At home, you can grow absolutely any, even the most exotic types of flowers from seeds that cannot grow on their own in our latitudes. However, this will require a lot of effort, especially in the first stage, which includes getting the first shoots. But geranium is quite easy to grow from seeds and does not require any special care for the plant in the future.
The flower, firmly established on tables and windowsills, belongs to the geranium family and its types differ depending on the zonal affiliation. In addition, there is a special ampel and ivy form of pelargonium, but the principles of growing and caring for them are almost the same.
Features of growing pelargonium from seeds
To grow geraniums without problems and quickly, you need to careful selection planting material. The seeds should be brown with a slight matte sheen and moderate shade.
The shape of the seeds should be oblong, with small depressions on the sides, the shell should be leathery and dense, size - large enough.
If you come across flattened, small, deformed seeds, as well as seeds that differ from the desired tonality and are covered with spots of different colors, put them aside. Planting such material will not provide the desired result.
The seeds of some types of geranium, especially ivy, do not sprout for 2-3 months, which causes panic and frustration among novice gardeners. As a result, plant care is completely stopped.
To minimize the germination time, it is necessary carry out the scarification procedure, that is, to remove part of the shell in order to ensure unhindered access of nutrients directly to the seed.
You can do this on your own using fine - or medium-grained sandpaper, which will allow you to remove the top layer without forming ruptures that are harmful to the plant.
If you need to achieve the fastest germination of pelargonium, wipe the seed 2-3 times on sandpaper with slow rotational movements.
Preparing the soil for growing geraniums from seeds
The substrate can be purchased at a special flower shop, but there is a high probability that the soil will be oversaturated with minerals.
Such conditions for pelargonium are not very favorable - seedlings appear several times (2−3) slower, and the bushes have thick stems and short growth, flowering is poor.
Geranium soil better to make yourself... This will require:
- high quality peat (1 part);
- river sand (1 part);
- sod land (2 parts).
To avoid contamination of the flower with various diseases (which is especially important for ampel varieties), before planting seeds, the substrate should ignite in the oven 2-3 minutes.
At the same time, you should not be afraid that organic compounds and nutrients in the soil will be destroyed - pelargonium feels great in unenriched soil and does not require the use of fertilizing.
A good quality fungicide can also be used for soil treatment.Only in this case you should wait 3-6 hours before planting the seeds.
What can be used to grow pelargonium from seeds? Ideal for germinating geraniums small compact pots or trays, 3 cm deep. You can buy containers in special stores or make yourself.
How to grow a plant from seed
After filling the pots with soil, lightly sprinkle the soil surface with warm water and leave for one day to warm the soil to the required temperature (21-22 ° C).
Then with your finger or a suitable tool make small pits at a distance of two cm from each other. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of soil one cm thick.
The soil must be slightly moistened again and cover containers with foil, in which small holes are pre-made to provide air access.
At home, geraniums need to provide optimal temperature and lighting, but in no case place pots with planted seeds on the windowsill.
When the first pale green sprouts appear, remove the shelter so as not to create conditions of high humidity for the plant. Now is the time to put the pelargonium trays on the windowsill to provide the plant with sunlight, otherwise it will take two to three times longer to grow the flower.
In order to obtain a healthy bush with strong stems, as well as to strengthen the root system, the soil must be periodically loosened. After the appearance of two real leaves, pelargonium should dive and transplant the bush into a narrow and tall container.
After waiting for the appearance of the fifth leaf in pelargonium, the seedlings should be pinched. This will ensure the growth of the most branched bush, otherwise you will get a plant with a long, thin stem.
Home care for pelargonium from seeds
Pelargonium does not need to create any special conditions for further growth and development, but still requires some care.
Lighting. Adequate lighting guarantees good development of geraniums. With a lack of light, the leaves of the plant fall off, the flowers become faded and can also crumble. In this case, direct sunlight does not pose any threat.- Watering. In winter, watering of the plant should be limited, in summer, it should be made more abundant. But it is impossible to spray the leaves, as well as to fill in the roots - this can lead to their rotting and the death of pelargonium. If you notice that the leaves of the plant have become thin and have yellow or brown spots on them, this is also a sign of over-watering.
- Content temperature. The optimum temperature for normal growth and development of geranium is 18-20 ° C. In winter - not lower than 10-15 ° C.
- Top dressing. Although pelargonium does not need additional feeding, all-purpose fertilizers can be used to meet its needs. The regularity of top dressing is every 2-4 weeks.
- Transfer. If the plant becomes cramped in the pot, it must be transplanted into a more spacious container. This is best done in the spring.
- Priming. Drainage plays an important role in ensuring the correct growth of pelargonium from seeds. To do this, with each transplant, a layer of expanded clay must be laid on the bottom of the tank.
Compliance with the elementary rules of plant care guarantees his protection from pests and various diseases. In the case of excessive moisture in the substrate, there is a high probability that geranium will be affected by fungal diseases.
In addition, too hot and dry air can provoke the appearance of a whitefly. In these cases, to fix the problem special preparations are used.
By following these simple recommendations, you can easily grow pelargonium from seeds on your windowsill. And then a beautiful and at the same time unpretentious flower will delight you for many years.
Victor
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