Geranium seeds - what they look like and how to sow them for seedlings

Geranium is found in almost all countries of the world. The plant belongs to the Geraniev family and has many subspecies. With proper care, you can achieve year-round flowering. Flowers can have a variety of shades: white, pink, red. Recently, two-color representatives of the species have appeared on the market.

Pros and cons of seed propagation of geraniums

This breeding method has one significant drawback. Planting by seed does not guarantee the preservation of the parental qualities of geraniums, which makes it almost impossible to achieve the transfer of varietal traits.

Blooming geranium

But there are also advantages of seed propagation of geraniums:

• simplicity and lightness;
• the seed has a long shelf life;
• self-collected seeds will not be infected with diseases;
• sowing is carried out in late winter or early spring (by mid-summer the plant will begin to bloom).

What geranium seeds look like

Before sowing geraniums, seed is carefully selected. What do geranium seeds look like? They should be colored brown, have an elongated oval shape with inner side depressions. The shell of a matte color is dense and looks like leather. The size of the seeds depends on the variety, but they are all large in size.

Geranium seeds

It is important to choose your pelargonium seeds carefully. Deformed and small elements are removed immediately, they are unsuitable for planting.

How to get and collect seed

For self-collection of planting material, preliminary pollination of the flower is carried out. Using a brush, pollen is moved from one flower to another. After flowering, a seed box will form on the plant. When it is completely dry, they immediately begin to extract the planting material.

Seed capsule

Rules for choosing purchased seeds

Geranium seeds are purchased only from trusted producers. After opening, the planting material is carefully examined. It must be dry and uniformly colored. The seeds should be free of any damage or signs of disease.

Renowned seed producers

The best time to sow

The choice of landing time is dictated by the length of daylight hours. The optimal period is the end of winter. Some growers easily carry out the procedure all year round. For this, additional lighting is organized.

Preparing for the procedure

Before sowing, the seeds must be processed. It allows not only to improve germination, but also to disinfect the planting material. To do this, it is soaked for 30 minutes in Zircon or Epin.After treatment with the composition, the seeds are immersed in warm water for 2-3 hours.

Selection of containers

For seedlings, use individual or joint containers. Use plastic containers or pots. In recent years, peat cups have been very popular.

Soil preparation

The substrate can be purchased at the flower center or prepared by yourself. When buying ready-made soil, there is a high probability of non-compliance with the proportions of nutrients. In this case, the first shoots will appear later and will not grow large. It will be bad for geraniums to bloom on such land.

Florists advise to prepare the soil mixture yourself (in a ratio of 1: 1: 2) from:

• peat soil;
• sifted river sand;
• turf.

Scarification, disinfection and soaking of pelargonium seeds

Before growing geraniums from seeds at home, planting material is preliminarily prepared. Partial removal of the shell helps to speed up the germination process. In order not to damage the seed, the procedure is performed using sandpaper. Only the top layer is removed with it.

A weak solution of manganese or hydrogen peroxide is used for disinfection. After disinfection, soaking is carried out in water at room temperature. Two hours are enough for the swelling of the planting material.

How to sow pelargonium with seeds at home for seedlings

Seed pelargonium can be grown in any shallow container. Suitable for this:

• plastic containers;
• peat cups or tablets;
• toilet paper.

Seed planting and home care for pelargonium are performed in strict accordance with the step-by-step instructions.

Into containers

You can sow geraniums at home in special trays. The depth of the container should not exceed 3-4 cm. Prepared trays are filled with soil and watered with warm water. The ground temperature must be at least +20 ℃. Seeds are sown at a distance of 2 cm from each other.

Sowing in plastic containers

Seeds are planted in shallow pits and sprinkled on top with the same substrate. Watering after planting is a must. It is recommended to create conditions close to greenhouse ones, that is, cover with foil or transparent glass.

In peat tablets

It is permissible to grow pelargonium from seeds in a peat soil mixture. Peat tablets are great for this. They are watered in advance. Sowing is carried out in shallow holes, the planting is covered with polyethylene or glass. For this method, it is important to carry out daily ventilation and spraying.

Using peat tablets

Using toilet paper

Germinating seed on toilet paper is considered one of the easiest and most effective ways. The pretreated seeds are spread on moistened paper in a container and covered with a lid. When the first shoots appear, the seedlings are transplanted into the ground as carefully as possible.

Germination on toilet paper

How to care for geranium seedlings

A properly performed planting procedure is part of a good result. It is necessary to grow seedlings in favorable conditions. Geraniums require timely watering, correct temperature conditions and good feeding.

First shoots

Watering

The amount and frequency of watering is directly dependent on the season. In hot summer, humidification is carried out every 3 days. In winter - once a week. The bottom of the container is laid with a thick layer of drainage. The plant categorically does not tolerate excess moisture. Watering is carried out only when the top layer of the soil dries out.

Top dressing

The first feeding is carried out only 14 days after the pick.At this stage, the plant requires potassium and phosphorus. Agricola and Effekton are well suited for these purposes. Top dressing is carried out in the period from March to October. Frequency - once every 20 days.

External factors

Before growing geraniums from seeds, it is important to create the right climatic conditions for it. The flower grows only in well-lit areas. But, as with other indoor species, direct sunlight should be avoided. Daylight hours for pelargonium should be at least 15-16 hours. In summer, the plant is taken out into the fresh air.

Due to the fact that geranium leaves are covered with a special protective layer, it is strongly not recommended to spray the species. Any ingress of moisture on the stem and leaves can lead to rot on the flower.

The flower tolerates temperature changes painfully. For young shoots, this is unacceptable. The optimum air temperature is 20-22 degrees above zero, the minimum is +7 ℃.

Picking

After the appearance of the first sprouts, a pick is carried out and the seedlings are transplanted into individual containers. Deepening should be carried out by 2-3 cm. Young flowers are transplanted into small and shallow containers.

Species picking

Pinching

It is recommended to pinch geraniums at the level of 6-8 leaves. Adult species should be pruned in the spring and fall. Timely pruning of weak and damaged shoots will allow you to get an unusually beautiful plant that will delight you with lush flowering for a long time.

When to transplant to a permanent place

The transplantation of mature sprouts is carried out at the end of spring. 1-2 days before transplanting, the substrate is moistened so as not to damage the root system and plant the most healthy plant in a permanent place. In open ground, the distance between plantings is at least 20-25 cm.

In a home, you can grow from seeds almost any, even an exotic flower. For some species, the procedure for planting seeds is a series of complex activities. Geranium, in turn, is quite simple to sow and achieve a positive result. It is important not only to choose high-quality planting material, but also to comply with all the rules for caring for a young plant.

Common geranium

In China, for example, this species has been recognized for many decades as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. For flower reproduction, it is the seed method that is most often used. Pelargonium can become a real decoration not only at home, but also in a personal plot.