You will need

• - geranium seeds;
• - shallow bowl or pot;
• - prepared soil;
• - glass or plastic bag.

Instruction

Prepare the ground. It should not be too oily, because a lot of mineral fertilizers are not needed for germination. Be sure to mix the peat substituent bought in the store with garden soil and coarse-grained river sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1.

For planting, choose a shallow container with good drainage holes so that excess water leaves through them. Excessive amount of damp earth will allow the development of countless fungi and putrefactive bacteria. In addition, through the drainage holes, the sprouts will receive additional air. It is essential during seed germination.

Treat the pot and working tool with boiling water. Wash the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate. To increase the quality of germination, soak them in epin solution for 3-6 hours.

Sow geraniums in February-March. In this case, the seedlings will receive more light, the plants will develop better and bloom earlier. Fill the pot with prepared soil, compress and water. For this purpose, it is better to use a spray gun. Distribute the seeds evenly over the entire surface and lightly press the glass onto the soil. It is not necessary to cover the earth.

Cover the container with glass or plastic wrap. Place in a bright, warm place, but not in bright sunlight.
Keep an eye on humidity. If there is a lot of moisture, turn the glass over or make holes in the bag. A greenhouse environment for seedlings is necessary: ​​when fast drying soil salt concentration increases. This brings death to young plants.

Gradually accustom the seedlings to a drier room air starting from 15-20 minutes.
Use lighting if the room is dark: the length of daylight hours should be 14-16 hours. So that the seedlings do not bend the stems, turn the pot once every 2-3 days to the light with different sides.

Start picking when 1-2 pairs of true leaves appear. The further growth of seedlings depends on the quality of this work. Take out the seedlings very carefully. To do this, use a clean stick or the back of a teaspoon, previously subjected to heat or chemical treatment.
With a diving peg or index finger, make a recess in the soil, lower the root there and sprinkle with earth. Make sure that the spine is not bent. Long roots can be pinched to a third of the length. Seedlings hold the leaves, so as not to damage the fragile stem.

note

The pot with seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Useful advice

At an early stage of plant development, no growth stimulants should be used.
It is best to dive geraniums immediately into separate pots, so that when transplanted to flower beds, the root system is less traumatized.

Related article

Sources:

• growing geranium from seeds

Pelargonium - unpretentious plant, which has long settled on the windowsills of apartments. But if earlier its colors could be counted on the fingers, today breeders have bred new varieties and hybrids of almost all colors. Pelargonium is propagated not only by cuttings, but also by seeds, which is very easy to do at home.

You will need

• - seeds;
• - soil mixture;
• - glass;
• - seedling boxes.

Instruction

Stock up on soil. To grow pelargonium, you need to mix 2 parts of sod land, one part of peat and one part of river sand. After that, disinfect. Or pour boiling water, or steam in a water bath, but just do not heat in microwave oven otherwise the soil will become "dead".

Start pelargoniums by disinfecting seeds. To do this, hold them in a dark solution of potassium permanganate. Then rub the hard shell with fine-grained sandpaper, so the seeds will sprout faster.

Put broken bricks in pots or seedling boxes as drainage, then fill in the soil mixture and plant the seeds at a depth of 1 cm and 2 cm from each other. Pour over and cover with glass. Place the containers in a warm place, the temperature in the room should not be less than 20 ° C.

Pelargonium seeds are usually fast if all the rules are followed. When shoots appear, transfer the pots to the windowsill and remove the glass. Pelargonium seedlings grow quickly, make sure that it does not dry out from lack of light and does not dry out from lack of water. Loosen the ground, if weeds appear, remove them.

When 2 leaves appear, plant the plants in separate pots, take the soil mixture of the same composition. After 2 weeks, water with one of the liquid fertilizers. It could be Agricola Fantasia. And then water with fertilizer "Effecton for flowers" or similar according to the instructions. Pelargonium will bloom soon.

Pelargoniums, which are grown by sowing seeds, have confidently taken their place in flower beds. Such pelargoniums are planted in containers, they decorate balconies and windows. They are harmonious at the porch to the house, verandas. Pelargoniums are original in hanging baskets.

Instruction

Pelargoniums are popular for their drought tolerance and hardiness. They bloom quickly and get sick less. They bloom profusely during the summer season and come in a wide variety of vibrant colors. Hybrids and varieties of seed pelargonium are usually divided into two groups:
- multiflora, represent a compact undersized group with very abundant flowering;
- grandiflera - taller geraniums with larger flowers, but their flowering is not so plentiful.

Multiflora group, series "Avanti F1", the earliest flowering, plant height from 30cm to 40cm. Flowers Pink colour several shades, pure white, red, salmon and light purple.

Multiflora group, "Multibloom F1" series, with flowers about 3 cm in diameter, white, bright red, coral, salmon, red and white and several shades of pink. Pelargoniums have early flowering and about 25-30 cm high.

The multiflora group, "Early Universal F1", includes a multi-colored mixture 25-30 cm high.

Group "Maverick F1", flowers in inflorescences 4 cm in size, about 45 cm high. Flowers are white, coral, lavender, light and dark salmon, red, purple, bright and pale pink, and white with a pink eye.

Group "Maverick F1", series "Horizon F1", plants reach a height of 45cm. This group is distinguished by a wide variety of colors. Seven shades of pink, five colors with a bright edge on a white background, three unusual colors with different strokes and stripes ("Rip"). As well as colors such as pure white, red, salmon, cream, orange represent this series. Flowers in inflorescences are large.

Related videos

Useful advice

Sowing seeds for seedlings at home, without additional illumination, is carried out at the end of February. With additional lighting, pelargonium seeds can be sown at an earlier date.

Pelargonium does not "age". The flower is still loved and popular. Today, trade offers a huge selection of varieties of pelargonium seeds with a unique variety of colors.

Benefits of Growing Pelargonium Seeds

Plants for sale are not cheap. In addition, they are grown from cuttings taken from mother plants, sometimes of middle age, and can carry a bouquet of sores. And from the package, with the right agricultural technology, you can grow several young pelargoniums at once, clean from diseases, promising, with extraordinary colors.

Seedlings grown from seeds are able to start abundant flowering after 5-6 months from germination. Such seedlings, as a rule, are distinguished by their evenness, energy and endurance.

When is the best time to start sowing?

Pelargonium seeds can be sown throughout the calendar year. But experienced flower growers, in order to get strong plants by June, sow the seeds in November. Beginners should take into account important points, as a backlight, respect for humidity and temperature when sowing in the dark winter months (January and early February).

Sowing pelargonium seeds

Pelargonium seeds have the average size and they are easy to plant.
For better germination, the seeds are immersed in a solution of epin or zircon (2-3 drops per 50 ml of warm water) for several hours. Sowing is more convenient in a small food container with a lid. For ventilation, it is necessary to make several holes in the lid with a size of 2 ... 3 mm. Loose nutritious soil is poured in a small layer, moistened. It is convenient to sow seeds in peat tablets.

Another thing is important: the soil should be disinfected in advance from fungal infections, especially from the "black leg". Potassium permanganate, phytosporin, alirin or hamair tablets are suitable. You should not use several of these drugs at the same time.

Pelargonium seeds germinate in the light at room temperature. They are simply laid out on the surface of the earth and slightly pressed, without sprinkling on top. The soil must not be both waterlogged and dry. The seeds may die.

The first sprouts "jump out" for 3-7 days. Now they need good lighting. In order to avoid steaming the container and airing, if necessary, the greenhouse is slightly opened. When pulling the seedlings, pour the soil under the cotyledon leaves. As the seedlings grow, they are accustomed to room conditions, opening the container more and more.

When the third true leaf appears, the seedlings dive into separate small pots and begin to feed them with liquid fertilizers for seedlings in low doses.
For better compactness and bushiness, pelargonium seedlings are removed (pinched) at the top after 5-6 leaves.

Today, pelargonium (colloquially geranium) is experiencing new round popularity. The plant was undeservedly declared out of fashion. And with someone light hand was considered a sign of philistinism. But in modern world everything has changed. Pelargonium is again popular and loved.

Pelargonium - perennial. Flowers have an unusually wide range of colors.

In the wild, it mainly grows in South Africa. But pelargonium is cultivated in all corners the globe. This plant is photophilous, it will easily survive the lack of moisture. They also propagate by cuttings. V open field This plant cannot overwinter.

So how can pelargonium be propagated by seeds?

To do this, you need to purchase high-quality seed. Seeds can be collected from plants. Pelargonium has umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Seeds are boxes that open in a special way, from the bottom to the top.

Seeds can also be purchased at the store. To date, a lot of types of pelargonium are on sale. various forms, colors and varieties.

Seeds are laid out on moist soil at a distance of about 3-5 cm from each other. From above it is necessary to slightly powder the earth, no more than a few millimeters. Cover the box with crops with polyethylene or glass. Pelargonium germination is very good, it is 80-90%. Shoots appear in a week, but for some varieties this process can take up to 1 month.

When the first sprouts appear, crops must be ventilated.

When 2-3 true leaves grow, the plants must be planted in separate pots, small in size.

After about six months, your plants will bloom.

The advantage of seed propagation, compared with cuttings, is the fact that you can become the owner of very rare varieties and colors.

Summer is the perfect time to plant flowers on windowsills, balconies and terraces. When the plants are not threatened by longer frosts, you can get busy preparing pots and purchasing seedlings. Among the most successful balcony flowers, geranium is very popular, blooming from May until late autumn.

Geranium is one of the most popular flowering plants in our latitudes. Often geraniums are planted on outdoor window sills, because the abundance of red or pink flowers is an extremely charming decoration of the house. Mountain wooden huts, decorated with red geraniums, are a characteristic element of the alpine landscape.

Step one: pots

Before flowers, you should prepare the appropriate pots or boxes for the window. While flowers will look beautiful in wooden crates, these types of crates tend to be heavier than plastic ones. They are also more expensive. Wooden flowerpots are available in various shades and flowers. When choosing pots, carefully consider their size and assembly method. As a rule, pots are sold with boxes with special handles that make it easier to install them on window sills or on balcony railings.

Step two: ground

The soil in which you insert the geranium cuttings should be fertile and moist. For this, you can buy a universal upper layer soil, it is usually sold in plastic bags. At the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to pour expanded clay, the remains of broken ceramic pots or some kind of gravel. This ensures that the roots of the plants will have greater breathability and will not rot. A plant in a plastic pot can easily "suffocate" because it has very limited space to grow. Grounding should also include a hydrogel or powder that stores water and nutrients, if needed, to keep the flowers hydrated. You can also pour in dry fertilizer in granules, which will gradually dissolve throughout the season.

Step three: seedlings

The most popular variety are pelargoniums. However, they have rather fragile and brittle stems, so they should not be placed, for example, on the windowsills of high-rise buildings where strong winds blow. This variety of flowers is very delicate, but properly cared for and watered flowers grow beautifully, forming thick flower carpets. Pelargonium grandiflora is thicker, has serrated leaves and flowers collected in large umbrellas (approx. 5 cm in diameter). These varieties are ideal for growing in pots standing on a terrace or balcony.

Step Four: Fertilizing

Geraniums require regular fertilization. Only two weeks after planting, you can start watering with fertilizers rich in potassium, so the plant will bloom beautifully. You should also be aware that fertilizing with nitrogen will result in more leaf growth. You can buy special fertilizer. "Biogumus", "Planton", "Florovit", "BIOPON" or "Substral" are the most popular brands. The fertilizer may be in the form of a liquid or powder, which must be dissolved in water. Pelargoniums love the sun and light, so don't worry, you can plant them on the south side, but be aware of the need for regular watering. Properly fertilized flowers will decorate our windows, balconies and terraces throughout the season.

Advice 7: After how many days do pelargonium seeds germinate at home

Pelargonium is grown both as a houseplant and as a garden plant. Today, country stores offer a large selection of seeds of this plant. But the one who grows it for the first time may face some issues of agricultural technology, one of them is how long do you have to wait for seedlings?

From seeds, mainly two types of pelargonium are grown. These are zonal pelargonium and ivy-leaved pelargonium (ampel). Agrotechnics for sowing seeds of zonal and ivy-leaved pelargonium is not much different from each other. For warranty germination it is necessary:

• Buy quality seeds.
• Choose loose moisture-intensive soil, which should not contain fungal pathogenic microflora, because pelargonium seedlings are very susceptible to the "black leg".
• The soil is watered moderately the day before and compacted a little.
• For better germination, seeds can be treated in stimulants, for example, epine, zircon, humate, phytosporin or HB-101, using one of them. Seeds dyed, processed by the manufacturer are sown immediately.
• Seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil, slightly pressing them, but do not fall asleep with soil.
• The optimum temperature for germination of pelargonium seeds is + 20-25 ° C. The lower the temperature, the longer the seeds will germinate.
• Seed germination occurs in the light.
• For creating optimal conditions the containers are covered with a transparent material, making holes of 2-3 mm for air exchange.

Germination of seeds depends on the terms and conditions of their storage. Freshly harvested, full-weight seeds actively germinate. Seeds stored at high humidity or at high temperatures germinate unfriendly. Therefore, when choosing varieties of pelargonium in the store, pay attention to expiration dates, giving preference to fresh seeds. Pelargonium seeds retain good germination for several years, 2-3 years. With each year of storage, the seeds grow old and lose their strength to germinate.

Given the different energy of seed germination in zonal pelargonium, seedlings awaken unevenly. The most matured and full-weight seeds pop up in 3-4 days. The remaining seeds are pulled up after 7-10 days.

Ivy Pelargonium seeds are smaller and take longer to germinate. They need about two weeks. And if the seeds are old, then it takes longer. Seeds of ampelous varieties do not differ in excellent germination. Out of 5 seeds, only 2-3 usually germinate. Ivy pelargoniums should be sown on seedlings a little earlier than zonal ones. They need more time to sprout and grow to a flowering state.

To get flowering cultivars for the garden, sowing pelargonium seeds is carried out starting in December. When growing seedlings of pelargonium in winter, it is necessary to apply additional illumination of seedlings with lamps. For better tillering, the tops of the seedlings are pinched, starting from the appearance of 4-5 leaves.

One of the most popular garden plants is geranium. This flower is unpretentious in care. Pelargonium from seeds at home is easy to grow, the main thing is to know the principles of this process and follow the rules. Some experts argue that this plant is extremely stable and even beginners can grow decent healthy specimens.

Pelargonium belongs to the geranium family, their variety has more than 400 species and subspecies of different varieties of this plant. A beautiful flower from South Africa, but since its spread to other continents, it has taken root well and grows in mountainous regions with a subtropical climate and in places where temperate climatic conditions prevail. Geranium with its unusual and bright appearance attracted a lot of attention and gained popularity in Europe. Translated from Greek, the name of this plant means "crane".

Since ancient times, geraniums have been credited with special medicinal properties: It is believed that it has the ability to remove toxins from the body, relieve inflammation and heal wounds. It is often advised to keep this plant in the house, as it eliminates insomnia and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Our ancestors planted pelargonium around houses, as it was believed that it scares away reptiles, and its dry branches also served as a talisman against the evil eye.

Pelargonium is more like a shrub, its long cuttings are decorated with large semicircular leaves with a wavy edge. Since the variety is very large, the color, shape and surface of the leaves and the flowers themselves can vary greatly. You can find two-color leaves, gray, blue, burgundy or red, their surface can be smooth, almost waxy, or vice versa, it can be dense and with a small pile. The flowers themselves are of medium size and collected in an inflorescence that resembles the shape of a ball. In color, they can be quite diverse, there are varieties with white-red petals, with lilac-pink and other various shades. Often breeders seek to develop new varieties with an unusual color of the petals.

During the period when the plant fades, the seed pods begin to ripen, they have fairly wide petals that twist, naturally scattering the seeds.

Growing geraniums from seeds is a fairly common type of propagation, as it has good resistance and is unpretentious. Thus, it is possible to grow both garden geranium and indoor geranium, the differences are only in planting conditions and further care. Seedlings, as a rule, are kept in the same conditions.

Indoor pelargonium

For proper and competent care of this flower, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for growing and care requirements.

So, geranium requires the following conditions for a healthy existence and flowering:

1. 1 The place where there is a flowerpot with a shrub should be well lit by natural sunlight.
2. 2 The temperature in the room should remain 20-22 °C. He does not like this kind of strong and sharp changes in temperature.
3. 3 Watering is carried out as necessary, focusing on the condition of the soil.
4. 4 For lush and long flowering, it is worthwhile to correctly and regularly feed geraniums with fertilizers.
5. 5 For the correct formation of the bush, it is necessary to periodically trim.
6. 6 Dry inflorescences should be removed and pinched, this will help increase the growth of young inflorescences and shoots.
7. 7 In winter, when the flower is at rest, watering is significantly reduced and the air temperature can be significantly lowered, down to 10-12 ° C. For example, zonal pelargonium can tolerate temperatures not lower than 7 ° C during the dormant period.
8. 8 You can transplant an adult bush once every two to three years. The pot is chosen rather big, two or three fingers wider and deeper than the previous one, since the geranium has a branched root system.

Reproduction methods

Reproduction occurs through seeds, which without fail need to prepare. Geranium seeds must be freed from a hard peel, you can carefully remove it or clean it off with sandpaper. The most favorable time for planting seeds is the period from October to April.

Seed preparation. Pelargonium seeds require mandatory soaking and treatment against diseases. To do this, it is worth initially placing the seeds without a hard crust in a container with a weak manganese solution for 15-20 minutes, after which they are transferred to another container with clean water at room temperature. soaked planting material no more than 3 hours

soil requirements. Special containers or peat cups must be filled with a special substrate, which can be purchased at a flower shop or made by yourself. To prepare the soil, it is necessary to take one part of peat, one part of coarse sand and two parts of turf.

Landing. If planted in a container, then it is worth observing a distance of 5-6 cm. Planting material is carefully placed on the ground and lightly sprinkled, after which the container should be covered with glass or a thick film. Periodically, it is worth doing airing, opening the film for 1-2 hours. It is worth watering from a spray bottle so as not to wash the planting material out of the ground. For irrigation, take only settled water at room temperature. The seedling box itself is placed in a warm room with good lighting. At proper care and according to planting, young shoots may appear after 14-15 days.

Transplanting seedlings into pots. Seedlings can be transplanted into pots from the moment two to four leaves appear on young sprouts. The container is taken approximately 10 cm high, the soil remains the same, as for seedlings, the only addition will be a layer of drainage at the bottom of the flowerpot, expanded clay is well suited for this. A small shoot is planted, one in each pot, not deepening the stem very deeply.

Plant care. This plant loves sunlight and moderate humidity. Carefully water the flower so as not to disturb the topsoil. In dry and hot weather, you can increase the humidity of the air with a humidifier. In summer, many experts recommend taking the pot of geraniums outside, but at the same time protect it from direct sunlight. Top dressing is best used special for flowering plants, it is carried out approximately every 2 weeks. Do not forget about pinching and regular pruning of the bush.

garden option

Of course, there are considerable differences between room and soda geraniums. street flower it also has a wide variety of varieties, each variety is distinguished by its size, shape and shades, unlike the decorative room beauty.

Necessary conditions for the successful growth and flowering of pelargonium:

1. 1 The soil for garden pelargonium is slightly acidic, neutral and well fertilized. Some gardeners introduce peat and leafy soil into the soil before planting, and also fertilize with special preparations.
2. 2 The place should be chosen according to the requirements of this variety, since many species grow well only near water bodies, while others feel better in partial shade under large shrubs or trees. But all species need enough sunlight and soil moisture. You should not plant this beauty in hilly places where there are drafts, or in areas with great dampness.
3. 3 The soil of this plant must be mulched without fail.
4. 4 It is necessary to water the shrub depending on the type and the condition of the soil. The formation of earthen crusts and cracks should not be allowed: this will lead to a disease of the root system and stop the growth of geraniums.
5. 5 Before preparing for winter, the shrub must be cut.
6. 6 Top dressing is carried out mainly with complex fertilizer, and in early spring nitrogen fertilizers must be applied to the soil.

Caring for this flower is simple and painstaking, the main thing is to grow seedlings correctly, choose the right place for planting and regularly care for the plant.

Propagation of a garden flower

Reproduction is carried out in two ways: cuttings and sowing seeds. Often gardeners do not want to waste time and choose to propagate by cuttings, but flowers grown from seeds that have been collected on their own will be exactly the same variety. Growing geraniums from seeds is quite painstaking: this activity requires not only certain knowledge, but also a lot of time.

How to grow geraniums from collected seeds? Let's note a few rules:

1. 1 Collecting seeds requires certain skills, because, unlike a room relative, in this species, the seeds form into a small spherical lump and crumble to the ground as they ripen. In order not to miss their ripening, gardeners recommend using a kind of seed traps. On the flowers, whose flowering is completed, they put on a fabric bag, then the seed will fall into it.
2. 2 Growing seedlings of garden geraniums is very similar to indoor, but in this case, the seeds do not need to be soaked in water. Geranium seeds are sown in small cups filled with peat soil and sand, turf or leafy soil is also added to it. The soil should be loose and airy, the seeds are sown at a certain distance. After that, the pots are placed in a box and covered with glass. This container is placed in a warm room with constantly fresh air. Caring for seedlings is no different from caring for a room view of this flower.
3. 3 transplant. You can transplant a young sprout as soon as a few leaves appear on it. They are planted in open ground in the spring with the establishment of warm weather or at the end of summer.
4. 4 Before planting, the land must be fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers and loosened well. After that, seedlings are planted in a permanent place. It is worth considering that it grows well and for this it needs to leave enough space.

Grow beautiful and luxuriantly flowering shrubs Pelargoniums, in general, are not so difficult when you know the basic rules for their reproduction and the requirements for growing and caring.

Oh, how I love pelargoniums! Always bright and festive, they have so much positive! They remind me of my childhood in my home in Millerovo - cozy, warm, under the "wings" of mom and dad. We always had pelargoniums in the house, but then it could not have occurred to me that they could not only be cut, planted for the summer in open ground, a container, and receive luxurious compositions until autumn, but also propagated by seeds.

Yes, and before there were no current spectacular hybrids that are grown through seedlings as the most ordinary flower crops: , other.

Today we will talk about seed propagation pelargonium. Step by step, we will analyze all the stages, starting from the moment when you had a bag of her seeds in your hands.

Currently, domestic and foreign companies have established seed production of pelargoniums (including F1 hybrids), which have many advantages:

• grow well;

• compact;
• aligned in height, bushiness, color and shape of flowers;
• resistant to fungal diseases.

You can choose seeds of various varieties and hybrids of pelargonium in our catalog, which combines the offers of large garden online stores. .

At a temperature of +21...+24°C, the seeds germinate for 7-30 days, sometimes the germination process can take up to three months. Most amicably rise fresh harvested seeds. They are sprinkled with a very thin (literally 0.2-0.6 cm) layer of soil. Seeds of unknown origin are disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, and dry powdered with approved for use in the country, for example, "Fundazol".

Seeds are sown in wet peat tablets or soil substrate (in boxes, pots), consisting of a mixture of soddy soil, sand and high-moor peat in a ratio of 2:1:1, or peat with, or peat with sand in a ratio of 1:1.

Before sowing, the substrate is lightly compacted with a hand or a small spatula, a plank. Crops are moistened from a spray bottle with settled water at room temperature and covered with glass or plastic wrap (to create and maintain constant humidity - the greenhouse effect). Glass or film is periodically removed, crops are ventilated so that they do not become moldy.

Seedling Care

After the emergence of seedlings, they begin to care for them. What is it? The list of works is small:

• regularly sprayed, and then carefully watered from a small watering can with small holes, but do not allow waterlogging of seedlings;
• maintain room temperature +21...+24°С;
• in order to prevent fungal diseases, the soil substrate is watered once a week with fungicidal preparations.

It is possible to increase germination and stimulate the germination of large, with a dense leathery shell of pelargonium seeds by scarification ( scarified seeds germinate in 5 days):

• mechanical: place the seeds between two layers of fine-grained sandpaper and rub gently;

• chemical: place seeds for 30 sec. in 0.8% sulfuric acid solution, washed in running water, dry, sow;

• thermal: Place seeds for 20 sec. into boiling water, then for 20 seconds. in the cold, we repeat; or fill the seeds with boiling water and leave for a day.

More details about these (and other) methods are described in the publication.

Step 2: picking seedlings

After 1-1.5 months (we count from the date of sowing the seeds), we carry out. Seedlings already have 3 or more true leaves.

Before picking, water the soil substrate with a fungicidal preparation; do not forget to water the pickled seedlings at least 1-2 times.

Step 3: hardening seedlings

Before planting pelargonium seedlings in open ground, it is necessary. If you have a cooler glazed balcony, loggia, veranda, you can move it there.

Then they begin to accustom it to street conditions, first taking it out for 2 hours in the afternoon (in partial shade), gradually increasing the time.

Step 4: planting seedlings in open ground

They are planted in open ground after warm weather sets in with a daytime temperature of +15 ... + 18 ° C and a night temperature not lower than + 5 ° C.

It is important to wait until the danger has passed: despite the fact that the hardened seedlings of pelargonium will endure up to -5 ° C, especially if you cover it, then it will recover for a long time to the detriment of flowering.

Choose open sunny places in the country with fertile loose soils; in the shade of other plants, the flowering of pelargonium weakens. For greater bushiness, do not forget to pinch the tops of the shoots several times during the growing season (pinching can be done already over the sixth true leaf).

When transplanting pelargonium seedlings into open ground, pour it with a solution of a drug that stimulates the development of the root system to facilitate the formation of new roots.

On the left is the pelargonium variety "Divas Raspberry Ripple", on the right is an unknown F1 hybrid in my lens

You can choose drugs to stimulate the development of the root system in our catalog, which combines the offers of large garden online stores. .

We do the same with pelargonium, we do not stretch the process in time, but spend it in 2 days:

• we select “mother” and “dad” from flowering seedlings;

• we collect pollen from the "father" specimen on the first day of flowering;
• with tweezers, we remove the stamens from the buds of the flowers of the “mother” specimen, which are scheduled for pollination;
• on the second day of flowering, we carry out pollination, applying pollen with a soft brush to the stigmas of the pistils protruding from the perianth;
• the next day, pollination of the same flowers is repeated.

Step 6: Seed Collection

In pelargonium, seeds in capsule fruits are formed within 25-39 days; they ripen well, especially in the south. One fruit contains 1 to 5 seeds.

When ripe, the box lengthens, then cracks, and the seeds are thrown out thanks to the “rocket booster” - a spiral thread that each seed is equipped with.

Fruit picking begins when the box is colored, and do not wait for it to dry and open; they are cut off for seeds during the summer and early autumn.

Step 7: from the garden to the house

The specimens that you like are cut off before the autumn frosts, transplanted into pots, brought into the room.

These are already mother plants, which are best kept in large containers, used for up to three years, planted or put out in open ground next summer. In addition, in winter, the collected pelargonium seeds are taken out and ... step by step, they begin the whole process of growing it again.

Here are a few more related posts that you might be interested in.

A plant with a somewhat complex name "pelargonium" is a geranium familiar to everyone. Having experienced expulsion from the windowsills as an attribute of philistinism, pelargonium returned to our homes again, but already updated and often more beautiful than before. The demand for delightful flowers is growing year by year. After all, pelargonium is not only good-looking, but also unpretentious in care and useful. Even if it is not blooming, it is able to purify the air of the room in which it is located, and have a calming effect on the nerves, and when applied topically, it can also heal wounds. These and other properties of home geranium are used ethnoscience. Increasingly, pelargonium is planted as a garden or balcony plant; it has no equal in terms of duration and abundance of flowering. How to grow such a miracle at home and in the garden? There are two reasonable ways - from seeds and from cuttings. Growing pelargonium from seeds has become widespread since the middle of the last century after the appearance of heterotic hybrids (F1 are indicated on the bags). For a long time, cuttings remained the main method of obtaining new plants. Photo: Pelargonium ivy grown from seeds

PELARGONIUM FROM SEEDS

It is known that plants grown from seeds at home are more viable than from greenhouses from store shelves. Compared to cuttings, pelargonium grown from seeds has a more lush and long flowering. The seed method of propagation allows you to update old bushes that are losing their varietal qualities, or to introduce new varieties in an economically beneficial way. And although the process is simple, not everyone succeeds in pelargonium from seeds. There may be several reasons:
- bad seeds (old or spoiled);
- improperly prepared seeds;
- incorrect sowing and/or germination process.

To avoid the above mistakes, high-quality seeds are used for growing. On sale there are a great many different varieties of zonal (garden) pelargonium and ivy geranium. In order to be sure of the result, you need to buy seeds from a reputable manufacturer and at reliable points of sale, because if stored improperly, they can be damaged. Good seeds are sold prepared for sowing, it remains for us to sow them.

HOW TO PREPARE PELARGONIA SEEDS FOR SOWING Photo: zonal pelargonium seedlings obtained from seeds

In varietal geranium, not hybrid, seeds can be collected independently. But the characteristics of the variety may be lost. In order for pelargonium to surely grow from seeds, at home they need to be easily and confidently processed with small sandpaper (scarification) or an abrasive nail file. Before sowing, soak for 3 hours in warm water, then treat with zircon, epin or other similar preparation.

WHEN TO SOW GERANIA

Growing pelargonium from seeds can be started at any time. Some flower growers advise doing this from November to April, others - only in December, others - only in spring. Everyone is right, because geranium grows beautifully both on the street and in the room. But at home, seedlings may need additional lighting, which is inconvenient to do in an apartment. For this reason, growing pelargonium from seeds in middle lane Russia starts no earlier than February and no later than March with a sufficiently long daylight hours. It lets you fly get FLOWERING PLANTS. Photo: the first geranium flowers

SOIL FOR SOWING AND GROWING

The main thing in growing pelargonium is a properly selected soil mixture and compliance with the conditions for seed germination. There are no strict requirements for the composition of the soil, but it is important that it is not clayey, heavy or too light. Pelargonium seeds germinate well in seedling soil purchased in flower shops. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself, for which you need to mix peat and perlite in a 1: 1 ratio, or peat, sand and turf in a 1: 1: 2 ratio.

HOW TO SOW PELARGONIUM

The method of growing pelargonium from seeds depends on the chosen capacity. If you sow the seeds in a large box or a plastic container, then after the appearance of 2-3 leaves in the seedlings, they must be picked into separate containers. In this case, when sowing, a distance of 5 cm is observed, and when picking, the root system is especially protected.
You can also grow pelargonium from seeds by sowing each seed separately in plastic seedling cells, or in disposable cups or other individual containers. Then, when transplanting grown seedlings root system won't get hurt.

If seating cassettes are selected, it means that each cell already has a drainage hole. If the seeds are placed in solid boxes or unsuitable containers, such holes must be made in their bottom on their own, for example, pierced (melted) with a heated nail. If the height allows, a layer of drainage material (fine expanded clay, screenings) should be laid on the bottom of the seed container. But it is much more important that the drainage layer be in a pot, where the seedling will subsequently be placed for permanent residence. Photo: summer flowering geranium
The sowing process itself is as follows: we fill the container chosen for the seeds with soil, compact it moderately, slightly moisten it, and sow it.

In order for pelargonium to grow from seeds, they need to be spread out on the surface, and a little sprinkled with soil on top and moistened with a hand sprayer. You can not sprinkle the seeds, but lightly press them into the moist ground with a match to a depth of no more than 3-5 mm.

After that, the container with seeds is covered with a film and placed on a bright window without direct sunlight. The temperature should be room temperature, +20+22°C. The soil is kept slightly moist. Open once a day crops for 5 minutes for airing. Shoots will appear at the end of the first or second week after sowing, for some shoots this process may take more than a month.

Photo: seed-grown pelargonium as a container plant - from seedling to seed formation

SEEDLING CARE

Tiny plants need proper care. It is simple, but allows you to grow a beautiful pelargonium from seeds for home and garden. The main rule is reasonable watering. The soil with sprouts should be moderately moist at all times. Using a regular pharmacy pipette, it is convenient to dose the amount of water needed for each seedling. Sometimes they use medical syringes without a needle or a regular spray gun. It is desirable that water does not remain on the sprouts, as this can provoke some seedling diseases. When signs of a black leg appear, seedlings and soil are shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or preparations intended for this, for example, phytosporin, and then the conditions of detention are normalized.

The younger generation of geraniums should live on a bright window, even with direct sunlight, but not all day, but, for example, in the morning or only in the evening. In winter, it is undesirable for a container with seeds or seedlings to stand on the windowsill above a very hot battery. After seed germination, the temperature of the geranium content should be lowered by 2 degrees to + 18- + 20 ° C. This will keep the seedlings from stretching out and the plants will be bushy and level. Geraniums are fed at this stage with a special instant fertilizer for flower seedlings every 2 weeks. When using conventional microfertilizers, a solution is made up, the concentration of which is two times lower compared to the recommended dose.

TRANSFER AND LANDING PELARGONIUM

When two or three leaves appear on the sprouts, they dive into separate small containers; pots for cacti will not work. As the geranium grows, another transplant may be required into larger pots, preferably clay ones, which will protect the roots from overheating and retain moisture longer. It is better to transplant geraniums by transshipment, without disturbing the roots and earthy coma. Optimal size container for undersized varieties 20x30cm. When planting in a pot, it is advisable to apply a long-acting fertilizer. After the end of the threat of frost, pelargonium can be taken out into the street or planted in flower beds (5 plants per linear meter) in soil with the same characteristics as when growing seedlings.

Photo: growing ivy pelargonium from seeds

PELARGONIUM CARE

Pelargonium grown from seeds can be kept at home on the windowsill, and in the summer on the balcony or in the garden. In open ground, geraniums grow all year round only in areas where there are no long frosts in winter, and the thermometer never drops below -2 -3 ° C, but stays close to zero in winter. On rare cool days, it is enough to cover the pelargonium with a film.

In regions where winters are more severe, geraniums can be planted in flower beds in summer (non-double varieties), and in winter they can be transplanted into pots and brought into the house. And although geranium is unpretentious, she does not like constant transplants (the exception is the transshipment method). She reacts to such an attitude with a decrease flowering or its complete cessation. Experienced flower growers advise replanting a flower only if necessary (strongly grown plant, root disease). In other cases, in the summer it should be taken out to the balcony or into the yard in a pot, and when cold weather sets in, bring it back in the same pot. By the way, in flower pots, suitable in size, with proper care, pelargonium feels no worse than in open ground, and sometimes even better. After all, there is an opportunity to protect it from excessive precipitation, and the soil, when the air temperature in the pot drops, will warm up better than the soil.

Photo: summer flowering of ivy geranium

Care for pelargonium grown from seeds consists in timely moderate watering, fertilizing with any flower fertilizer at least once a month in open ground and twice if the flower is grown in a container. Faded blooms will need to be removed, with the exception of some varieties that shed them on their own. Then the pelargonium will delight with abundant and long flowering. So that the stem of the flower does not stretch upwards, it is pinched, thereby forming a small crown. It is advisable to do this until the plant reaches a height of 10 cm. And in order for the pelargonium to have the correct shape, the flower pot is placed freely on the windowsill and rotated a few degrees from time to time. In rainy weather, it is better to protect the geranium growing on the street from excessive moisture, and bring it into the room with a decrease in air temperature.

And although pelargoniums can live in the shade and in the open sun, in cool rooms and where it is hot, the best appearance and many beautiful flowers will be in plants for which a moderate regime is observed both in lighting and in temperature environment, and in irrigation.

They made geraniums one of the common indoor plants of noble houses back in the nineteenth century. It was believed that the flower brings happiness and prosperity, and its aroma drives away evil spirits. So from generation to generation the love for the flower was passed on. Breeders enthusiastically created new varieties, of which today there are about 400 species.

Growing conditions and care rules for geraniums for lush flowering

If the windows of the room are on the south side, and the sun "lives" on the windowsill throughout the daylight hours, then these are ideal conditions for geraniums. The flower bed in the garden should be on a hill so that no other plants or architectural forms can cast a shadow on the flower. The rays of the scorching sun are not terrible for the plant, it tolerates dry weather well, the temperature drops to 10-15 degrees.

Optimum growing temperature: for lush flowering the air should be warmed up to 18-22 ºС, but in winter, before flowering, it is enough to maintain 15 ºС above zero (this temperature is kept on the window or in office space). If the flower does not take breaks between flowering, then its strength will quickly run out, which will lead to illness or death. 3-4 weeks of rest is enough to make it long.

Lighting: if the sun leaves the geranium growth zone early in the garden or there is not enough light in the room, you should urgently find a sunnier place for the flower, daylight hours are at least 12 hours.

Watering and spraying: the leaf plate does not tolerate getting wet, therefore the plant has a negative attitude towards the spray gun and wiping. The accumulated dust from the leaves can be collected with a dry or slightly damp brush or brush. Watering is carried out daily during the flowering period in summer or 2 times a week in winter, when the plant is at rest. During the absence of the house in the summer, daily watering can be replaced with a cotton cloth moistened with plenty of water.

soil mixture: Whether in a pot for a houseplant or in the garden, it is important to remember: geranium roots do not tolerate compacted soil. Therefore, the earth is prepared from sand, peat, black soil in equal quantities. For air exchange, it is often necessary to loosen the soil, so the roots will receive oxygen, and the leaves, thanks to photosynthesis, will be brighter and more magnificent.

Feeding geraniums with iodine for lush flowering on the video:

Top dressing with fertilizers: everything in moderation. Geranium reacts negatively to organic fertilizers and gladly accepts mineral. Now there are special fertilizer complexes for geraniums on sale, which greatly simplifies the life of the grower, the main thing is to dilute the solutions according to the instructions and not increase the concentration. During flowering, phosphorus and potassium will not be superfluous, and after - nitrogen, which will give strength for a new flowering.

Moving to a new place: perfectly tolerates a change of scenery, continuing to bloom. The beauty lives beautifully from clay and plastic, the main thing is that drainage is provided in the bottom. Remember: a spacious container will enhance the formation of green mass and reduce the intensity of flowering. If the pot was bigger size, then you can plant several bushes at once, forming a bouquet composition. Garden geraniums are removed indoors for the winter, otherwise death cannot be avoided.

Geranium pruning and pinching for dense shoots and lush blooms

In order for the plant to look neat on the windowsill or flower bed, it must be cut off. To do this, choose the period of the end of winter or the beginning of spring, when flowering stops. Cut off old shoots, leaves, providing a neat appearance to the bush.

For branching and the formation of several shoots, the bush is pinched after 8-10 leaves.. This is how the lateral processes will go, which also bear flower stalks. The procedure is not painless for the plant, so it is important to fertilize a couple of days before pruning, and water 1-2 times a week, as needed. Flowering may move, but not more than a month. During this time, new leaves and stems will grow.

The video will tell about pinching geraniums:

In the axils of the leaves, new shoots can form, stepchildren, which must be removed when there are 1-2 leaves. Otherwise, the bush will take on an irregular shape, additional ones will add disharmony to the overall composition. Leave only shoots from the root.

Pruning geraniums in winter on video:

Be sure to remove faded inflorescences on the bush so that they do not take away strength from the plant and new peduncles can form. If you leave dried flowers, the plant will begin to form seeds and stop flowering.

How to cut geraniums in spring, look at the video:

Having shown the necessary attention, the gardener will always contribute to the lush flowering of geraniums, the beautiful growth of green mass, and the healthy appearance of plants.

Reproduction of geraniums at home

There are 2 methods of propagation: seed and cuttings. The choice depends on the variety and the preferences of the gardener. Each has its own subtleties, but is not difficult to repeat.

It is better to buy seeds in a specialized store for gardeners, where the consultant will tell you and help you decide on the choice of variety. In addition, seeds from the store will give the expected result in terms of appearance and flowering qualities. Self-collected seeds from hybrid plants do not guarantee the repetition of the qualities that the parents have.

How to grow geraniums from seeds

• sown in bulk on the nutrient mixture as rarely as possible, sprinkled on top with a thin layer of earth or sand.
• Pots for seedlings choose a small size, 50-100 ml each.
• After planting, the container is covered with a film so that it is the greenhouse effect to help the seeds germinate faster.
• Every day, accumulated condensate must be removed from the film so as not to provoke the development of fungal diseases.
• When the first shoots appear, the film is removed.
• Watering is carried out as needed, without waterlogging the soil.
• After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the bushes dive into containers for constant growth.
• Seedlings should receive a lot of light so that development takes place to the fullest, the plants do not stretch and do not get sick.

The video will tell you more about growing geraniums from seeds:

The matter is simple, because even beginner flower growers and schoolchildren will cope. By the way, children really like to participate in the process of growing seedlings. Then they watch with delight how the plants develop, release the first and delight with abundant flowering.

Propagation of geraniums by cuttings and dividing the bush

Reproduction of geraniums by cuttings photo How to propagate geraniums

The most common way to breed geraniums, which is not time consuming and always brings the desired result.

• For propagation by cuttings, an adult bush is suitable, from which you can cut off a side shoot without damage.

How to propagate geranium cuttings Geranium shoot photo

• The finished process can be immediately planted in a clay pot, separating the lower leaves from the legs.
• Soaking in a glass of water is not required, the plant does not like moisture, rot may appear.

• The cut point is treated with a weak solution of manganese, if conditions require it (presence of pests, high humidity indoors causing mold).

Geranium propagation by cuttings Cuttings of geranium photo

If the bush has several branches from the root, then geraniums can be propagated by dividing the bush. To do this, the plant is removed from the ground, a dividing point is found, a bush is bred and placed in a permanent place. Geranium will begin to bloom in 2-3 months, and when favorable conditions- before.
The seed method is painstaking, but with long flowering - 5-7 years. In the case of propagation by cuttings, the bush will begin to fade in 4-6 years.

Diseases and pests of geraniums

Unfavorable conditions, low temperatures and abundant watering can lead to rotting of the base of the seedling stem and adult plants - the black leg. The disease leads to the death of the entire bush, if no action is taken. With abundant watering and stagnant water in a pot, you need to new ground, pinching off the upper processes.

How to care for geraniums at home Diseases and pests of geraniums photo

Gray plaque on the leaves - mold appears in the absence of drainage in the pot, compressed earth does not provide sufficient air exchange, the flower begins to fade. The best way prevention - follow the recommendations of loosening, timely introduce mulching substances into the soil. Sleeping tea leaves, fine river or aquarium sand, peat are suitable. Affected leaves are treated with antifungal drugs - gentle spraying of problem areas.

Whiteflies, butterflies, aphids, moths - all those garden pests that can live in the garden. If the soap solution and tobacco infusion did not help, then you can turn to industrial tools.

Difficulties in caring for geraniums Why geraniums turn yellow what to do

Why did the lower leaves turn yellow and dry?

This means that there is not enough moisture and air exchange in the soil. It is enough to increase watering and loosen the earth. If this does not help, then you need to transplant the plant into a new, well-drained soil.

Why does the geranium not bloom, although enough time has passed? What to do

• It looks like the air in the room is too warm and dry. Frequent airing, a humidifier will help.
• Another reason may be exhaustion, it is simply already old and you need to think about propagating by cuttings and getting new young bushes.
• Do not forget about the quality of the land: often the problem can be solved by transplanting into a fresh, loose soil mixture. Planting simply in the ground, with abundant watering, will also help to rejuvenate the bush. But when planting back into the pot, remember: it is better to divide the bush after it, it will grow strongly and there will be little space in the old pot.
• The dried flowers remaining on the bush may also be the reason. The plant will stop flowering if they are not cut.

Why do geranium leaves turn yellow?

Remember: in geraniums, the edges of the leaves dry and turn yellow only with improper care. If the plant is uncomfortable, it turns on defense mechanisms in order to survive. Among the reasons may be too high a temperature in the room, insufficient watering, too compacted soil, which does not allow the roots to adequately nourish the plant.

Transplanting into a more spacious pot, with a new nutrient soil mixture, balanced watering, and airing the room will help here.

Why did the leaves of the geranium on the windowsill turn red in winter?

Only low temperatures change the leaves to red. Exit - a warm place and loosening the soil.

The use of geraniums in traditional medicine

Not every member of the family will like the specific aroma of geranium, but at rest the plant does not give up its aroma. Healers believed that geranium essential oil, extracted from the green mass of the plant, would relieve headaches and help fight migraines.

Application of geranium:

• treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract with a decoction of leaves;
• aromatherapy with geranium oil relieves stress, relieves insomnia;
• root tincture normalizes blood pressure, lowers upper pressure;
• a decoction of inflorescences relieves inflammation, redness, suppuration, is used to wipe the eyes with purulent conjunctivitis;
• a compress of soaked leaves relieves age-related joint pain, sprains, overwork.

The plant is an excellent protector against flies and mosquitoes in summer period. Salvation from annoying insects will be the bushes on the window - decoration and barrier.

Geranium will not leave indifferent any flower grower, and care and care will bring bright bouquets of inflorescences.

The origin of the flower, its legendary past

The geographic origin of geraniums is South Africa, with its sunny and hot climate. Despite heat-loving preferences, the plant has easily adapted to the European continent. The history of cultivation as a culture begins in the 16th century, when trade with African countries developed. For Russia, the flower became known after Peter the Great traveled around Europe. Dutch architects brought with them several indoor flower bushes, among which was geranium.

The origin of the name according to Muslim beliefs is associated with the prophet Mohammed. Geranium was a weed, no one paid attention to it. When the prophet descended from heaven to earth, his cloak was damp with sweat. He threw it on the grass, and the geranium wrapped the cloak closer to the sun. To evaporate moisture faster. Mohammed noticed this and thanked the plant, giving a luxurious umbrella of inflorescences and an unforgettable aroma.

It was possible to determine the value by the color of the geranium inflorescences. Pink geranium attracted love and family well-being, white - childbearing, red - protected from evil spirits and evil spirits. Petals are able to attract a husband to the house or set up family relationships. For this, young unmarried girls carried dried flowers in a linen bag with them. In the family, geranium helped women get rid of her husband's drunkenness and return him to the family.

Poems were written about geraniums, famous classics were mentioned in the stories. It was grown as an ornament and for treatment. Some varieties are able to adapt on the street, others love home warmth, but they all respond gratefully to the caring hands of the gardener.

Types and varieties of geraniums

Geraniums are divided into 6 groups:

• royal large-flowered, characterized by large caps of inflorescences;
• zonal, a symbol of the Victorian era, evergreen bushes with tall inflorescences;
• ampelous, with five-fingered even leaves and falling shoots;
• fragrant, emitting a specific aroma, the flowers are small, collected in small rounded inflorescences;
• succulent, with thorns on the bushes, and the appearance resembles fairy-tale creatures;
• variegated with gracefully colored leaves with an unusual transition of green hues.

For room pelargonium, there are 2 types:

• ampelous with falling shoots, looks great in a cache-pot;
• bush low with large caps of inflorescences.

Under indoor growing conditions, geraniums are represented by more than forty varieties. Common types: fragrant, royal, zonal. All of them are unpretentious in care, profusely flowering, love the sunny sides.

in the wild and garden plots Meadow geranium is more common. Its flowering is not so lush, but the green mass compensates for this shortcoming. It is no more than half a meter in height, but to form a neat bush, it is better to cut long stems, then there will be no “bare” branches.

For cultural cultivation, such varieties of geraniums as "Star of the Moscow Region", "Waterfall of Summer", "Orbit", "Maverick", "Yarka", "Pavla" are popular. Hybrid seeds, first generation offspring. Therefore, repeated collection of seeds may not bring those qualities that the parent individual has.