Geranium is one of the most unpretentious flowering houseplants. It decorates the window sills in the houses, as well as gardens and flower beds. Many growers love geranium for its beautiful flowering and healing properties.
When growing geraniums, it is worth remembering that it prefers dry weather more than excess moisture. Next, we will talk about the features of caring for this plant, namely: what should be the soil and the pot, the rules for transplantation and crown formation.
Care features
With proper care, indoor geranium can bloom and turn green for 10-12 years. The question arises: how often should it be transplanted? It depends on the intensity of flowering and the rate of formation of green mass. If the flower grows quickly, transplantation should be done once a year, preferably in spring.
The main thing is not to forget about dressing and temperature conditions of geranium content. With slow flower development, transplantation can be done once every 2 years.
There are several methods to determine whether a plant can be transplanted:
- In appearance - when even with careful care and dressing the flower grows slowly and does not bloom.
- On the soil, which even with abundant watering dries quickly.
- According to the roots. Sometimes it happens that the roots can crawl out of the holes in the pot.
If one of these signs was noticed, then it is better to transplant the geranium. This can be done at any time of the year. But still the plant should not be disturbed in the winter, during flowering.
How much is required?
Geranium can be grown in pots of different sizes, but during the initial planting it is better to plant in a small-sized container. This is explained by the fact that the roots of a flower do not tolerate a large diameter space. In this case, the plant may not bloom or even die.
You can plant a young appendix in a small pot, and a year later transplant it into a larger container.
Capacity size for indoor plants
A pot with a diameter of 10-15 cm and a height of about 15 cm is suitable for a small flower. With the growth of the flower should be increased and the size of the pot by 1.5-2 cm.
The main requirement for the pot is the presence of drainage holes in it, which will serve as a drain for excess water. In addition, it should be made of unglazed ceramics, although such a pot requires frequent watering.
What should be the soil?
An important question - in what soil to plant a flower at home? The soil for planting geraniums should be loose and well impregnated with fertilizers. For example, a special substrate containing perlite, vermiculite and river sand is used to propagate a plant using cuttings. In addition, instead of river sand, you can add peat or humus.
Also for planting geranium suitable topsoil, taken from under garden bushes or trees. Many use turf soil that is suitable for ornamental plants. Special formulations for planting a flower can be bought at flower shops; when buying, you should pay attention to the fact that they contain peat.
How to transplant to another soil?
It is necessary to remember the fact that the geranium needs lighting for 5-6 hours a day. Therefore, before planting plants need to choose the right place for its location.
Before planting, you must carefully examine the roots. Shake them only in the presence of mold, insects or rot. If nothing like this is found, then the geranium should be moved along with the earthy clod.
As mentioned above, geranium pot must be equipped with drainage holes, because the plant does not like too wet soil. Before planting, the pot should be thoroughly rinsed and rinsed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to destroy the bacteria.
Reproduction by cuttings
Planting cuttings is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get young geraniums. Also, the advantage of this method is that you can know in advance exactly which plant will grow, the color of its petals and the subtleties of cultivation. This distinguishes this method from planting seeds using seeds. This method of reproduction of geranium is best done in early spring.
You can plant geranium cuttings in 2 ways - in a container with water or in the soil.
If it is decided to use the first method, then, first of all, it is necessary to separate the process from the parent plant and place it in a jar of water. After waiting for the roots, you can transplant it into the pot. One of the drawbacks of this method is that the risk of rotting plants grows when the roots and water come into contact.
In the second method, the cuttings can be transplanted directly into the soil. It is necessary to pick up several containers (for example, plastic cups), make holes at the bottom, then pour the drainage layer and the soil into them. The shoot should be placed in the soil, tamped and watered.
Recommendation. After planting the container with the shoots should be placed in a dark and warm place, waiting for the roots to appear. They do not need additional hydration or care.
Plant stress
If the geranium is acquired recently, this is not a reason for its immediate transplant. After all, she suffered temperature changes, changed her habitat, experienced a kind of "stress", and first of all she should be given time to adapt to the external environment. Typically, the adaptation of the plant takes several weeks.
If you need to transplant geranium, it is desirable to consider some important points:
- the pot for transplanting should be slightly larger than the previous one;
- the soil for transplantation is necessary to choose fresh;
- before transferring the plant to a new container, it is necessary to moisten the soil;
- when pouring earth into the pot, you do not need to tamp it.
It should also be remembered that if geranium blossomed at the time of purchase, then in order to carry out the transplanting process it is necessary to wait for the flowers to fall.
What to look for?
After planting the plant, you must monitor its leaves. If they begin to turn yellow, you should immediately remove them. This will provide an opportunity to prevent the appearance of mold on the stalk of geraniums.
How beautiful to form a flower?
Due to its decorative qualities, geranium is increasingly chosen not only as a houseplant, but also to decorate a home interior. With proper planting and further care, it will please with its bright flowering and magnificent view.
After the appearance of leaves you can "pinch" the plant. This will allow the geranium to grow to the sides, not the height. The foliage at the same time will be more dense than without pinching.
Important! During the flowering geranium pot can not be rotated, otherwise the flowering may stop.
Mix of different colors in one vessel
Is it possible to plant in one pot varieties of different colors? Yes, if young geraniums are planted against each other, and it is optimal to grow a similar mix of shoots. But it is important to take into account the growth rate and to calculate in advance the space for several root systems.
It is necessary to pinch them in time for the plant to raskustilsya. It should be remembered that the result of such cultivation can not always meet your expectations.
How to care after landing?
Geranium - an unpretentious plant, and One of the main requirements after landing is temperature control and sufficient light.
- In winter, the lack of sunlight can be replenished with fluorescent lighting. Then by the summer geranium will acquire a large number of side shoots, which will give abundant flowering next year.
- You should also remember that frequent watering can harm the plant.
- One of the most important conditions for successful growth and flowering is the presence of drainage in a pot.
- Do not allow excess fertilizer in the soil of the plant, it is important to observe the regularity in the top dressing. To the best of the fertilized land will give an abundance of green mass and beautiful inflorescences.
Even an inexperienced florist and plant lover will be able to plant geranium at home. After all, this flower does not require any special relation to itself, the main thing is not to overwet it, and then it will grow as required.
