttings, as our great-grandmothers did in the old days. For propagation of geraniums, apical cuttings approximately 7 cm long with 3 to 5 leaves are suitable. We cut the cuttings, making an oblique cut under the bud, tear off the lower pair of leaves, dry the cut and the place where the leaves are broken for 2 - 3 hours, so that the cut is covered with a film, and plant immediately in prepared pots with soil, water lightly. To form a lush bush, we pinch the apical bud. We put it in a bright place, but not in the sun! Many people simply cut the cuttings and place them in water; I advise you to put activated carbon tablets in a jar of water to prevent rotting. Roots form very quickly. Then they are planted in pots. You need to take a small pot. Geraniums don’t need a lot of soil. The faster the roots entwine a lump of earth, the faster plant will bloom, and the smaller the pot, the more abundant the flowering will be. In large pots, the plant may not bloom at all, it doesn’t need it - life is already good, why bother? You can even plant several cuttings in one pot. During the rooting process, 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 the 8-10th leaf, the side shoots on the 6-8th and constantly turn the pot so that the bush is even. Geranium loves: - sun (but tolerates light shade); - warm (but will survive very light autumn frosts); - not frequent, but abundant watering; - good drainage in the pot; - moderately fertile, even poor soil (otherwise there will be a lot of greenery, but few flowers); - regular feeding; - removing faded inflorescences to continue flowering. In June-July, if necessary, cuttings can be made. A very good feeding is iodine water: dissolve 1 drop of iodine in 1 liter of water and pour 50 ml of this composition over the walls of the pot. Don't overdo it so you don't burn the roots! 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 out, the cause is a lack of moisture; - if the leaves are limp or rotting, the reason is excess moisture. In both cases, leaves may fall off. The stem is exposed, the lower leaves fall off - lack of light. In summer, geranium really likes to live in the fresh air - take it out to the balcony or into the garden and plant it well in the ground. At first, having experienced 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. The geranium blooms amazingly outside, and the bush grows strongly like never at home.

HOW TO CARE FOR GERANIA 1. SOIL FOR GERANIA To grow geraniums, the soil must be nutritious; a mixture of equal parts of garden soil, peat and sand is suitable. The same soil is suitable for sowing geranium seeds. When grown in gardens, geraniums prefer well-drained soils. In the fall, geraniums are dug up and transferred to a pot. When growing geraniums in pots, good drainage is required to avoid stagnation of water in the roots. Periodically, the soil in the pots must be loosened, this provides air access to the roots and prevents root rot. 2. WATERING GERANIA Geranium requires regular and abundant watering in spring and summer and moderate watering in winter, since with weak vegetation the root system is easy to flood. Geraniums do not require spraying or washing the leaves. It belongs to the category of those plants that are better to dry than to overwater. All geraniums have the ability to accumulate water, so they are considered dry-resistant. When watering, it is necessary to ensure the drainage of excess water to prevent waterlogging. If a geranium receives more water than it needs, its leaves and flowers change their appearance. If you overwater, even if the foliage is good, the geranium may not bloom. 3. SIZE OF POTS FOR GERANIA Geraniums are grown in pots or boxes. The size of the pots is selected according to the size of the root system. The pot should not be too large - in this case it is not possible to control the growth of the plant and form the desired height. In small pots, geranium blooms better, the flowers will be more beautiful and bright, but in spacious pots the bush develops well, but blooms worse. Select a pot for young bushes small size, since geranium roots are small. Flower pots They change to larger ones only when the old geraniums are already clearly crowded. If the pot is large, you can plant two or three cuttings in it. Pots for geraniums can be plastic or baked clay, but in plastic pots the soil dries out more slowly, so there is a greater likelihood of root rot, whereas clay pots They allow moisture and air to pass through well. Optimal diameter pot for one plant 12-14 cm and 22-25 cm for three or more plants in one pot. The height of the pot is 10-15 cm. The smaller the pot, the more compact the plant (especially true for geraniums grown from seeds). 4. PINCHING GERANIAS Strengthening branching, the formation of a bush and crown of geraniums is achieved by pinching. Pinching is done on the 8-10th leaf if the plant is grown from cuttings, and on the 6-8th leaf if the geranium is grown from seeds. When pinching, the growing point is removed. In some cases, repeated pinching is required. There are two ways to form a bush. If, after pinching, new shoots begin to grow not from the rhizome, but from the axils upper leaves, they need to be removed. Only axillary shoots are left below the top pair of leaves. Or another way - let these upper axillary shoots grow and after two or three pairs of leaves pinch them again. Geraniums are pinched in February-March. Although pinching enhances branching and accordingly increases the number of flowers, it delays the flowering of geraniums. 5.PRUNING GERANIA At the end of February - beginning of March, the geranium wakes up. During this period in the spring, it is necessary to form a crown, for which old and large stems are cut off, leaving 2-5 buds on each shoot. Cut stems are used for cuttings. It is undesirable to prune geraniums and take cuttings in December-January, as this is the most difficult period in the life of the plant. Pruning in the fall leads to the appearance of young, frail growth, which weakens the plant and it may die over the winter. Typically, geraniums grow intensively in rooms in winter, forming discolored elongated shoots that in early spring needs to be cut. To get a good bush, it is useful to take geraniums out in the summer. open air. Pruning, as well as pinching, delays the flowering of geraniums. 6. FEEDING GERANIAS Geranium responds positively to mineral and organic fertilizers. During the period of active growth, fertilizing is used mineral mixtures or liquid fertilizers. During the flowering period, fertilizers containing more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen are used. Such fertilizers stimulate flowering. If it is necessary to obtain abundant greenery, then apply fertilizers with high content nitrogen. Feeding is carried out once a week with late spring until early autumn. If the geranium was transplanted into a new soil mixture, then fertilizing usually begins three months after transplantation, when the soil is depleted. 7. SOOWING GERANIAS Geranium grown from seeds blooms much more abundantly than those propagated by cuttings. Up to 30 inflorescences can bloom simultaneously on a plant. Such geraniums are more resistant to low air humidity and suffer less illness. Geraniums are sowed in January-February in seedling pots or bowls. The soil for sowing is first spilled with boiling water and a dark solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are laid out on moist soil, lightly covered with seedling soil and sprinkled with a growth stimulator. The bowl is covered with glass or film. Crops must be kept evenly moist. Water carefully so that the seeds do not go too deep, otherwise they will not germinate. Seedling bowls with emerging seedlings must be ventilated daily by lifting the glass or film and removing condensation. Seed germination time is 7-14 days; temperature fluctuations beyond 20-24 degrees are undesirable. When 2-4 true leaves appear on the seedlings, the seedlings dive. At the same time, to prevent the formation of stem rot, it is necessary to plant plants at the same depth at which they grew before. Seedlings are grown at a temperature of 16-18 degrees in a bright room, moderately fertilized. After 6-8 weeks, the plants are transplanted into another pot. Flowering occurs in mid-summer. 8. CUTS OF GERANIUM Most often, geranium is propagated by cuttings - the most quick way get flowering plant. In addition, seeds obtained from hybrid geraniums do not exactly reproduce all the qualities of the parent forms. Therefore, cuttings are used much more often, which guarantees the safety of the variety; in addition, the plants begin to bloom soon after rooting. When planting seeds, the period before flowering is longer. Cuttings are rooted in February-March and July-August. The period of propagation by cuttings is due to the fact that the rooting of cuttings deteriorates at air temperatures above 25 degrees (in cold summers it can be propagated throughout the entire growing season). It is best to renew geraniums by cutting off the apical shoot for rooting with 2-3 leaves and a length of 5-7 cm. After pruning, the cuttings are withered in the shade for 24 hours; to prevent rotting of the cuttings, the cut is dipped in crushed coal, and then planted in a light mixture, deepening them by 2-3 cm and kept at a temperature of 20-22 degrees. The soil mixture must contain sand at least one third or one quarter. First, the soil mixture is scalded with boiling water and poured with a dark solution of potassium permanganate. The first watering is plentiful, then it is watered rarely and not sprayed, since excess moisture can cause rotting of the cuttings. Unlike most plants, geranium cuttings planted for rooting do not need to be covered; this has a negative effect. Rooting of cuttings occurs in about a month. It is best to root cuttings in plastic cups 0.2 l. Transplantation into a 9-11 cm pot is carried out if there are roots along the entire perimeter of the cup. Plants grown from cuttings taken in March bloom in mid-summer, while those cut in August will bloom in the spring. 9. DISEASES AND PESTS OF GERANIA The most common disease of geraniums is blackleg. This is a disease of stem cuttings; the base of the cutting turns black due to fungal infection. Such cuttings are immediately removed. Blackleg disease is caused by soil that is waterlogged or compacted, preventing drainage. To prevent blackleg disease, it is necessary to use sterilized soil. To preserve the variety, you can try cutting the plant. With a lack of light, excessive air humidity and excessive watering, geraniums may develop root collar and root rot, and pests such as aphids and whiteflies may appear. To avoid this, geraniums need to be provided with favorable conditions (light, coolness in winter with infrequent watering). In geraniums, when transferring plants from open ground or leaves may turn yellow from the balcony into the house. After acclimatization to new conditions, the yellowing of the leaves stops. Yellowing of the leaves is possible if winter conditions are not met, as well as with a common fungal disease - rust. When rust occurs, geranium leaves become covered with yellowing spots and then dry out. Currently, there are drugs that protect plants from fungal and bacterial infections. Geranium disease - lodging of seedlings is caused by fungi that attack the roots and bases of the stems of seedlings, causing the plants to fall. To prevent seedlings from lodging, seeds must be sown in sterilized soil and not over-moistened. 10. TRANSPLANTING GERANIAS Young geraniums must be replanted annually or every two years. This is done in the spring before growth begins. The pot should be small, otherwise leafy shoots will develop strongly and the plant will not bloom. If geraniums are planted in balcony boxes(after spring frosts), then the distance between them is 20-25cm. If geraniums grew in the garden, they are dug up in the fall and transferred to a pot. If it is not possible to replant the plants, then you can replace them annually upper layer land without transplanting the plant itself. In the third year of life, it is better to replace plants with young ones grown from cuttings. Cuttings rooted in August are left for the winter without transshipment. In March-April they are transferred into 9-11 centimeter pots. If the geranium grew in the garden, in the fall, before frost sets in, it is brought into the house. The roots of the plant are shortened and placed in a pot with good drainage. The tops of the shoots of the plants are cut off. 11. LIGHTING If there is not enough lighting, then geranium reduces its flowering, its leaves and flowers lose their brightness. If the geranium is indoors behind glass, then direct sunlight is harmful and can cause burns, but outdoors in the open sun the geranium can easily tolerate them. In winter, geraniums need lighting with fluorescent lamps or phytolamps.