Is it difficult to grow pelargonium in the garden?

Since childhood, we used to consider pelargonium (geranium) as a houseplant. However, from time immemorial, it has been grown in flower beds. There are a huge number of garden varieties, and even many indoor varieties feel great outdoors in the summer.

Therefore, today we will talk with you about planting geraniums in open ground, not only as an annual, but also about planting indoor plants in the garden. Recall all the rules for caring for this beautiful plant on the street.

Description

This native to Africa has about 250 species. It is unpretentious in care, cleans the air, is used for medical purposes, fragrant oil is made from it. This plant has long straight stems, at the end of which are umbrellas of flowers of the most diverse colors.

Leaves on separate cuttings of a rounded shape with a wavy edge. There are varieties with unusual decorative coloring of leaves. This beauty blooms all summer. For almost 4 centuries, pelargonium has been grown in Europe. Even then, not only its decorative qualities, but the healing properties became known.

For example, if you simply inhale its smell for several minutes, you can calm the overexcited nervous system. And with a cold, her juice can be dripped into her ears and nose. Bactericidal properties will help to cope with the infection.

Can it grow on the street?

Geranium has long been grown in flower beds, subject to the following conditions:

• Well-lit landing area.
• The soil should be fairly light, drained.
• A clay-rich soil is not suitable for pelargonium.
• Wetlands with a constant high moisture content will not work.
• If you want to plant pelargonium from seeds, like an annual, then you need to do this in the seedling method.
• You can plant geranium on the street only after the last frost, in the middle lane - in early June.

Perhaps someone will ask a question: why plant a room flower on the street? Landing on the street gives the following advantages:

1. The plant is healed.
2. Geranium loves the sun very much, so on the street it just transforms, the color of flowers and leaves becomes more saturated.
3. The natural hardening of the plant organism occurs.
4. In open ground, new cuttings take root more quickly (for more details on how to propagate pelargonium by cuttings, see here).
5. In addition, pelargonium is able to decorate any flower bed.

Rules for planting seedlings

If you plant pelargonium from seeds, then first you need to grow seedlings and only then plant it in open ground. When landing, use the following scheme:

1. In late February - early March, we sow seeds in a container, or peat tablets.
2. When a pair of real leaves appears, we dive in separate pots. Can be planted immediately in pots.
3. We take care of seedlings - we water it in a timely manner, feed it, keep it in a warm, well-lit place.
4. As soon as the last period of frosts has ended (in late May - early June), we plant seedlings in the chosen place. By the way, geranium has a great summer outdoors in containers and flower pots.
5. Planting a plant is best in the morning.

Growing a flower outside the house?

Pelargonium does not require any supernatural conditions, so caring for it is very simple.

Watering

Everything is simple - water as the soil dries. Geraniums tolerate drought more easily than waterlogging. Excessive watering leads to fungal diseases. It is better to water in the morning, especially at first.

Top dressing

For abundant flowering, the plant will require a lot of strength, so complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants will be a good help for it. Once every 3-4 weeks. It is not necessary to specifically introduce nitrogen fertilizing. This will provoke an active growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Such nutrition should be carried out in the soil before planting, it is better even in the fall.

You can learn more about feeding for pelargonium here.

Formation

As a rule, pelargonium has a normal natural shape, so you only need to remove faded umbrellas. If you want a more lush and squat bush, you should pinch the top of the shoot when planting. What to do when winter is coming? As soon as the frost approaches, it’s time to take the pelargonium home. No matter how sheltered, she will not survive our winter anyway.

Learn more about the formation of the bush here.

Ways to transfer to the room?

№ 1

1. We cut off all the shoots growing from the leaf sinuses, and shorten the main ones to 30-40 cm. We leave 6-8 leaves on each shoot.
2. Dig up all the rhizome.
3. Cut the roots with scissors to a size that can fit in a pot. At the same time, we take care not to deprive the plant of a viable rhizome.
4. We plant in a prepared pot, carefully spreading the roots on the ground.
5. Water moderately and bring into the house on a sunny windowsill.

This method often leads to loss of the plant, as the roots are damaged.

№ 2

The most guaranteed result will give the following method:

1. As soon as the flowering began to decline, and autumn frosts are approaching, we cut from our bush cuttings with a length of 7-10 cm.
2. We remove the leaves, leaving at the top 3-4 pieces.
3. You can put it in water until the roots appear, or you can immediately stick the cuttings into the soil.
4. It is better to take the soil with the addition of sand and peat, of course, it should be moist (more about the composition of the soil for pelargonium can be found here). You can take a peat tablet, stick a stalk there and put this design in a pot of earth.
5. Cover with nothing.
6. After rooting, you will have a healthy young plant.

Features of plant care in winter

In winter, pelargonium is at rest, so that next year it will delight you with beautiful flowering, you need to help it relax. In order to grow beautiful geraniums, you must observe the following conditions:

• Watering is rarely necessary when the topsoil dries.
• You need to keep the plant in a cooler place, here the windowsill is well suited.
• It is necessary to protect the plant, both from drafts, and from hot dry air near the radiator.
• In winter, geraniums do not need additional nutrition; feeding should be started only at the end of February.
• Excessive lighting in the winter is also not required, therefore, if possible, it is better to avoid placing a flower on the southern windowsill.

Landing

Now let's talk about the planting of overwintered, or indoor geraniums in open ground. Since February, the plant begins to prepare for planting:

1. If the flower has grown greatly during the winter, then it should be cut, as we did in the fall. Cut stalks can be rooted for later planting.
2. We place the plant in the most lighted place.
3. We begin to feed pelargonium, this does not apply to the just planted cuttings, they begin to be fed only after a month.
4. We water more often, it is better to do it through the pan. Use only room temperature water for irrigation.
5. After the last frost has passed, we just transplant the geranium with a lump of earth to the right place. This is best done in the morning. After planting, shed the plant. You can learn more about transplantation and rooting of pelargonium here.

Plot design

Small compact bushes of pelargonium can be used as border plants along the paths of the garden. Geraniums look best in potted compositions and containers.

Photo of blooming geranium

In the photo there are several options for designing a garden plot using geranium bushes:

What problems can arise?

Sometimes even the most undemanding plants get into trouble. Consider the most common problems with geraniums:

• The leaves look like a rag, hang, and when touched fall off. These are the effects of excess moisture. If the rainy summer has turned out, thinning of plants can help. Otherwise, you can lose all the landings.
• Leaves are drying. Not enough water. Perhaps you spill only the upper layer and the lower roots do not receive a single drop of moisture. Mulching will help. Water will not slip and evaporate.
• If gray mold appears on the leaves, watering should be completely stopped.
• Whiteflies or aphids can settle on geraniums. These pests can be destroyed manually, or treated with insecticides, otherwise they will suck all the juices out of the plant.
• If pelargonium does not bloom in any way, and this often happens with the most beautiful varieties, if all conditions are not provided. See if the flower has enough light? Did you feed the plant?Attention! For abundant flowering there is a folk remedy: 1 drop of iodine per liter of water and pour 50 ml per plant. Do not pour under the root!
• If the newly planted pelargonium wilted under the scorching sun, cover them with newspaper caps.

Conclusion

Pelargonium can be an inexhaustible source of seedlings for your flowerbed. There is nothing complicated in caring for her, and the variety of beautiful flowers that she generously gives us will delight all summer!

Watch the video: GERANIUM CARE BASICS & 4 GERANIUM TYPES (November 2024).