Geranium or pelargonium has long and firmly occupied many window sills as an unpretentious and beautiful plant. It can be grown at home and in flower beds: the flower looks great anywhere. Before buying, it is recommended to read how to care for geraniums at home.

Geranium: general information

Its scientific name is geranium - pelargonium - translated from Greek means "stork" or "crane". The plant got this unusual name because of the fruits - as long as a bird's beak.

There are more than 400 species of geraniums in the world, which can be found almost all over the world, about 40 species are found on the territory of Russia. It is noteworthy that in Germany geraniums are called "stork's nose", and in the USA and England - crail.

This is a meadow annual or perennial plant growing up to 60 cm. The leaves are soft, covered with hairs, have palmate-lobed or palmately dissected forms. Large flowers have 5 regularly arranged flowers, usually collected in inflorescences. They can be terry and smooth, among the shades there are white, red, purple and blue.

Among the most popular types home geraniums are present:

In addition to "pure" varieties, there are a huge number of hybrids that you can grow yourself. Among domestic species, the name pelargonium is often found. They belong to the same geranium family, but differ in appearance. Despite this, care for pelargonium at home, like for geraniums, is almost the same.

How to care for geraniums

Home care for geraniums, photos of which are easy to find, has borne fruit, it is necessary comply with the basic conditions:

1. Geranium feels great at room temperature: in summer it can fluctuate in the range of + 20-25 degrees, in winter it should not fall below + 10-14 degrees. It is better to choose a place away from drafts.
2. But the flower is more capricious towards the light: the plant can even be left in direct sunlight without fear of harm, since the lack of light leads to the shredding of leaves and flowers. The only thing that may be required is to turn the pot from time to time so that the plant forms on all sides. In winter, the lack of light is filled with lamps. daylight. If there is not enough light, the leaves will begin to rapidly turn pale.
3. For geraniums, the simplest purchased universal soil is suitable. You can cook it yourself by mixing 1 part of turf and foliage, one and a half parts of humus and half of the sand. Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot.
4. The flower loves moisture and requires regular and frequent watering. In this case, water should not stagnate in a pot or fall on the leaves. High humidity is also contraindicated. You can use settled tap water, rain and melt moisture is also suitable. In winter, it is required to halve the frequency of watering, as the plant is at rest.
5. A transplant is required only if the pot has become small. You should not choose large pots: geranium treats them badly and blooms profusely only in "cramped". Optimal sizes will be: height 12 cm, diameter - 12-15 cm.
6. The plant is not picky about complementary foods and is content with standard mineral fertilizers. They are brought from March to September twice a month. You can also use specialized fertilizers for geraniums.
7. To form a beautiful appearance, you can occasionally cut the upper and side branches, as well as remove dry leaves and flowers.
8. Reproduction of pelargonium occurs by cuttings at any time of the year.

Proper transplant

Geranium not good for transplant, and therefore it is better not to change the pots more than 1-2 times a year. The reasons may be the following factors:

1. The roots have become cramped: you can check this by carefully pulling the geranium out of the pot;
2. Due to excess moisture, the flower began to wither;
3. Despite the care, the geranium does not develop and does not bloom;
4. The roots are very bare.

Pelargonium is usually transplanted in the spring, February to April, but this is not important: you can transplant a plant even in winter, only the bush will take root longer. It is also not recommended to touch a flowering plant: it already spends a lot of energy on flowering and will not take a new home well. Instead of transplanting, you can update the top layer of soil, pouring fresh as needed.

Some flower growers, as an additional care, transplant geraniums every spring to the street in a flower bed, and in the fall they "take" it back. This helps to heal the plant itself, and at the same time split the roots for propagation.

1. It is necessary to prepare all the tools, and treat the pot with a bleach solution if it has already been used previously for another plant. This will avoid the transmission of the disease.
2. Drainage is laid out at the bottom of the pot. It can be small stones or foam.
3. Geraniums are watered to keep the ground moist. Then you need to turn the pot over and carefully remove the plant from it, trying not to break or damage the roots. To separate the earth from the pot, you can lightly knock on the walls and bottom.
4. The roots are inspected, and if rot or signs of disease are found, they are carefully cut off.
5. The flower is lowered into a pot and the empty places are covered with earth, lightly watered, compacted and poured with more soil.
6. After transplantation, geraniums are removed in a dark place for a week, then transferred to a designated place. After 2 months, you can feed.

In a similar way, the plant is transplanted from the street in the fall before the onset of frost. If necessary, you can make a gentle cut. To do this, shorten all the shoots, leaving about 20 cm. The cut should be a few millimeters from the node. During the winter, geraniums will not be able to produce strong enough stems, and therefore pruning will have to be repeated in February-March.

Pelargonium can be propagated by seeds and cuttings: the first option is suitable for obtaining new varieties, the second for a new bush. Also, geraniums can be propagated by rhizomes, but waiting for this you need to have some experience.

Reproduction by seeds

It is possible to plant pelargonium seeds from the beginning of March, having previously cultivated the earth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to protect against diseases. You can use purchased soil by adding to it sand and humus. The seeds are scattered over a loosened surface and lightly sprinkled with earth on top, then the container is covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect and removed for several days in heat. When the sprouts are strong enough, they can be planted, after which standard care begins.

Reproduction by cuttings

The best time for propagation by cuttings is spring. A cut cutting with 3-4 leaves (it is better to cut it off from the top) is placed in water and waiting for the roots to grow. After the pelargonium is dried and buried in the ground.

Alarms

If appearance geranium suddenly changed for the worse, to this need to pay attention:

1. With a lack of moisture, the leaves dry out and turn yellow, with an excess, they become lethargic and unnecessarily dull, gray rot appears on the stems;
2. If the leaves, especially the lower ones, have begun to fall off, there is a lack of lighting;
3. If the plant has stopped blooming, this indicates an overly large pot or lack of dormancy in winter.

Like any plant, geranium even after good care subject to attack by pests and diseases.

Conclusion

Geranium is unpretentious plant, with home care that even novice gardeners can handle. It does not require special growing conditions and frequent transplantation, easily tolerates direct sunlight and drought. The only thing to remember: geranium has a negative attitude to high humidity and systematic transfusions. In such conditions, she will quickly wither and die.

home geranium care

beauty, longevity, medicinal properties, easy care- this is all a description of the properties of one plant. Without a doubt, every lover of home flowers will want to see such a combination on their windowsill. Pelargonium is so fond of flower growers that without it it is difficult to imagine a home "flower bed".

Pelargonium is a herbaceous perennial from the geranium family. Often this flower is called geranium, but geranium is a frost-resistant plant that is grown in the garden, pelargonium is a house plant.

The history of this flower began with South Africa. It was from there that the plant was brought to Holland, and then to France and England. Very quickly, because of its beauty and ease of care, pelargonium became popular among flower growers. Literally, the name translates as "stork's beak", because the fruits of the plant are similar to the beak of this bird.

The aroma of pelargonium is considered antibacterial and soothing, and people believe that this flower brings mutual understanding to the family.

Pelargonium care at home

When buying pelargonium, you should pay attention to the condition of the bush and inflorescences. Even if the plant is free of diseases and pests, it needs to be quarantined at home. Pelargonium is not a whimsical plant, but there are still features of care, subject to which it thanks for its juicy and long flowering.

Do I need to transplant pelargonium after purchase

Since the shops usually sell flowers in disposable containers and with unsuitable soil, it makes sense to transplant the plant, but only if the pelargonium does not bloom. For planting, you should use a mixture of sand, turf and leaf soil, humus (1: 2: 2: 2).

If there is no desire to bother with soil preparation, you can use the usual nutrient mixture for flowers, which is sold in stores. Subsequently, pelargonium should be transplanted once a year in autumn or spring. If the pot becomes small, then it is changed. But it is important to know that pelargonium from a larger pot will go green and will not release flowers.

Lighting for pelargoniums

For abundant flowering of pelargonium, good lighting is needed. Because in the shade it grows, and does not throw out buds, or does not bloom for a long time. To provide the plant with the necessary amount of light, choose sunny window sills, especially do not place the flower on a table in a dark room. If you still want to decorate the interior - place the beauty next to the south window.

Content temperature

Almost all pelargoniums should organize winter rest. The optimum temperature for this is 10°C. If during this period you do not adhere to the temperature regime, then you can not wait for the buds. During wintering, if brown edges of the leaves are found, this is a signal that the temperature is low. The pot should be moved away from the glass.

It is not worth overheating in pelargonium if summer sun falls on it in the afternoon, then the plant should be shaded. For healthy growth, the optimum temperature will be from 18C to 25C. Outdoors, pelargonium tolerates sunny weather well.

Watering and humidity

In summer, watering is needed regular and plentiful, but it is important to ensure that the water does not stagnate. When planting, pay attention to good drainage. It can be sea pebbles or broken bricks. Expanded clay will also perfectly cope with this role. Be sure to have drainage holes in the pots so that excess water drains.

The signal for watering will be dry soil. In summer, in the heat, they are watered 2 times, early in the morning and in the evening. In winter, watering is reduced to once a week or even two. It is impossible to moisten and spray the leaves, this will damage the plant. Pelargonium is watered under the root, trying not to get on the leaves. For good aeration of the root system and to prevent decay, the soil should be periodically loosened. If the watering of the pelargonium is incorrect, then it will let you know about it with brown circles on the leaves.

top dressing

Pelargonium needs constant feeding. The exception is winter, that is, a period of rest. In spring and summer, fertilizer should be applied once every two weeks.

Pelargonium is fed with minerals. For the healthy development of a plant, 3 components are needed - potassium, magnesium, nitrogen. On sale there are ready-made complexes with additional additives. If fertilizers are made independently, then the same parts of minerals are taken, but before flowering, the composition of nitrogen is reduced, and potassium is increased.

For, to increase the number of buds, flower growers add iodine. To do this, you need to take 1 drop of iodine per 1 liter of warm water. One bush accounts for 50 ml of solution. Water over the wall of the pot to avoid burns.

Fertilizers are a very important component in the care of pelargonium, but it is important not to overfeed the plant. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, then the dose should be adjusted.

Growing pelargonium from seeds

• Given that the seeds are quite large, it is best to plant one seed in separate cups.
• Embedding depth 0.5-1 cm.
• Some flower growers still prefer to save space on the windowsill at first by planting pelargonium seeds in boxes or large containers in order to later pick seedlings into separate containers. in this case, the distance is at least 2 cm.
• The soil can be used universal for potted plants.
• Experienced flower growers recommend soaking the seeds in a growth stimulator for a couple of hours before planting. This will give an additional incentive: they will sprout faster, the seedlings will be more powerful.
• Germinate seedlings at room temperature, in a well-lit room.

Care should be taken of the sprouts, periodically watering and monitoring the temperature of 20-25 ° C. When two or three true leaves appear, the pelargonium should be seated. It is believed that when propagated by seeds, the flowering of pelargonium will be more abundant, it will be able to release up to 30 buds.

Seedlings are planted in a permanent pot when the plants rise well, up to 10-12 cm in height.

Pelargonium propagation by cuttings

It is necessary to start reproduction by cuttings in March.

• Cuttings are cut from the donor plant with 2-3 internodes, approximately 5-7 cm long.
• You can soak the cut of the cutting in crushed charcoal, this will save it from decay.
• It is desirable to decontaminate the soil, in order to avoid the spread of fungal spores, especially if you take soil from the garden.
• After that, you should moisten the substrate and stick the cuttings into it.
• Cover with a jar on top, you can use plastic bottle pre-cut in half.
• In order not to rot, you should not overheat them, the temperature is up to 22-23 ° C.
• Moderately, periodically moisten the soil.
• Good rooting takes about 1.5-3 weeks.
• You can also place the cutting in water, and when it starts rooting, transplant it into the soil.

Both methods of germinating pelargonium cuttings are widely used, the first is convenient because the plants take root immediately, which gives a certain advantage. The second way can be called "lazy": for a long time plants do not need to be watered, just changing the water every few days is enough.

However, when planting cuttings with the resulting roots in the ground, the plants do not experience any particular discomfort and are quickly accepted.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Overgrown bushes can be divided without damage and get several plants. In turn, the division of the bush - a rejuvenating procedure, can be carried out in conjunction with pruning.

• To divide the bush, water it well.
• An hour later, carefully remove the clod of earth from the pot.
• They inspect the root, carefully divide it into parts with a knife in order to save several points of growth for each new bush.
• Long branches are cut, shortening to a height of 5-10 cm.
• Planted in nutrient soil, maintaining the same level of the root neck, watered abundantly.
• At first, the bushes will tie and shed their leaves, do not worry, this is normal. After 7-10 days, when the turgor (leaf tone) is restored, feed the pelargoniums to further stimulate the growth of green mass.
• After 3-4 months, the plants will be able to bloom.

Pelargonium pruning and rejuvenating bush transplant

Pruning pelargonium photo How to trim pelargonium

All pelargoniums grow very quickly in height. And over time, the stems "bald". Therefore, the flower needs constant pruning. Without this, it will lose its decorative properties, it may stop throwing out buds. Pruning is also used to rejuvenate the bush. The best time for this is autumn.

They cut not only the top, but also the edges of the earthy coma along with the roots. In the spring, during transplantation, it is also desirable to cut off the pelargonium.

But it should be noted that circumcision postpones flowering by 3-4 months. In order to form a low and fluffy bush with large inflorescences, you need to cut it short, leaving small stumps, about 5 cm. Cut a suitable branch just above the internode. The cut must be oblique. It is also important to ensure that after pruning there are buds that do not grow deep into the bush. To form a dense crown, pelargonium is pinched.

Possible problems in care

• Yellowing of leaf plates. Most likely, this is due to root rot, in this case, transplanting the plant into another soil will help.
• Yellowing of fox edges. Improper care is to blame: high air temperature, insufficient watering, lack of air due to soil overconsolidation. Perhaps the plant does not have enough fertilizer, so top dressing is needed.
• Stem rot, leaf wilt. It is necessary to remove damaged stems and reduce watering.
• Pelargonium does not bloom. If this happens, then most likely the reason is stagnant water - reduce watering and make sure that the water does not stagnate, little light - move the plant to the south side, but make sure that the air temperature does not rise above 25C.
• Stunted growth, wilted leaves. If these signs are present, then first you should check the soil for acidity, it should not exceed 5.5 pH, this can also be caused by a lack of nitrogen.
• If the pot has become small, then the plant may stop growing.

Pelargonium diseases

Diseases of pelargonium photo and description In the photo: oedema

Oedema, edema. Manifested in the formation of tubercles, growths on the leaves. The disease is caused by excessive waterlogging of the soil. The way out is to reduce watering and cut off all diseased leaves.

Pelargonium verticillium wilt photo What to do

verticillium wilt. A very dangerous disease, almost fatal for pelargoniums. The way out is the destruction of diseased plants, all shoots with signs of the disease. Treatment of plants with trichodermin biofungidide under each bush 2 g of the drug. Fundazol 50 SP 0.1% and Topsin M 70 SP 0.1% showed themselves well.

Gray rot. It appears as brown spots all over the base of the plant. The leaves also react to the disease by yellowing and wilting. A gray fungus appears in the foci of the disease.
Gray rot in pelargonium occurs from an excess of moisture. A large number of nitrogen in top dressing can also cause this phenomenon.

To combat gray rot, I cut off the affected parts of the plant. The flower is transplanted into a new soil and pot. Pelargonium is treated with systemic fungicides.

Stem and root rot. With this disease, the root neck turns black and begins to rot. The leaves lose their saturated color, turn pale, and over time, completely turn yellow and wither. The disease appears due to increased moisture and low acidity of the soil. To combat rot, plants are treated with drugs such as Fitolavin, Biporam.

Stem and root late blight. When pelargonium is affected by late blight fungus, it withers and rots very quickly. In most cases, the spore is transmitted with the ground, but can be carried by a draft from one plant to another. The impetus for the development of the disease is high humidity. The disease begins with the roots, covering them with spots of rot.

At this time, the growth of the plant slows down and the color of the leaves turns pale, the signs of the disease become similar to a lack of moisture. But when watering increases, the fungus gains momentum, multiplying and affecting all branches very quickly. Also, late blight is characterized by a white fluff in the focus of rot. Late blight is treated in the early stages. For treatment, the flower is treated with Bordeaux liquid, the affected parts are removed, and charcoal is poured onto the cut. Be sure to transplant the plant into sterile soil and a pot.

Types of pelargonium with photos and descriptions

To all the advantages of pelargonium, you can also add a variety of species, of which there are more than 250 pieces in nature. The whole genus of pelargoniums is divided into 7 groups.

Zonal pelargoniums

The largest group in terms of the number of varieties. Includes thousands of varieties. The leaves have a small soft fluff and wavy edges of the plate, densely distributed along the entire base of the stem. If you rub a leaf of zonal pelargonium, then a specific sharp will appear. The stems of the flower are straight.

Flowers collected in large and bright brushes, depending on the variety, can be:

• simple (Blanca variety with snow-white flowers, Yitka variety with delicate salmon-pink flowers) - up to 5 petals
• semi-double (grade A.M. Mayne with beet-fuchsia flowers) - up to 8 petals
• terry (grade Ada Suterby with pink flowers) - more than 8 petals

The shape of the bud may also differ:

• tulip (Carmen Andrea variety - petals are bright red, almost burgundy, slightly wavy edges, Emma fran Bengtsbo variety - noble elongated buds with milky white petals) - buds look like a tulip, do not fully open.
• cactus - the petals are twisted.
• star-shaped (Borthwood Stellar variety with intense pink flowers, Aunty Pam-Stellar variety - neon pink petals) - inflorescences look like stars.
• rosebuds (Apple Blossom Rosebud variety - the most chic variety of zonal pelargoniums with white buds and pink edging) - inflorescences like roses.

According to the color of the petals, zonal pelargoniums can be:

• bicolor
• tricolor
• speckled (grade Confetti Red - bright orange petals with specks and red strokes)
• bird's egg color

Zonal pelargoniums are different in size:

• microminiature - 10cm
• miniature - 10-13cm
• dwarf (variety Pac Jana-2 - dark pink flower with a white spot, variety Frou Frou with bright pink flowers) - 13-20cm
• normal - 25-60cm
• Airins - up to 80cm

Royal pelargonium description and conditions of care

This is a chic group that is distinguished by its large bright colors. In some varieties, the bud reaches 8 cm. But in order to achieve flowering, you need to make a lot of effort and create certain conditions for the royal pelargonium to throw out the buds. The most important period for them is winter.

• At this time, it is necessary to observe 2 modes, temperature and irrigation mode.
• watering in winter period should be minimal, frequent watering will lead to rapid growth without further flowering, the optimal number of waterings is 2 times a month.

Temperature for wintering - maximum + 15C, but preferably lower, + 8C - an ideal environment for laying buds. There are exceptions for which a warmer wintering, at + 20- + 25С, is possible - these are the Imperial and Sally Munro varieties. The flowering of this group of pelargoniums is short, until summer.

The most popular varieties are Askham Fringed Aztec, Burghi, Elegance Jeanette, PAC Aristo Salmon, Rose Pope.

angels

This group of pelargoniums took its name from the Angeline variety, which participated in the creation of these hybrids. Angels are similar to the royal group, but smaller in size. Flowers resemble violets, the upper petals are usually larger than the lower ones.

Flowering is abundant and long. Leaves with rounded teeth. The flower is not whimsical at all, but it tolerates wintering well at low temperatures. The shape of the bush is upright in good light, in the shade it can go into an ampel, so angels are common for decorating terraces. The leaves are fragrant with mint-lemon aroma.

Spectacular varieties - Eskay Saar, PAC Angeleyes Bicolor, PAC Angeleyes Light, Quantock May, Swedish Angel, PAC Angeleyes Randy, PAC Angeleyes Blueberry, PAC Angeleyes Viola.

Ivy Pelargonium Pelargonium peltatum

They got their name due to the leaves that look like ivy leaves. A feature of this group is that the branches of the bush grow downward. It is ivy-leaved pelargoniums that adorn balconies and verandas. In a flower bed, ivy-leaved pelargoniums cover the ground like a carpet.

The flowers are varied, depending on the variety, simple, double or semi-double. The shades are also completely different. They may be variegated. The leaves are slightly shiny, matte in some varieties. A feature of care is the creation of a cool air temperature in winter. The group is resistant to fungal diseases. Favorite varieties are Ice Rose, PAC Kate, PAC Tomgirl, SIL Stellena, PAC Vicky, PAC Lilac Rose, Mozaic Sugar Baby.

Succulent Pelargoniums

The most exotic group among all pelargoniums. It has an unusual stem shape. They will look great in such compositions as an alpine slide, bonsai. Leaves and flowers are small. Succulent geraniums grow slowly.

Types of succulent pelargonium:

• angular
• fleshy
• hunchbacked
• another
• cortuzolifolia
• thick-stemmed
• fluffy-leaved

Unique - hybrid pelargoniums

This group is over 150 years old. They bred it when crossing the royal and brilliant pelargonium. The leaves are fragrant, dark green. Petals bicolor. The bush is large enough, grows up to 50 cm, periodically you need to cut and pinch.

Fragrant Pelargonium

The hottest group. The smell appears if you rub the leaf, but many varieties are fragrant even with the slightest draft. The leaves of plants can be with the most diverse and unusual smell, such as the smell of lilac, pineapple, rose, coconut, ginger.

The bush grows large, more than a meter. not always used as a decorative element. More often for the production of geranium oil. Interesting varieties- Ardwick Cinnamon (cinnamon smell), Lady Plymouth (menthol smell), P. laevigatum, Both*s Snowflake, P. tomentozum (menthol smell), Eucament, Orange Fizz (lemon smell).

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Good and competent watering

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

3 signs of improper overwatering:

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

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

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

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

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

2. It is not necessary to spray geranium-pelargonium

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

3. Geranium loves good lighting.

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

4. Temperature not lower than +12 degrees

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Pruning and pinching pelargonium

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

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

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

Pests and diseases of geraniums

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

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

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

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

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

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

If suddenly your pelargonium:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reproduction of geranium-pelargonium

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

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

Growing pelargonium in the garden

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

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

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

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

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

You can also read about geranium-pelargonium:

A note about pelargonium pets, their condition and cuttings.

Updated: 2018-09-24

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

Total comments: 17	1
Thanks a lot for the article! A lot became clear to me, as a beginner, I'm just starting to make friends with pelargonium But help me figure it out: six months ago (in April) I bought fragrant pelargonium on the market: one stem, diverging by 3, with a total height of 40 centimeters. And so we left in June, and returned in early October. All this time, the husband watered the pelargonium once a week and it looked quite healthy, it only grew very much: it threw out huge whips: one about 1 meter, and 2 more than a meter !!! I read on the Internet that long stems need to be supported, and carefully tied them to the eaves, gently patting with a thick napkin so as not to damage the stems. A week has passed and today I saw that all the leaves began to fade .. :oj-oj: What to do??? Trim? Water? feed? Help, please, fragrant pelargonium teapot Answer: Lyuba, first of all, don't be so upset. No matter how you slice it, it's just a plant. And even if it dies, you can always buy a new one) Regarding your pelargonium. As I understand it, the pelargonium has grown, but the pot has remained the same. Then your overgrown pelargonium simply does not have enough nutrition. With such huge stems, the root system also grows to take as many nutrients as possible from the soil to maintain the life of the root (stem, leaves, flowers) of the plant. Most likely you need to transplant the pelargonium into a new nutrient soil. Stems should not be spared. After all, they have already lost the leaves. So there is no point in leaving them uncircumcised. Nothing wrong with that. After a week, the plant will begin to grow new stems and leaves, taking on a new green look. By the way, I noticed in my pelargonium. Every autumn, she sheds a significant part of her leaves, exposing the stems. Apparently, pelargonium also feels the seasonal cycle. I just trim the stems as much as possible, thus renewing the plant and giving the potential for new stems to grow. So we cut (it can be strong), water and fertilize. And, if the cause of leaf fall is not a serious illness, but I think it is not, then after 7-10 days your pelargonium will again begin to please you with its renewed appearance. She may not produce such long stems again. With age, plants, like humans, also weaken. But it's not scary. Small lush bushes look very nice. Hello, I bought a geranium a week ago, the flowers and buds turned yellow and wilted on some leaves around the edges, a little yellowness, what could be the reason? ps was in a draft, can this be the cause and he has not yet been transplanted. Answer: Hello! Yes, draft can be the cause. It also looks like a lack of moisture. Garden and flower shops often sell potted plants with soil that is high in peat. Such soil requires abundant watering. Roots in such soil with a lack of moisture literally "burn out". So it is better to transplant the purchased plant into a normal soil mixture, which can be easily bought at the same store. Transplanted, watered well. And put in a place where there will be diffused light. No direct sunlight. And, of course, no drafts, which also provoke all sorts of rot. And let the geranium, i.e. pelargonium, takes root. Plants moving can also be difficult to survive. Therefore, they need to be provided with "soft" conditions and peace)) By the way, look at the back of the leaves. Suddenly there is a whitefly or a spider mite hiding. Beautiful and tenacious geraniums for you! Kate Hello, I have a geranium. the stem turns white and white leaves grow there. the lower green leaves dry and die. was lush now half white and naked. Answer: Hello, Valentina! As far as I understand, the whiteness of your geranium leaves is not plaque. And there is no small pest on the back of the leaves? If so, then most likely the leaves and stem turn white (plus the lower ones fall off) from hot and stuffy air. Now the batteries in the apartments are working. And the air can be "stale". Pay attention to whether it is hot and stuffy in the apartment? How often do you ventilate? Are the batteries burning hot? After all, the geranium is clearly standing on the windowsill, under which the battery is)) Poor lighting can also cause whitening of the leaves. So we need to improve the conditions for geraniums. And it is better to cut off the bare parts. New shoots will grow quickly. Kate Good afternoon! My pelargonium began to bloom, but! As soon as the buds appear, they immediately dry and turn brown around the edges :-( What could it be? Thank you. Answer: Marina, good day! First, check the watering. Pelargonium, although drought-resistant, drops buds with insufficient watering. Secondly, the heating season has now begun. And if the room is very dry and hot because of the batteries, then this will also affect the flowering - the buds will most likely crumble. Kate Good afternoon. Please tell me the answer: is it necessary to cut off the color when it appears on the cuttings? In February, I cut, rooted and planted in pots. Almost all bloomed. I plan to plant them in the ground. Is it necessary to cut off all the flower stalks so that the forces go to rooting and the formation of a bush? Answer: Dear Elena, opinions on this matter are diametrically opposed. Some believe that it is necessary to remove flower stalks so that all forces go to rooting. Others believe that it is not necessary, because. removal is also a trauma for the plant. I will say this about my experience: I used to remove flower stalks (and not only on pelargonium), now I don’t always do this. If I see that the cutting (or transplanted plant) is developing well, and it is clear that flowering does not interfere, then I do not touch it. Unless I feed it with some soluble fertilizer for flowers (according to the instructions). The main thing is not to forget to remove faded flower stalks in time. Kate Hello! On this page I found almost all the answers to the questions that interested me about growing geraniums. But one still remained - the leaves of my flowers fold in half, as if bent. They did not bloom even once after being transferred from the balcony to the room (in September). What could it be? I read a lot of articles on the Internet, but nowhere did I find the answer to my question. Hope for help. Thank you in advance! Answer: It seemed to me that the article indicated the reasons for the non-flowering of pelargonium and twisting of the leaves. Okay, let me expand on this topic. Pelargonium does not bloom if: 1. too much watering 2. little light (shade from other plants, short daylight hours, constantly cloudy weather, north window) 3. too dry and hot air (this is common in rooms with central heating) 4. the plant is old, i.e. it was not cut in the spring (it is useful to cut the pelargonium in the spring, leaving up to two stems with two buds on each); it may even require not pruning, but a complete renewal of the plant 5. too spacious pot (as a result, pelargonium is busy building up the root mass, and not blooming); but too tight a pot can also have a bad effect on flowering 6. not enough potassium supplements 7. winter is still a period of rest, and pelargonium may simply want to rest 8. there are also varieties and capricious pelargoniums (royal or noble); they do not bloom for long, and in winter they may stop blooming altogether if the conditions are not suitable (and the conditions are the same as above) These causes of non-flowering can be both in the complex, and one of them. Causes of leaf bending: 1. a tick, whitefly or someone else has settled on the inside of the leaf 2. too dry and hot air (from the same batteries, for example) 3. over watering 4. too cold window glass (and the pot is close to it) can also cause the leaves to bend over the winter. Here, too, both one cause and a complex can be observed. Katya (Grushenka) Spam message is hidden.
1-15

Mar 29 2017

Home (room) geranium or pelargonium - home care

Houseplant Pelargonium (popularly it is often called home or indoor geranium), belongs to the Geranium family. This family includes 5 genera and 800 plant species. Geranium is the most numerous genus, and pelargonium is the most popular species from the Geraniev family. Therefore, when they talk about caring for geraniums at home, they most often mean pelargonium. We will help you figure out what are the similarities and what are the differences between these plants.

Their main similarity is that both plants belong to the Geranium family. And in appearance they are similar. The shape of the seed capsule resembles the elongated beak of a crane in both species. Their erect stems and leaves covered with glandular fine hairs, arranged oppositely or alternately, are also similar. Both plants have a characteristic specific smell, bright appearance, and are medicinal. They are unpretentious, resilient, love good lighting, they are easy to grow and propagate.

What is the difference between Pelargonium and Geranium

No one has been able to cross these plants with each other and get seeds - they have different genetic characteristics. Pelargonium is an alien from the African savannas, and geranium comes from the northern hemisphere. Therefore, the heat-loving pelargonium prefers the warm window sills of the apartment, and the geranium blooms in gardens and meadows until frost. In central Russia, geranium, meadow and forest, is found everywhere, calmly endures the winter without shelter. Only in the Far Eastern and Northern regions does it not grow - there it is too harsh climatic conditions. Geranium flowers have 5 or, rarely, 8 petals. Regular geranium flowers. Domestic geranium, pelargonium, has five petal flowers of irregular shape: the top two petals are separated from the bottom three and slightly larger. Geranium flowers are usually solitary, but sometimes collected in inflorescences. Geranium has ten developed fertile stamens. Pelargonium flowers are collected in spectacular umbrella inflorescences. Pelargonium has no more than seven fertile stamens. The rest are underdeveloped. Geranium flowers are painted in a wide variety of shades, often blue-violet. Only the scarlet color in geraniums is never found. Pelargonium, on the other hand, does not have blue flowers. They are usually white, red and pale pink. Geranium can be found in every garden - summer residents love it very much. Popular varieties of geranium: Gorgeous, Georgian, Oxford. It blooms from early summer until frost. And pelargonium pleases with its flowering at home almost all year round. In summer, it is quite possible to take it out to the balcony or even to the garden. But with the onset of a cold snap, pelargonium is returned to the house on a warm windowsill.

The most favorite varieties of pelargonium

Fragrant is a lush bush with small leaves and bright flowers. Gives off a pleasant lemon or mint aroma. Less common is fragrant pelargonium with the smell of nutmeg, orange or apple. However, the flowers are inconspicuous, and the leaves are rough and flat. Of these, allocate essential oils and aromatic substances for cooking. The leaves themselves are not used for food!

Royal is a kind of bush with a short stem, large flowers and serrated leaves without a zonal pattern. It blooms with very beautiful flowers, but not for long. This group of pelargoniums was bred in the 60s of the last century.

Angel is a hybrid of the curly variety, which is part of the royal pelargonium group. Similar to the royal, but smaller, more compact, with small leaves and flowers, similar to pansies.

Ampelous or ivy-leaved - this pelargonium has thin stems and an ampelous growth pattern. Its leaves look like ivy, and the flowers are both simple and double, and even in the form of rosettes.

Zonal - this bush has a developed upright stem and dark circles on the leaves that divide the leaf plate into multi-colored zones. Flowers are simple and double. They are not large, collected in inflorescences, umbrellas of white, red or pale pink. Many people call this pelargonium geranium.

Features of caring for geraniums and pelargonium differ no more than caring for a garden plant from caring for a houseplant.

We will consider growing indoor geraniums - pelargonium. It depends only on the care of its owner how long the external attractiveness of the plant will last, and the lush and bright inflorescences of pelargonium will decorate the interior of your apartment. Under home conditions, decorative varieties of pelargonium retain their spectacular appearance for at least five years. But there were cases when pelargonium lived and bloomed for ten or more years with good hosts. We will introduce you to simple conditions under which your pet will delight you with its beauty for a long time and strengthen your health.

Among the decorative flowering home flowers, there are very few representatives that are as attractive and, at the same time, unpretentious in care as pelargonium. Now you will see for yourself.

Content temperature

All year round, pelargonium feels great at normal room temperature. It does not require greenhouse maintenance, it is quite tolerant of high summer temperatures and in winter it will be comfortable on a cool windowsill, only its leaves should not touch cold glass.

Lighting

Pelargonium loves well-lit places both for growing in a pot and for her summer maintenance in the garden in the flower bed. On the windowsill, in the hottest summer days, it is desirable to cover its leaves from the scorching sun. In the rest of the year, she is only glad for the sunlight, because with its lack of leaves and flowers become smaller and brittle. On the balcony, if it is located on the south side of the apartment, pelargonium will bloom all summer. On the northern windows in winter, pelargoniums may not have enough natural light. Her shoots will begin to stretch, the decorative effect will be lost. In this case, you will have to resort to additional lighting with a fluorescent lamp or a phyto lamp.

Air humidity

Pelargonium does not like too humid indoor air. Does not tolerate spraying of leaves and flowers. Ventilate your room more often. Bring flowers to warm time years on balconies and verandas for fresh air.

Watering

In the summer, pelargonium should be watered daily, but little by little. The water must be room temperature and settled. Avoid excessive soil moisture and water on leaves and flowers. Drain excess water from trays. Do not water until the top layer of the substrate has dried out. This will protect your beauty from root rot and plant death. In winter, pelargonium is watered less frequently, a couple of times a week.

The soil

The soil for pelargoniums should be fertile and loose with a pH of 7 or slightly less. For home maintenance in pots, you can purchase a special soil mixture for flowering geraniums or pelargoniums. Independently, the soil can be prepared from a mixture of garden soil, sand and peat in equal quantities. Before use, disinfect the substrate - ignite or steam. And do not forget to put a good layer of expanded clay or pebbles on the bottom of the pot. In order for the roots of pelargonium to have good access to oxygen, the soil must be loosened both in the pot and in the garden.

Pot

A young pelargonium likes the pot to be small, which is 10 cm wide, which is 10 cm long. Accordingly, an adult beauty will bloom better when her root system braids the entire earthen ball in a flower container. You can plant two plants in one pot at the same time - with different, contrasting, flower colors, for example, with white and red petals. It will be very beautiful.

Top dressing and fertilizers for pelargonium

From time to time, pelargonium needs to be fed. Especially when she sits in a small pot. It does not tolerate organic fertilizers, especially fresh ones; feed them with mineral fertilizers. On sale there are special dressings for flowering ornamental plants. Apply them during the growing season and flowering, spring and summer, once every 2 weeks. Pelargonium does not need to be fed in autumn and winter. A good top dressing for pelargoniums is iodine water: in 1 liter. separated water drip 1 drop of iodine, stir. Water the moist (after the main watering) soil near the walls of the pot so as not to accidentally burn the roots. Geranium will immediately respond with a stormy and chic flowering.

Pelargonium transplant

If the pelargonium root system does not fit in the pot, its roots peek out of the drainage holes, and the plant wilts soon after watering - it's time to transplant the geranium into another pot. Take a pot 3 - 4 cm larger than it was, preferably clay. Pour boiling water over it to avoid fungal or viral diseases of its former tenants. As with any plant, transplanting for pelargonium is stressful. Therefore, try to transplant the plant into a new pot carefully, along with the ground, without damaging its root system. And do this procedure no more than once every two to three years. You can only from time to time pour fresh nutrient soil into the flower pot.

If you have a large pot, plant two or three pelargonium bushes in it at once. In close quarters, but not offended - together they will bloom better!

Pruning house geraniums

During the summer flowering, you do not cut the pelargonium. Just cut off faded inflorescences-umbrellas so that they do not pull moisture and nutrients onto themselves. In autumn, it happens that pelargonium turns into a voluminous shapeless bush, completely devoid of attractiveness. When flowering stops, homemade geraniums need to be cut. Moreover, the stronger you cut it, the more shoots will appear next spring, the richer and thicker its crown will be, the more abundant and longer the pelargonium will bloom on next year. Deep pruning should not be afraid, because on a bare stem there are plenty of dormant buds that will start growing even in winter.

Pruning is especially needed for zonal pelargoniums, it is they who, more often than others, are found on flower shelves and window sills of flower growers. Royal varieties have a slightly different agricultural technique, so such plants are formed more accurately and only in the second year after planting. In winter, pelargonium is not pruned. In winter, the protective forces and metabolic processes of the plant are weakened. Cuttings cut at this time do not take root.

After winter, pelargonium usually loses its attractiveness and decorative effect. Depending on the care and place of its maintenance, individual branches are extended, others are exposed. At the beginning of spring, in no case in winter, it is necessary to put its crown in order - to make a pruning. Do not let the bush grow too strong - try to give the crown a beautiful look. It is better to cut large old stems, leaving only young shoots. If the shoot has six or more leaves, it needs to pinch the top in order for the bush to become more magnificent. For the same purpose, when growing pelargonium from a cutting, after 8-10 leaves, the growth point is removed. When growing from seeds, this is done a little earlier, after 6-8 leaves. Shoots that grow from the upper axils of the leaves are removed, leaving only shoots growing closer to the root. Keep in mind that pinching and pruning the plant will delay flowering for a while. Do these procedures in early spring.

Reproduction of room pelargonium

Homemade geranium, i.e. pelargonium, propagated by seeds and vegetatively.

cuttings

This is the most simple and fast way- with the help of cuttings. In addition, the signs of the mother plant are fully preserved, and the first flowering already occurs in the first summer after rooting. Cut the cuttings from the tops of an adult plant, 7-10 cm long, with four to five leaves. Make a cut under the kidney obliquely. Cut off the bottom pair of leaves. Let the cuttings lie in the air for two to three hours, so that the sections dry out and, as it were, drag on with a film. Sprinkle them with crushed activated charcoal and plant them in a prepared, slightly damp, substrate. Don't hide anything. Put the pots in a well-lit place, but not in the sun! Do not water for days. The next day, start watering very carefully, drop by drop, to prevent rotting of the shoots. In a month, good roots should appear. Young pelargonium can be transplanted into a permanent pot and cared for like other plants. To make the bush grow lush, pinch at the growth point at the top.

Sometimes, the cuttings are placed in a glass of settled warm water. With this method, rotting of the cuttings is more common. We recommend adding an activated charcoal tablet to the water. And store more cuttings for rooting at once, in case they die.

If your pelargonium has grown too high during the winter, leave only part of the trunk with the lower young rosettes in the pot, and cut off the rest and use it for propagation. We have already described above how to root the tops of the shoots. Cut the middle of the trunk into pieces so that each has several buds. Roots will grow from the lower buds, and shoots with leaves will go from the upper buds. Root the parts of an adult healthy trunk cut on a piece in the same way: dry it, treat the cut with crushed coal, it does not hurt to dip it in Kornevin powder, then plant it in the ground. Do not flood young plantings - they must breathe. In early spring the survival rate of cuttings is almost 100%.

Reproduction by seeds

It is believed that pelargonium grown from seeds grows more magnificently and blooms much better than grown from cuttings. May be. But this method is more complicated and time consuming. Purchase seeds in special trusted stores. Sowing time is January or February. Spread the seeds on a slightly damp surface of the substrate in a container, close the lid. You can use another container, then cover it with film or glass. Put in a warm dark place. The temperature should be within 20 - 25 gr. In a week or two, the first shoots should appear. Move the container or other container with seedlings to a bright place. Open the lid of the container slightly to ventilate the greenhouse and remove the condensate that has accumulated there. When two true leaves appear on the seedlings, they need to be picked. It is advisable to reduce the temperature of further maintenance to 16 - 18 gr. After a couple of months, the grown pelargoniums can be planted in small pots and begin to care for them, as for adult plants.

The division of the bush

Sometimes mature plant propagated by dividing the bush into two approximately equal parts. To do this, take the plant out of the pot. Shake the soil from the roots. Gently straighten and distribute the root system into two parts. With a sharp clean knife, the bush is divided into two parts. Slices must be sprinkled with crushed wood or activated charcoal. Each part of the pelargonium is planted in its own pot according to all the rules for a successful planting. Healthy strong plants will quickly restore their shape and will bloom in the same summer.

There is no pronounced dormant period for domestic geraniums. She does not shed her leaves, but drinks less water and rarely blooms. During this period, it is desirable to water it less. Once every 10 days is enough. And don't feed. You will begin to fertilize in the spring with complex fertilizers with nitrogen, and in the summer - with potassium-phosphorus. But, a little. The temperature is also desirable to reduce to 20 gr. afternoon. Below 12 gr. It is generally better not to lower the temperature, even at night. It is good to put a flower pot on a cold windowsill - the coolness from the window glass will be enough for a quiet winter life of home pelargonium.

Diseases

Blackleg

If the base of the stem turned black, it began to rot - your pelargonium became infected with a terrible disease for indoor flowers -. Most likely, you allowed waterlogging of the soil and hypothermia of the root system of the plant. We are sorry, but pelargonium can no longer be saved. The bush must be destroyed along with the earth. The pot can be disinfected and used again.

gray mold

On the leaves of pelargonium, a gray mold appeared in the form of a plaque or cobweb. Stems have dark spots. This happens with abundant watering, when the soil does not dry out well. The roots suffer without air. You most likely have heavy soil or poor drainage. Therefore, pelargonium developed a disease - gray mold. It is caused by fungi and is therefore treated with antifungal drugs - fungicides.

leaf rust

Small yellow-red spots appeared on the leaves of the pelargonium, which eventually turned into stripes. The leaves turned yellow, withered and fell off. This is a fungal disease. It appeared from high humidity in the room, uneven and irregular watering. But perhaps the fungi came to you with infected soil. Leaves and shoots affected by rust, remove. Spray the flower 2 - 3 times with a break of 10 days with fungicides, such as oxychom, Abiga Peak and others.

Biological products, such as phytosporin, do not treat rust!

powdery mildew

Mealy spots appeared on the leaves of the pelargonium and on its flowers. They are easy to remove, but they appear again and again, increase, become gray, dense, after that they turn brown. The leaves dry up, the flowers fall off. The plant stops growing. Perhaps your room has very high humidity and heat. You may have overfed your pelargonium with nitrogen fertilizers. Instead of blooming more abundantly, the flower got sick. Ventilate the room regularly, do not spray the plants, do not feed it with fertilizers containing nitrogen additives. Spray the flower with a solution of water with milk and iodine or fungicides such as topaz or oxychom.

Other home geranium problems

Other home geranium problems, why the leaves turn yellow and what to do in this case:

• If your pelargonium leaves turn yellow and dry, especially the lower ones, there is a lack of moisture in the soil. Increase watering, after which always loosen the ground. Remove yellowed leaves with your hands, do not use scissors.
• If the leaves at the top of the bush have become damp and loose, you are watering your flowers too often and abundantly. Adjust watering, drain excess water from the pan. Water when the top layer of soil is slightly dry.
• If the leaves of the pelargonium turn red, and it suddenly stops blooming, it is most likely that a cold snap has come and the plant has frozen. Move it to a warm place, and everything will be fine.
• If a pink tan from sunlight appears on the leaves of a flowering pelargonium, this is a normal phenomenon, common for summer cultivation in flower beds.
• If the leaves began to fly around the pelargonium, and the lower part of the trunk was bare, probably the pot is in a dark place. The plant does not have enough light. Move it to a sunny windowsill, and the bush will grow back and begin to bloom.
• If pelargonium is actively growing, does not get sick, there are no pests, but does not bloom, then the reason lies, most likely, in too high temperature the air surrounding the flower. Pelargonium is thermophilic, but it is hard for her to be constantly in the 30-degree heat. Indoors at high temperatures, pelargonium refuses to bloom. Take it out into the fresh air - to a balcony or veranda - we are sure it will bloom there.
• Another reason for not flowering may be too large a pot or an excess of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil. Pelargonium fattens, increases the mass of green leaves to the detriment of flowering. Remove the bush from the pot, gently shake off the soil, inspect the root system. Now select a pot according to the size of the root system of the plant. Do not forget about good drainage, loose soil in which you will plant your flower again. Water sparingly but regularly. Place in a well lit area. After some time, the pelargonium will definitely bloom.

Pests

Since ancient times, people have been treated with indoor plants, specially grown those that are most suitable for them for medicinal purposes. Pelargonium has many magical properties. Flower pots with geraniums often decorated window sills in the bedrooms and kitchens of our grandmothers. It has been proven that the aroma of pelargonium helps to get rid of headaches and stress. At the same time, ants and flies do not like their smell. Decoctions of the leaves are used to treat the gastrointestinal tract and nervous disorders in people. They are drunk during insomnia. In addition, they treat joint pain, conjunctivitis, hypertension and much more. But there are contraindications - consult your doctor before prescribing this or that treatment for yourself.

Since ancient times, pelargonium (earlier everyone called it geranium) has been grown in every family. It was believed that she protects the house from damage and the evil eye, protects the family from conflicts and quarrels, and contributes to the material well-being of its owners. Where flowering geranium grows, love and harmony live there! Who knows?! But already for the fact that this abundantly flowering plant is so attractive and completely unpretentious - you should start it at home!

This post has no tags

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

Lighting

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

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

Temperature regime

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

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

winter care

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

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

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

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

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

Watering

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

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

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

top dressing

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

Landing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Optimum temperature rooting of cuttings of pelargonium - about + 20 + 22 o C.

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

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

Pruning an old plant after flowering, taking cuttings

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

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

reproduction

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

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

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

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

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

Diseases and pests

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

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

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

Physiological disorders not associated with diseases or pests

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

Photo: Nina Starostenko, Rita Brilliantova