Geranium - pruning for lush bloom, how to pinch

Today geranium is experiencing another wave of popularity. It is used to decorate residential and office premises, windows, greenhouses. Its main feature is to pull out shoots, which must be removed in time. This should be done knowing how to prune geraniums. If you follow all the rules, the bush will bloom on time and have the desired shape.

Do you need to prune geraniums and when to do it

Novice florists have many questions about geraniums: how to cut it so that it is lush throughout the season, whether it is necessary to do it regularly, etc. Geranium pruning must be done on time and correctly. This guarantees the formation of not only a beautiful, lush bush, but also rejuvenates the flower, significantly increasing its life.

Blooming geranium

Why pruning geraniums

In general, geranium does not require complex maintenance. Pruning a plant must be given due attention. If this is not done, the flower will turn into a huge bush with shoots of different lengths, which will casually stick out in all directions. That is why it is important to get rid of unnecessary branches in a timely manner. Also, cutting a flower contributes to:

• awakening of the lateral stems;
• the formation of an attractive shape;
• the formation of new inflorescences;
• prolongation of flowering time;
• an increase in the pomp of inflorescences;
• reproduction by cut off shoots.
• improving the metabolism of nutrients.

It is recommended to prune the plant every year, otherwise it will cease to bush. There is no need to wait until the shoots grow strongly.

In the first year of flower growth, it is not recommended to cut it off, it is better to wait until it grows

Preparing soil, balcony and room geraniums for pruning

Mostly geranium bushes that do not get sick. Throughout the summer and autumn, they bloom magnificently and give aesthetic pleasure to those around them. For better flowering, it is necessary to properly prepare geraniums for further pruning, depending on the place of growth.

On the garden plot

Before the onset of the first cold days and frosts, pelargonium, which grew in the garden, is dug up by the root and, using the transshipment method, is transplanted into a prepared container. Previously, a drainage layer of several centimeters is made in the planting pot. Then they transfer the transplanted plant to the room and do not touch it for 14 days. Only after adaptation can you start the process of cutting the flower.

On a street flower bed

When growing pelargonium on the street, the storage method in plastic bags comes to the rescue. In a cold room or refrigerator. The method involves pruning after digging up the plant from the street area. Shoots are cut off and shoots are left up to 6 cm, long roots are also shortened.

A moistened soil is left on the roots, the plant is placed in a strong plastic bag and tied so that the inverted stem is visible.You can use a milk carton. The contents of the bag are transferred to the refrigerator in a box for storing vegetables and fruits. There, the temperature usually varies within +5 ℃.

On the balcony or windowsill

In the event that the flower grew in a pot on an open terrace or an unglazed balcony, the containers are brought into the room before the cold weather. If pelargonium overwinters on a windowsill in a home apartment, it should be watered once every 30 days. Otherwise, the arid climate during the heating season will affect the development of the flower. This limitation in water is due to the fact that after cutting, there is practically no green leaves left and the plant has nothing to evaporate moisture with. Therefore, in order to avoid diseases, watering is reduced.

If the geranium grew on the windowsill all the time and was not planted in the open ground in the summer, it must also be properly trimmed. So that in winter it does not stretch out due to lack of light period, part of the leaves is removed from the plant. To achieve uniform flowering of pelargonium, long branches are cut above two internodes.

It is necessary to prepare for pruning only those bushes that need rejuvenation.

Geranium pruning technique for lush flowering

So that the flower does not hurt and develop correctly, it is important to know how to properly cut geraniums so that it blooms magnificently and for a long time. Gardeners distinguish the following rules and recommendations regarding pruning for active flowering:

• All manipulations must be carried out with a disinfected instrument: a sharpened knife, blade or scissors.
• The incision is made strictly obliquely over the leaf node.
• In no case should the growth point of the flower be damaged (knot on the stem).
• First of all, lateral and long shoots are removed, then those that are in the middle of the plant.
• It is recommended to treat the cut site with wood ash, activated carbon, or it is allowed to use cinnamon powder as an antiseptic. Manipulation will save the bush from rotting or damage by pests.
• After the spring cutting of the bush, geraniums are fed with a nitrogen-containing fertilizer in order to accelerate the growth of young branches, the appearance of ovaries.
• If the flower wilted on a geranium in the summer or some kind of shoot began to dry out, they get rid of them. Otherwise, the flower will waste its strength and nutrients on unhealthy parts. The bush is carefully looked after to get rid of diseased growths.

Healthy cut stems can be used to grow good new shrubs

For reproduction of pelargonium with cut off shoots, it is placed in water and left in a lighted place. Avoid direct sunlight. After a while, roots appear on the processes and they are planted in the ground.

Types of flower pruning

Often, gardeners ask themselves: what is the best way to prune geraniums? The procedure is divided into three types, depending on the objectives pursued:

1. The main one.
2. Seasonal (spring and autumn).
3. Topping.

Autumn pruning is considered sanitary. It is carried out only after the plant has faded and is necessary to prepare the plant for wintering. It is done until December. All branches that spoil the appearance (damaged, wilted) are removed from the bush. Shoots that have no leaves left are cut by a third.

The latter type has proven itself well, it is effective when it is precisely known how to pinch a geranium bush.The flower takes on a beautiful shape. The species has many advantages, but you need to know how to pinch geraniums correctly. In winter (from December to January), the bush is not trimmed, as the plant is immersed in a state of dormancy. This time serves to recuperate.

For the winter, geraniums are thoroughly pruned.

Pinching the plant

Pinching means cutting off the point of the plant's growth. The action will lead to the awakening of lateral shoots and the formation of a lush crown. Before proceeding, it is recommended that you learn how to pinch geraniums so that it grows thicker and blooms on time. To form a pelargonium bush without stress, you should use the pinching technique. Carried out as the plant grows. It should be remembered that flowering will begin with a slight delay. To carry out the procedure correctly, it is important to remember how to pinch geraniums for lush flowering and adhere to the following scheme:

1. Pinching of the upper kidney is done 14 days after transplantation.
2. As the stems develop, the manipulation is carried out when there are 4 leaves on the shoot.
3. The pinching ends when the required shape of the bush is reached.

The procedure is carried out at any time (best of all from the beginning of spring to the end of summer), except for winter. Excluded from this rule are varieties that bloom in the winter season.

You can pinch geraniums several times over the summer. As a result, new buds are formed on the regrown shoots, the bush grows more, becoming thicker and thicker.

Royal pelargonium is a capricious species. To apply minimal stress to her, it is recommended to limit yourself only to pinching. As a result, the crown will have an attractive spherical shape.

Crown formation

The crown shape can be formed gradually from the moment of planting. To properly trim the crown, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Perform pruning with disinfected and sharp scissors, a knife, to exclude infection.
• In the process of thinning the shoots, they begin with those that grow deeper into the plant.
• The stem is cut five mm above the leaf.
• A few days before pruning, the flower is limited to watering.
• You can pinch off the shoots before the summer days, otherwise the bush will not be able to form flowers.

Choosing the timing of pruning geranium

Geranium cannot do without pruning. The procedure is necessary to awaken dormant buds, which, as they develop, will turn into lateral stems.

How to prune geraniums in the fall

An autumn haircut involves preparation for the winter. The development of the plant in the next season depends on the fidelity of the technology being carried out. The plant fades, after which a number of actions are performed:

1. First of all, sluggish inflorescences are removed from the bush, then dry and weakened foliage is cut off.
2. Further, the crown is adjusted. Having examined the entire bush, they determine which stems are removed under the root. New bushes can be grown from them in the future.
3. After completing the correction, the main shoot is shortened by a third. Pinch young shoots at the 5th point. If this is not done, the plant will spend its energy on them during the wintering period, and will not bloom in the spring.

The "creeping" or ampelous type of pelargonium also needs pruning of shoots that hang too much from the pot. The best time for this is autumn.

Ivy-leaved pelargonium is pruned in autumn.

From December to mid-February, the flower is dormant. Pruning, pinching, or fertilizing should not be carried out during this period. Only a minimal water supply is sufficient.

Spring pruning of geraniums at home

Spring pruning takes place in March. It allows the plant to form many buds and leaves.

Stem pruning is carried out taking into account the parameters of the bush itself. If the bush is large, you should not cut off many shoots. Otherwise, he will not have the strength to form new inflorescences and foliage. As a result, the plant will not please with flowering. A young, fluffy flower allows you to get any shape, unlike large, overgrown bushes. At home, geraniums are also grown, pruning for lush flowering which is done in the fall.

How not to harm geraniums when pruning

The procedure for pruning shoots is not difficult, however, for novice growers, geraniums can acquire an unsatisfactory appearance or even die. Common mistakes include:

• Late pruning. Cutting off the shoots during the flowering period can cause the flowering buds to fall off.
• Cutting a large number of branches. If you remove most of the shoots at one time, the plant will not bloom and grow for a long time.
• Failure to comply with the recommendations for the height of the cut relative to the sheet node. Too high a cut can cause the tip of the shoot to die off, which will significantly worsen the appearance of the bush.
• A large number of haircuts. In this case, the development of buds and buds is suspended.

Following all pruning guidelines will help you bloom in the next season.

Pruning geraniums is an integral part of caring for it. Compared to other colors, she is completely picky. Having set aside 15 minutes for pruning in the fall, with the onset of summer, the flower will delight with the beauty and aroma of inflorescences.