To experienced flower growers, geranium is known as pelargonium. This is one of the most popular indoor plants that can be found in the apartments of many domestic flower lovers. With the onset of stable heat, pelargonium can be transplanted to a garden plot, however, in the fall it is returned to the house again, where it will be provided with a comfortable temperature regime. There is a version that geranium is a flower of aristocrats.
However, among ordinary people there are many fans of this indoor plant. In modern conditions, when a wide variety of exotic plants can be easily purchased, geranium is no longer popular. However, thanks to its exceptional bright color, this houseplant can compete with many modern exotics.
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Pelargonium watering mode
Given that summer is the hottest time of the year, then during this period it is necessary to provide the plant abundant watering... However, they should be kept in moderation to avoid flooding the plant. Otherwise, it will not tolerate an excess of moisture and will die.
When geraniums are grown in such conditions, its leaves become lethargic and rot. Subsequently, you can see gray mold on them, the stem begins to turn black. When these signs appear, it is necessary to reduce watering faster.
Otherwise, the root itself will soon begin to rot, which is very likely if there is rot. Geranium is considered to be a drought-resistant plant, but nevertheless it should not be deprived of the required amount of water, otherwise it will be difficult to wait for abundant flowering from it.
To determine the moment when it is necessary to carry out the next watering, you need to monitor the state of the earthen coma. The beginning of its drying out is a good tip for watering.
In the summer season, the drying out of the earth can occur at different intervals - sometimes every day, and sometimes every other day. In winter, caring for geraniums should be somewhat different: given the cooler growing conditions of geraniums, watering should not be as frequent.
Illumination requirements
Geranium grows well as long as it does not lack light. Therefore it is recommended place it on the south side... However, comfortable growing conditions can be provided in partial shade.
It is not recommended that geraniums are constantly exposed to sunlight. Otherwise, it can lead to burns on the leaves. In order to avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon, it is recommended for lunch remove the flower from the windowsill.
If you are going to transplant geraniums into the garden in the summer, then you should find a suitable place. It should be well lit by the sun and protected from wind and drafts.
However, it is undesirable to grow geraniums in full shade conditions, since in this case you can be content with only small leaves. She will not be able to please you with flowering, even if you provide her with appropriate care.
Temperature regime
In order for geranium to grow well at home, it needs a temperature of at least + 12 degrees Celsius. In cooler temperatures, it can have problems: the leaves become drooping, and the stems are bare.
If you do not change the temperature regime, then later pelargonium will die. The elevated air temperature also has a depressing effect on pelargonium. In such conditions, its flowering becomes problematic. This indoor flower feels best of all at normal room temperature.
Air humidity
According to experienced growers, geranium can grow well in any humidity. Therefore, no matter what kind of air is in the room, this will not affect the development of pelargonium in any way.
While caring for pelargonium it is undesirable to sprayas this negatively affects the condition of the flower. You can limit yourself only to regular soil moisture in the summer.
For the normal development of geraniums, fresh air is needed, which makes them very hardy. Therefore, in the summer, it is recommended to keep more of it in the fresh air, or at least grow it on the balcony.
Top dressing of room geranium
To provide geraniums with food, it is unacceptable to use fresh organic fertilizers. It is best to add rich nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal amounts of fertilizer.
By feeding enough potassium to geraniums, you are more likely to see abundant flowering. But you need to ensure that these elements of feeding are present in the composition of fertilizers in small quantities.
Proper care of pelargonium involves providing it with various trace elements:
- copper;
- calcium;
- iron;
- zinc;
- magnesium;
- manganese;
- boron
For this purpose, you can use fertilizer for indoor flowers, which can be found at the flower shop. The drug "Merry Flower Girl" is effective for geraniums. If absent, it can be replaced with fertilizer "For flowering plants».
You should refrain from feeding pelargonium if the weather is hot. Otherwise, after this event, the plant will experience stress. If you have planned fertilizing, then it is recommended to carry them out after you transfer the plant to the shade.
It is advisable to refrain from applying liquid fertilizer to dry soil. Need to water the flower first... Otherwise, you will harm the plant, because when applied to dry soil, all fertilizers burn the roots.
It is recommended to carry out bait twice a month. The need for nutrients in geraniums is especially high in spring and summer, therefore, feeding should be carried out already in early May until the end of September.
Geranium transplant
Indoor plant geranium can easily do without transplanting. But still, you need to regularly monitor its condition: a transplant may be required at a time when there is no free space for the roots in a small pot.
Therefore, usually adult specimens have to be transplanted. In addition, geraniums have to be transplanted even in cases where it is too flooded with water. In any case, it is recommended to select not very large capacity.
When choosing a pot, take into account that the root system matches the volume of the pot. Before transplanting, high-quality drainage is placed on the bottom. If you believe the flower growers, then geranium can grow well in ordinary country land.
You can also prepare and special potting soilwhich will require the following components:
- Leafy land.
- Sod land.
- Humus earth.
- Sand.
It is imperative to maintain the proportions - 1: 1: 1: ½. The most favorable period for transplanting geraniums is spring.
How to propagate geraniums at home
There are two main breeding methods that can be used to get new pelargonium bushes. Way seed propagation not so often used by flower growers. It makes sense to resort to it in cases where it is planned to grow new varieties.
A serious problem for the seed propagation method is that the seedlings grown from them usually have different decorative qualities from the selected variety. Therefore, young geraniums often have different shade of colors and leaves. It also differs in length, height and bushiness.
In the absence of a lot of experience in growing indoor plants, it is recommended to first use cheap varieties of geranium flowers, since beginner growers often fail.
To grow geraniums by sowing seeds, you need prepare the ground suitable composition: it must have a loose structure, so it is imperative to include humus and sand in it.
Usually, the sowing of seeds is carried out already in early March... However, it is allowed to do this at an earlier date, but in this case, in order to eliminate the deficit of lighting, it will be necessary to carry out additional illumination with the help of artificial light lamps.
Before sowing the soil needs to be disinfected... To do this, it is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which minimizes the risk of developing a black leg in plants. After sowing, you do not need to sprinkle the seeds with a layer of earth.
However, they must be sufficiently buried in the soil. To accelerate seed germination, they need provide a greenhouse effect, for which a film is pulled over, and the container itself is transferred to a warm place.
Propagation by cuttings
Also, for propagation of geraniums at home, you can use cuttings that are harvested in the spring. To do this, the prepared shoots must be placed in a container with water.
Usually, the roots of the cuttings form quickly if the room temperature is high enough. After that the stalk placed in a pot of soil... At the first signs of the beginning of growth, you need to pinch off the top of it.
Before planting the cutting in the ground, it needs to be given a little time to dry from the water. As a rule, when using the cuttings method, shoots taken from the top of the plant are used. Moreover, they must have at least 3-4 leaves.
Geranium diseases and their treatment
Geranium is an unpretentious plant, which confirms its high resistance to diseases and pests. However, in some cases, it can still be affected by certain ailments:
Gray rot. As a rule, with the development of this disease, geranium leaves are affected. In this case, you need to remove all infected leaves and put the plant in "dry mode" care. To combat the disease, it is necessary to treat the plant with an antifungal drug.- Root collar rot and root rot. With excessive moisture in the geranium, the earthen lump in the pot constantly remains wet, therefore, in such conditions, at a certain moment, geranium affects this disease. It is not possible to do something here, so the death of geraniums is inevitable.
- Aphid. The favorite place of this insect is the lower surface of the leaves. This pest can have different colors - black, gray and green. An effective method of controlling aphids is spraying with insecticides for indoor plants.
In order to avoid negative manifestations, it is recommended to process pelargonium in strict accordance with the instructions.
Geranium more than deserves a place in the grower's house. Standing out for its splendor and bushiness, it will look no worse than many modern ornamental plants.
However, it can only show its decorative properties with proper care, therefore, she needs to provide not only watering, but also lighting. Moreover, in the summer, it is very useful to take it out into the fresh air.
