Pelargonium ampelous or geranium - growing and care at home
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Ampel geranium, or pelargonium, is the most popular plant among flower growers: beginners and professionals. This flower is great for decorating terraces, balconies, indoor window sills, as well as outdoor areas. Streets are also adorned with truss geraniums. Pelargonium is a lush flowering plant with rounded dark leaves. Geranium ampelous, when proper care is taken at home, quickly moves to the flowering stage.
Ampel pelargonium: home care
In order for a flower to please with its healthy appearance for a whole year, it needs to create conditions suitable for life. And for this you need to know what the ampelous geranium is demanding (care and cultivation, pinching), the features of each growth period.
Ampel geranium
Summer care
Geraniums grow actively from early spring to late summer. At this time, caring for pelargonium at home should consist of:
- timely watering. It is necessary to moisten the flower when the top layer of the substrate gradually dries out. In this matter, you can overdo it, very often you cannot water, the flower will not be grateful for this. So watering should always be kept under control, observing the land;
- periodic feeding;
- pinching new shoots and pruning.
Ampel pelargonium
Winter care
Pelargonium care in winter and summer is different. Unlike the warm season, ampelous geraniums rest in cold weather.
Proper care of geraniums in winter is:
- location of the flower in a cool place (temperature is about 5-12 ° C);
- diffused but bright room lighting;
- water rarely, about 1 time in 2 weeks;
- Pelargonium pots should be far enough away from radiators and other heat sources.
Features of growing ampelous pelargonium on the street
Pelargonium feels great both indoors and outdoors. Therefore, ampelous geraniums are often planted in the ground. The requirements for a flower planted outdoors remain the same as for home care. For lush flowering and healthy growth, it needs watering, feeding and periodic pruning.
Ampel geranium on the street
Seat selection
The most important thing for planting geraniums on the street is the composition of the soil. It is a well-chosen land that will give strength to a flower. The soil must be without stagnant groundwater, thus the roots of the flower will be protected from decay.
Lighting
Ampel geranium prefers very bright places. Thanks to the sun, pelargonium begins to bloom profusely, otherwise the buds fall off and only the stems begin to grow. It is important to take into account that, like many other flowers, ampelous geraniums do not like direct sunlight, so the place should be moderately lit and hidden from direct sunlight.
Temperature regime
During the flowering period, ampelous geraniums should be in a warm place. The best temperature for this flower is about 18 ° C. However, the plant is not afraid of cold snaps, so you should not worry during the winter period.
The most common pests and diseases
Unfortunately, like almost every flower, geranium is also subject to some diseases, sometimes even pests appear on the plant. With improper care, geraniums can be affected by gray mold, viral mosaics, various harmful fungi or caterpillars.
Only chemicals that are sold in specialized stores will help to solve the problem. But, in order to prevent such a state of geranium, it is easier to care for it properly.
Top dressing of ampelous pelargonium for lush flowering
During the flowering period, geraniums need feeding. You can help the flower during this period with the help of various fertilizers, which are added to the soil throughout the spring and summer.
In this case, a complex of mineral fertilizers comes to the rescue. Also, flower growers sometimes use milk as a top dressing. But you should be careful, beforehand, just like other fertilizers, you need to dilute it with water.
Lush flowering of ampelous geranium at home after proper care
For fertilization purposes, substances such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium sulfate are also used, which also need to be diluted with water.
Pruning and shaping the bush
What is geranium pruning for? This question is most often asked by novice gardeners, because the flower is growing anyway, why break it off? Pelargonium pruning is necessary to keep the bush neat. It also helps the flower not to waste extra energy on stretching to an unnecessary length. Thus, the plant gives all its energy to flowers and lush leaves. In addition, pruning produces cuttings for flower propagation.
Pruning
All about pruning and pinching pelargonium
The main difference between pruning and pinching is that the first option is considered a dramatic way to reshape a plant when whole branches are removed. This is necessary in order for the flower to form in the form of a bush, otherwise, if the pruning is not done and the flower is allowed to grow as it wants, the branches will elongate, and the plant itself will start up the minimum number of flowers.
In the second case, only the ends of the stems are pinched, namely the points of growth. The advantage of this method is that not one, but several young shoots appear at the pinching site after a while. In this way, you can achieve greater splendor and bushiness of the flower.
The most important thing when trimming and pinching:
- use the right tools. For pruning plants, only a sharp tool is suitable, which will not unnecessarily harm the flower;
- wash or disinfect hands before the procedure so as not to infect the flower with diseases.
You need to prune the plant before each wintering. Thus, geraniums will be able to maintain their strength in the cold period and bloom magnificently in the spring.
Pinching, in turn, is a procedure that is best carried out at the end of winter or early spring, however, it is not prohibited to form a bush in the following time, when the plant is already blooming.
Growing pelargonium yourself
Growing a flower is always a fun process, especially if the plant was not originally purchased in a store, but planted on its own. The cultivation of geraniums can be carried out by propagating the plant by cuttings or using seeds.
Germination
Growing from seeds
For germination of geranium seeds, the period from December to April is considered the most favorable. The procedure consists of several stages:
- For the soil, a mixture of peat, sphagnum, garden soil and sand is used.
- The finished soil with seeds must be moistened and placed under a film to form a kind of greenhouse.
- It is worth storing a flowerpot with seeds in good lighting. The room temperature should be 22-24 ° C. Under these conditions, the seeds begin to sprout in about a week.
- After waiting 3 weeks, you can pick the germinated seeds.
How to grow from cuttings
To propagate pelargonium by cuttings from a finished bush, you need to cut off a twig. This is best done in the summer. The stalk can give roots in water or directly in the ground. After the sprouts have rooted and several leaves have appeared, it is recommended to pinch. So the bush will gradually grow and become more magnificent. If you take care of the cuttings in the right way, after a year the sprout will delight you with flowers.
Pelargonium transplant
The transplant greatly affects the health of the flower. It is best carried out in early spring. This procedure is performed most often to increase the space for the flower. Thus, a pot with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm larger than the previous one is better suited for transplanting. Planting pelargonium requires accuracy and care, so you should be careful.
Homemade ampelous pelargonium is becoming one of the favorite flowers for housewives, not only because it blooms very beautifully, but also because of its undemanding care. In order for a flower to always remain lush and beautiful, you just need to be careful and follow simple, but important rules for geraniums.
