How to grow geranium: secrets and features of care at home, as well as in open ground on the street

This plant has the appearance of a shrub, the height of which is 60 cm. It is of two types - flowering or fragrant. When flowering, fragrant geranium smells like a rose or an apple tree, and some species even look like nutmeg.

Geranium is a genus of beautifully flowering plants that belong to the Geranium family. Such plants are very popular among park, garden and indoor crops. They look good on the windowsill, as well as in the open ground. In our country, geranium appeared in the XVII century.

At first, the plant was considered aristocratic, it was transported to greenhouses. Now it takes place in every home, as it is unpretentious, resistant to different conditions and blooms for many years.

This article will discuss the features of growing such a plant.

What does a flower like?

Geranium is not demanding to care, so many housewives are very fond of such a flower. She perfectly takes root in houses, and in order for the flower to become sick, you need to try very hard. However, despite the unpretentiousness, the conditions for growing a plant are better observed.

Among them are the following:

Shine. Geranium loves light, so it is often placed on window sills. It should be borne in mind that the south side is very suitable for these purposes. In the summer, you need to slightly shade the plant, otherwise it may die from exposure to strong rays of the sun.
Temperature. Geranium is a plant not capricious in terms of heat. But in winter it is better to keep it at a temperature of at least 10 degrees. If you want the flowering to continue all year round, it is important to provide the plant with light by placing it in a warm place.
Watering. Watering should be carried out often, while stagnation of water in the pot should not be allowed. When the roots begin to rot, the geranium dies.You can not spray the plant, because it does not need moist air.
Climatic conditions. Since geraniums come from South Africa, you should try to create a similar climate in your home like on the street. This does not mean that the temperature should be 30 degrees, but it will be better if the soil is slightly moist.
The most comfortable temperature for the flower is in the range of 10-30 degrees. The need for good lighting geraniums is due to the fact that in the homeland it is constantly well lit. If the sunlight is not enough, you can do the rest with a simple lamp.

Breeding methods

Indoor plants are often propagated in the spring. However, if there is a need for this, you can carry out the procedure in the fall. Spring cuttings have many advantages - there are no flowers on the mother plant, which means that all the juices will go to shoots. But, since the plant is very weak during this period, it is likely that the cuttings will die before rooting.

A quality stalk is one that has 2-3 leaves and internodes. Often, apical cuttings are used for reproduction.. If there are buds, they should be removed along with peduncles. Roots often appear from nodes where the leaf and twig are attached to the stem. A leaf that grows from the lower node is often broken off or cut off. Reproduction can also be carried out using seeds.

In this case, you need to proceed in stages:

The soil is decontaminated in a convenient way. It can be poured with boiling water or mixed in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Seeds are laid out on the surface. They must be processed, coated.
They are covered with earth, and then watered and covered with a film.
Shelter is removed after a few days when the first shoots appear.
When the plants appear 2-3 leaves, they need to dive in glasses. You can sow each seed in a separate glass.

Some gardeners prefer leaf propagation. Beautiful leaves with a small stalk break off, placing the tip in the water. After the root has grown, prepare the soil and transplant the plant.

Home Care Secrets

Geranium is an unpretentious plant that does not require much attention and very careful care. At home, caring for her is not as difficult as it seems. Flowering plants lasts a year. The place and lighting for the flower is chosen very carefully:

Since the flower loves the sun, it is better to place it in the most illuminated place. In this case, the flowers and leaves will be bright and beautiful.
If there is not enough light, it will not be difficult to understand. The plant will stop in development, become faded and cease to attract attention.

The temperature at which indoor geraniums will grow and develop is 20-25 degrees. But, as for the rest period, at this time it can be indoors at a temperature of 10 degrees.

Please note that in winter the plant does not need to be watered often. Enough about 1 time in 2 weeks.

Watering Secrets Following:

In summer, it should be plentiful, but excess moisture can also adversely affect the plant.
Waterlogging is a great danger to geraniums, so when watering, try not to fill the flower.
If you have not calculated the amount of water, you should dry the soil and not water it for some time.
Spraying is not necessary.

A geranium transplant is carried out only when its roots completely fill the pot. This is easy to understand when watering, since the rapid absorption of water is a signal to select a larger tank.

If you transplant according to all the rules, the plant will continue its growth and will delight you with a bright appearance. About planting and transplanting geraniums, read here.

Diseases, Pests and Problems

Despite the fact that such a flower is unpretentious, it is often sick. When caring for geraniums, it is important to choose the right way to treat the disease:

If the plant does not bloom, but at the same time has many green leaves, this indicates that it contains too high a nitrogen content.
If the leaves turn pale or yellow, then the reason is an excess of moisture and heat in the room. Eliminating such causes, one can observe how healthy leaves grow.
Spider mite and aphids. They begin to develop with too much watering. It is important to remove all affected leaves and to review the hydration regimen and the amount of water.
Blackleg. With such a fungal disease, the stem begins to darken at the base, and the flower withers. In this case, you should pay attention to what humidity in the apartment. If the case is started, then the flower cannot be saved, but in the early stages, you can try to remove the affected areas.
Whitefly defeat. You will understand this when you see small white eggs on the leaves. By collecting them, you can thoroughly spray them with the means of destruction, which is sold in pharmacies.
Soil pests suggest that you should review the lack of lighting, humidity, and watering conditions.

To avoid problems in growing geraniums, it is important:

Loosen the soil regularly and remove damaged leaves.
To improve branching in the spring, by trimming the stems and shortening them to 1/3 of the entire length.

Conclusion

Summing up, it can be noted that growing geraniums is not an easy process. But, if you follow the flower and create the most comfortable conditions for it, then it will justify your work and will delight the eye with bright and abundant flowering. This article examined the most important points you need to know when growing geraniums.