How to cut the cuttings of geranium. Possible problems and their solution

Geranium pruning: how to get a lush healthy bush

Geranium (pelargonium). a plant with a wide range of advantages. Regardless of the species, the flower has medicinal properties and scares off insect pests. Geranium can be grown both on the windowsill and in open ground. It is important to maintain pelargonium in proper form, in particular, timely and correctly cut.

Every spring we can observe how bushes and trees are cut on the central streets of the city, giving them the correct shape. But few people know that this haircut is not only decorative in nature. Plants are cut for the sake of healing and rejuvenating the crown. The same applies to indoor specimens prone to intensive growth, such as pelargonium (geranium).

The purpose and benefit of pruning

The main goal of pruning any plant is to thin out the crown to improve air exchange, lighting and sheet power. Without this event, geranium will have a neglected and unhealthy look, ceases to bloom, turn into a shapeless and untidy bush. What is the useful pruning of the geranium:

• the flowering period is extended;
• The metabolism is accelerated and its quality increases;
• lateral branches and young shoots are formed;
• Wintering is facilitated.

The heraean flowering time depends on the variety and proceeds from early spring to late autumn, and in some varieties even in winter. In order for the inflorescences on the plant to be a lot, it is necessary to cut the bush, but do it correctly and in a timely manner, according to the features of the variety.

Autumn pruning is a more logical procedure than spring. From November to February, the geranium starts a period of rest. The plant often slows its development, while continuing to eat. It is very difficult to contain a magnificent crown in this state, the haircut greatly facilitates the wintering. Cardinal pruning allows pelargonium to refresh the crown and form the bush again.

If your pelargonium blooms all year round, then you can cut it at any time.

In winter, geranium can only be trimmed if there are conditions for the content of a cut flower, at least two lower sheets are left. After the crown of the plant is rejuvenated due to radical pruning, you can form its bush during the winter through pinching and decorative pruning. Zonal pelargonium has a feature of quick laying of the kidneys and the early formation of buds, so it will only be happy with a haircut;

• Painting pelargonium can be cut both in spring and autumn. If during the winter the bush is excessively stretched, it is trimmed in late February. early March;
• The flower growers are cut at their discretion, if the plant does not need pruning, then it is not touched until spring;
• The variegated species tolerates autumn pruning, through such stress it is easier for them to go through in the spring;
• geranium mini-sort is not cut at all. The crown of these tiny pelargoniums is adjusted only for consideration of the beauty and decorativeness of the bush;
• Royal pelargonium is cut “under the stump” and placed in a cool place. But such a cardinal haircut is carried out not regularly, but if necessary, because the plant develops not as intensively as, for example, zonal geranium.

Read more: Peperomy in indoor floriculture: Features of landing and care for the tropical beauty

How to cut the cuttings of geranium

Geranium (pelargonium). perennial plant. It can grow at home in a pot for at least 10 years, gradually exposing the lower part of the barrel and turning into a meter stick, scarcely blooming at the ends of the shoots. Not at all aesthetically, agree. And it does not look at all like fluffy thick bushes with many flower shooters, photos of which are published in fashion magazines on floriculture. Why is that? And because the pelargonium, depending on the species, must be updated once every 1-3 years, that is, to re-grow, otherwise the deterioration of its appearance and flowering cannot be avoided.

Geranium propagation: cuttings or seeds?

You can propagate pelargonium with seeds and cuttings. Seeds are quite dreary, especially since this method is suitable only for zonal and ivy varieties with a simple, not terry flower. Royal, fragrant, zonal rosucular geraniums do not propagate seeds. However, it can be done quite easily with cuttings. Let’s try?

When cutting pelargonium cuttings?

Theoretically, geranium cuttings can be harvested almost year.round. However, the easiest way they are in the spring, when active sapotage begins. Zonal and ivy geraniums give roots for 2 weeks, royal. up to 4 weeks, fragrant. up to 6 weeks. If you decide to cut the pelargonium in the cold season, then the rooting period can safely multiply by two.

However, you may not wait for it at all if the uterine plant decides to arrange winter hibernation, that is, to suspend all life processes in the tissues. Another minus of autumn-winter rooting: initially compact young pelargoniums in three months of winter with natural light will still begin to stretch. They will have to be constantly kept under lamps, or mercilessly cut in the spring. Why these difficulties? It’s easier to cut cuttings from the fallopian plants in the spring, to root them much faster and get thick bushes by summer.

Heraens Cherry: Step by step

Getting the cuttings from the uterine plant

Take a sharp knife, wipe it with alcohol for disinfection and carefully cut the stalk of at least 5-7 cm at right angles to the stem. Make sure that there are 2-3 sheets (or internodes) on the cuttings, only then he will be able to “fix” in the ground and survive in difficult conditions for it. Be sure to cut off all the buds and flower arrows! No matter how you want to quickly look at the blooming young geraniums, believe me, is not yet time. The plant will throw all its strength to flowering, and about the most important thing. rooting. forget. In 90% of cases, pelargonium cuttings, which are perished, die.

The lower leaves of the geranium cuttings are cut to cut the geranium cuttings can be used with a knife or sharp scissors

Preparation of the cuttings

Put geranium cuttings for 2-3 hours in an inaccessible place for direct sunlight, the cut should dry, take a film. Когда это случилось срез можно припудрить толченым углем или Корневином.

Before planting a geranium stalk, you should dry the cut to reduce the likelihood of decay

Planting the cuttings

Plastic cups are most often used as a planting container, at the bottom of which drainage holes are made.

Take the cooked glass, fill it with substrate. The usual universal soil mixed with sand and vermiculite is suitable. Moisten it well, it is advisable to shed with boiling water to kill all malicious microorganisms. After that the earth has cooled, stick a stalk into it for a length of about 2-2.5 cm. In this part of the stem that will be underground, there should not be leaves. If they are, cut them off.

The pelargonium cuttings do not need special shelter. Although, if you noticed that the leaves have been wilted or began to turn yellow, install the plant under a jar or a transparent cup. Literally in a day or two condition of cuttings to improve and the greenhouse can be removed.

Possible problems of reproduction

Despite the fact that geranium is rightfully considered one of the most unpretentious plants, and its cuttings of 90% of 100% leads to a successful result, there are still 10% of the failures that should be mentioned.

Problems in the propagation of geraniums can occur in cases where:

• Cutting is carried out with too high (above 25 degrees) or low (below 16 degrees) air temperature in the room;
• There are periodically drafts, temperature changes. In such cases, a pot with a cuttings should be covered on top with polyethylene until the roots appear. Regularly (1 time per day) remove polyethylene for ventilation of soil and process for 1 hour;
• Optimal conditions for growing seeds are not met: temperature indicators should be within 22–25 degrees. Without sheltering seedlings with polyethylene or a lid of a greenhouse, a stable temperature is difficult to achieve;
• The stalk itself was incorrectly selected: the cut was made not on the young escape, but a part of the delayed stem is captured. On an old dried shoot, geranium will not give roots;
• geranium process or greenhouse are placed in a dark place. For the appearance of seedlings and the process of root formation, you need to choose southern or oriental window sills. over, for rooting cuttings, places with multiple light (east) are quite acceptable, and for crops it is better to choose window sills from the south side. The straight rays of the sun have a beneficial effect on the germination of seeds, as a result, a strong and healthy seedlings are obtained. Once a week, a container with seedlings is unfolded so that they evenly receive sunlight from all sides, grow straight and slender.

Numerous terry petals of the pelargonium of the Rosebudny fit so tightly to each other that they do not have time to open and look like rose buds. The stalk of such a beauty is not averse to getting any flower grinder

Care and cultivation tips

A fairly unpretentious to care, the flower may begin to fade if, when growing, not to take into account some important points:

• The pot should correspond to the size of the plant: in a small pot, the root system stops developing;
• lack of drainage and excessive watering can lead to stagnation of moisture and the beginning of the decay process;
• For the plant, you need to create favorable conditions: exclude drafts and provide a sufficient amount of sunlight;
• Excessive introduction of nitrogen fertilizers leads to growth of green mass and a decrease in flowering.
• Watering regularly, preventing the soil drying out, as well as excessive amounts of moisture;
• Geranium does not like spraying;
• Once a year, it is advisable to replace the upper soil layer;
• In winter, geranium prefers to be in a cool room;
• For the prevention of diseases and stimulation of flowering, it is necessary to make complex fertilizers during the growing season twice a month;
• After the geranium planting in the ground and its rooting, you need to pinch the process so that the plant becomes the shape of a bush faster;
• The old geranium can be rejuvenated by trimming, leaving a stem with several buds from the root;
• The young process of the geranium, obtained at the beginning of spring, will delight in summer with abundant flowering;
• From the old geranium bush you can get up to ten new cuttings, which will become excellent planting material on flower beds in the garden.

Geranium bushes obtained from cuttings will decorate any flowerbed in the summer

Frown in water

The rooting of geranium cuttings in water is the simplest and most affordable way to propagate pelargonium at home. So that the process gives new roots, it is placed in a small container filled with water at room temperature. So that the new root processes do not rot, a little coal crumb is added to the water, which will have a disinfecting effect.

After new roots appear on the tip of the cuttings, it is transplanted into the ground. Take care of such plants in the same way as the usual, adult pelargonia. If you decide to propagate your geranium with cuttings in water, be sure to follow the temperature regime. In the room where the container with a young cuttings is located, there should be about 14. 16 ° C. Otherwise, the stalk may not release the roots or bend.

Frowning in water is not universal and is not suitable for all types of pelargonium. If you are engaged in the propagation of the royal geranium, this method will not work. In the water, the cuttings of this plant are so quickly affected by putrefactive microorganisms that the process simply does not have time to let root form. For such varieties of a flower, rooting in the ground is more suitable.

How to root geraniums with cuttings

This propagation method is an order of magnitude more often than the previous one, especially among experienced flower growers. Experts strive to protect their pet in advance from exposure to putrefactive bacteria and initially ensure the process of root formation with proper conditions.

Breed geranium at home using the soil is easy. The soil mixture should be loose and nutritious. To create a suitable consistency to the substrate, you can add a little sand. To root geranium, you need a small plastic cup or flower pot filled with the corresponding soil. If you use a plastic glass, be sure to cut the holes at the bottom so that the moisture after irrigation does not accumulate in the soil, but comes out.

The presence of a drainage layer (small gravel or brick crumbs) is also mandatory, on top of which the soil substrate is poured. One process should be planted in a plastic cup. If you use a more voluminous pot, it is allowed to plant several cuttings at the same time placed along the edge of the container.

The processes are buried in the ground so that the leaves do not contact with the soil, and the substrate around the stem is tightly compressed to eliminate the accumulation of air bubbles around the cuttings. To root the cuttings, they are regularly watered, making sure that the substrate does not dry out. Containers with planted cuttings must be placed in a bright place. The hit of direct sunlight on the leaves of the young plant is unacceptable.

Important! To preserve moisture in the ground for 5 days, the process can be covered with a plastic bag, and then remove the oilcloth from the flower.

You can plant geranium not only in a pot or plastic cup. For this, a regular plastic bag is also used that will not miss moisture. The package is filled with loose, nutritious soil and moisturized the substrate. After that, the soil is slightly moistened, the package is tied with an elastic band, and holes are cut out on the side parts of the resulting “ball”, into which processes are planted.

When is it better to propagate geranium

The choice of time directly depends on the choice of the propagation method. When cutting and dividing the bush, it is recommended to choose March or November. In March, the plant departs from winter hibernation and begins active vegetation. This will largely contribute to the speedy pasture of the roots and the further development of the plant. Cuttings planted in March will turn into lush flowering plants in the summer. If the end of autumn was chosen for propagation, geranium can bloom in the spring, but not all of the seedling material planted in the winter may take place.

If the method of propagation by seeds is chosen, then January is most suitable. While the seed swells, its rooting occurs and the first sprout is expelled, the spring time of active vegetation occurs.

A detailed description of ways how to propagate geranium

As already mentioned, geranium can be propagated in three ways:

Reproduction by division of the bush

This is the easiest way, but a large amount of sowing material in his case cannot be obtained. In addition, not every variety of geraniums has the ability to bother from the root itself. But if you come across just such a variety, you need to act in the following way:

• The plant is carefully completely removed from the pot.
• Earthen lump with the root system should be slightly trimmed so that the places of separation of third.party shoots become more noticeable.
• Only shoots with their roots can be separated.
• After separation by a sharp knife into separate bushes, you can plant geraniums over your pots.

Caring for such plants consists in timely watering and bait. The first bait planted according to the method of dividing the pelargonium bush is carried out no earlier than a month after transplantation.

Important! Both when seeding with division of the bush, and when cutting it, it is necessary to use exceptionally clean, disinfected tools, and the sections obtained after the separation of cuttings (separation of cuttings) must be treated with an antiseptic (in the case of a barn/root zone) or covered with wood or activated carbon (in the case of separation of cuttings of cuttings )!

Propagation of geranium with cuttings

This method is longer and laborious, but if you use it, you can get from one well.developed bush up to 10 or more cuttings, that is, future potential plants. In order to propagate geranium with cuttings, you can use two ways.

One of them is based on the distillation of the roots in a vessel of water and the subsequent planting of the plant in a pot, the other on the direct planting of the cuttings in the prepared substrate.

• Prepare a knife. It should be clean and sharply sharpened.
• Prepare tanks with water for cuttings. The water should be clean and settled for at least 3 days. In each cup, we dilute 1 tablet of activated coal.
• Using a knife, separate the upper shoots from the main bush without buds and flowers having 2-4 leaflets. The entire stalk should be 4-7 cm long.
• After separating the cuttings, we immerse them in the water so that the stalk of each cuttings is immersed in it by no more than 1/3.
• At the end of the procedure, we process sections on the mother plant with wood coal.

The roots of the cuttings will appear for two weeks, after which the newly.fed and already completely independent pelargonium can be planted in pots with prepared soil.

• In this case, the preparation of pots (cups) for the landing of cuttings is to make holes for the flow of excess fluid in their bottom, filling the drainage layer and filling them with a special substrate, the preparation of which we will talk a little later or universal soil for seedlings purchased in a specialized store.
• The preparation of tools and cutting cuttings is carried out in the same way as in the first case.
• After trimming, while the cuts are processed on the mother plant, the cuttings should lie down a little so that the cut place is slightly dried up and tightened with a thin film.
• Then the cuttings are planted in prepared containers with the soil, deepening them by 2-3 cm (no more than a third of the stalk of the cuttings).

Do not cover the cuttings planted in the soil on top with banks or film to create a greenhouse effect, because the plant does not like increased humidity. With timely watering, geraniums can be perfectly rooted without any extraneous tricks and growth amplifiers. If the stalk began to release new leaves, it becomes clear that his rooting was successful.

Attention! The best time to breed pelargonia is the period of spring pruning. In this case, the seedling material can be selected directly from the trimmed branches, shortening them to the desired length.

Reproduction with seeds

This is the most time.consuming way, but with its help, with a sufficient amount of sowing material, you can get an arbitrarily large number of young plants. The main disadvantage of this method is that the hybrid varieties of pelargonium when breeding with seeds lose their main distinctive features, becoming ordinary discreet varieties. But for those who want to sow geranium flower beds of a personal plot are quite enough and ordinary colors.

A prerequisite for this method is the pollination of the plant with the subsequent collection of seed material. If geranium grows on the street, pollination will safely produce insects. If you have to get seeds from room pelargonium, you will have to take care of artificial pollination according to the following scheme:

• We are waiting for the peak of abundant flowering;
• We tear off one flower and with it pollinate the rest;
• It is advisable to try to pollinate the flowers of each inflorescence with three flowers from the same inflorescence.

But such artificial pollination is by no means suitable for all Geranius. Many varieties, for example, tulip, are very difficult to pollinate. And some hybrid varieties do not give germinating seed material at all. These varieties will have to be propagated only by cuttings.

Be that as it may, even in ordinary varieties, not every flower will release a “beak”, but with a successful combination of circumstances from each pollinated flower, you can collect up to 4 seeds. We need to wait for the complete drying of the inflorescences and only when the seeds flush and begin to separate from the main box, should they be collected.

After summer flowering, seeds freed from their “fur” part, and placed in a matchbox, can be stored in a dry and not very hot place until winter itself. Some experts, before planting, recommend that they shortly stratification in the refrigerator, but, as practice shows, their rooting occurs perfectly without it.

The sowing process is as follows:

We root in the water

There are different ways to root the cuttings, which one is better, it is difficult to say. Each expert has his own opinion on this subject. Therefore, it is worth knowing about different options. First, let’s tell you how to root geranium in water. It is believed that this method provides a faster development of the root system.

To do this, take a glass (preferably opaque) and fill it with 5 centimeters with boiled or defended water. Add activated coal tablet there. Lower the stalk into the glass. That’s all. Now follow the process of developing the roots and once every couple of days change the water to the fresh. When the root system becomes quite large (the main thing is not to overexpose the plant, otherwise the risk of damaging the roots increases), you can safely plant the stalk in the pot.

However, this technique is not suitable for all varieties. For example, if you are interested in how to root a fragrant or royal geranium, then it is better to refuse this method. With constant contact with water, the cuttings begin to rot quite quickly, the root system does not appear, and the plant itself dies.

We root in the ground

Knowing how to root geranium with cuttings in water, you can proceed to the next point. rooting in the ground. It is worth saying that rooting usually occurs in small pots, from which the stalk will later be transplanted into a constant capacity. Therefore, the container is usually used small, and the composition of the soil should be special. For example, you can use the universal soil mixture for indoor flowers containing sand and vermiculite. But it is not always possible to purchase it. So the purchased soil can be replaced with various analogues.

A mixture of sand, humus, turf and garden land or sphagnum is suitable. The coconut substrate showed himself perfectly, but this is a relatively scarce product. You can find it not in all stores. Finally, a great choice. a mixture of perlite and Toa, which are mixed in a 1: 1 proportion. It will be useful to treat the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate in order to disinfect, destroying dangerous infections.

Prepare suitable containers. Disposable cups are suitable with a capacity of 100-200 milliliters. Several holes should be made in the bottom to remove excess moisture. Drainage is laid on the bottom of the container. Small pebbles are suitable. Then a hole is made in the ground with a depth of about 2-3 centimeters. The lower part of the cuttings having a kidney is carefully inserted here. The hole is covered with earth and slightly compacted.

Put the containers with cuttings in a suitable place. It should be light there. But direct sunlight should not fall on the plant so as not to dry it. Until the flower has acquired a root system. You need to water a little, but often so that the earth does not dry out. If this is not possible, then when landing, select sphagnum. It perfectly regulates humidity. With excessive watering, moss absorbs moisture into itself, and when the surrounding humidity decreases, it gives it. According to experts, it can absorb moisture, the volume of which is 20 times higher than its own.

Optimum temperature 18 25 degrees Celsius. When the stem begins to grow, the kidneys swell and new leaves will appear, it means that it’s time to transplant geranium into the pot.

We correctly root the cuttings

You can root geranium cuttings in 2 simple ways: immediately in the substrate or in water with further landing in the substrate. When performing recommendations, the shoots will take root well and next year you will receive young flowering bushes.

Planting in the substrate

The diagram of the geranium cuttings in the ground is quite simple, so even a novice flower breeder will cope with it.

• A sterilized substrate is covered in prepared cups with drainage holes and a layer of drainage at the bottom.
• The shoots carefully deepen into the ground to a depth of not more than 2-3 cm, and then the earth around the trunk is slightly rammed.
• After planting, the container with the cuttings is placed for 3-4 days in a darkened place.
• After the specified time, all the cuttings are placed on a well-lit window sill without drafts, while the temperature should not be too low or high (optimally-15-20 degrees).
• Watering is carried out through the pallet, it is impossible to allow excessive soil moisture.
• It is not necessary to put cuttings in a greenhouse. rooting will be successful and in indoor conditions.

If the leaves on the escape turn yellow and lose the turgor, it can be covered with a jar. in such a greenhouse, the restoration will be quick.

Frown in water

You can root geranium cuttings in water, while it is enough just to control the entire process of formation of the root system. For this, shoots are prepared in the standard way indicated above.

• Cuttings are placed in a jar or disposable cup;
• For rooting, you need to use the defended tap water at room temperature with the addition of 1 crushed activated coal tablet to the container;
• The container should stand in a bright and warm place;
• Water must be periodically added, avoiding its complete evaporation;
• When the roots reach a 2-centimeter length, the cuttings can be planted in the ground.

Landing into the soil mixture must be carried out carefully so as not to damage the root system.

Care for rooted cuttings

After 2 months, geranium cuttings will completely root and can be transplanted into pots. It is not worth it to postpone the “resettlement” for a long time, since it is better for young bushes to develop the root system in their constant containers.

For planting it is better to use small pots (the volume should not exceed 0.5-0.75 l). In a spacious container, the plant will allow all its forces to fill the free space of the earthen coma with roots, and not on lush flowering. It is also easy to pour a flower in a large pot not even on purpose.

You can fertilize young geranium bushes 2-3 months after planting in new pots, since until then there will be a sufficient amount of nutrients in the ground for the development. It is better to use complex fertilizers for flowering plants as top dressing, but nitrogen compounds do not need to get carried away. They will provoke the growth of green mass, thereby reducing bud.

The watering of the geranium should be regular, but it is necessary to prevent the soil. It is not recommended to spray the bushes. ugly yellow spots or rotten areas can form on the plant.

Redness in the ground

Experienced gardeners plant petioles immediately in the ground. You can try. First lay a layer of pebbles for drainage in plastic cups. Then pour the substrate on top. Deepen the cuttings of 4-5 cm into it. Tamp the soil and pour abundantly. So that young plants adapt faster, remove the glasses in the shade for several days. Do not forget to sprinkle every chubuk before planting on a cut with an activator of roots growth.

After 3-4 days, transfer glasses to a bright place. The best temperature for rooting will be from 16 to 18 ° C. It is better to water through the pallet so that moisture does not fall on the leaves and stem. So you will avoid the appearance of a black leg. After 3-4 weeks, the formation of the root will begin.

If the stalk develops well, then do not cover it with a jar or film. Otherwise, be sure to do it. In transparent glasses, the roots that appear will be clearly visible.

Breeding in a toyan tablet

Fragrant and royal pelargonium require only rooting in the soil. Specialized stores sell special toyan tablets in which cuttings are developing very quickly. This process of rooting is identical to the previous. In the ground.

To work, prepare the same plastic glasses. Put the drainage layer on the bottom. Above. Toyan tablet. Pour it slightly. The petiole on ½ deepen in that. You do not need to cover it with a film. Put the cups on the windowsill, on which straight rays of the sun do not fall. Water regularly moderately. After 3-4 weeks, the first roots will appear. The plant is ready for transplantation.

Planting plants in the ground: step.by.step instructions

Choosing a pot

Geranium does not like when there is a lot of space for the roots. Therefore, in a large pot, a young plant will not take root and may die. It will begin to bloom when the roots are “filled” with the soil. Therefore, you should choose a small pot with a diameter of 10-13 cm and up to 12 cm high.

In a year, you can choose a large container 1.5 cm wider and deeper than the previous. Also, transplantation is needed if the roots of pelargonium entered the drainage holes. An excellent option would be a pot of non.glared ceramics, however, in such a container, the flower must be watered more often.

The choice of substrate

The requirements are not high to the quality of the future soil for the geranium. The main thing is that it is loose and well.drained, so that it is comfortable to plant. For example, it can be:

• universal soil with perlite, river sand, TOA or humus;
• the upper layer of garden soil from under the bushes;
• Composition of 8 parts of sod soil, 2 parts of humus and 1 part of the sand.

Preparation of the seedling

When the seedling was already able to grow up to 5 cm and looks healthy, it can be planted in ordinary ground.

It is better to do it in the spring to get into the natural cycle of plants.

Prepare a pot and a fresh substrate, moisturize it.

Bend a glass on the sides a little if the plant is in the substrate or pull it out of the water.

Put the plant in a pot, fill the earth to the edges, without ramming.

carefully pour or spray.

Possible problems in the transplantation of geranium

It must be taken into account that transplanting to the ground is stress for any plant, especially for only rooted process. Therefore, within 20 days it is worth carefully watching young geranium or pelargonia.

• The leaves turn yellow, their edge dries. it is a matter of moisture deficiency. Watering through a sprint device or below the pot will help solve the problem;
• The leaves become thinner and rot. there is too much moisture, you need to adjust the watering and remove the affected leaves;
• The stem was exposed. the plant is not enough light. It is necessary to get a hide or rearrange the pot;
• The plant worsens. there is too much light, it is important to remove the plant further from the light source.

Attention: young seedlings can affect such a fungal disease as a black leg. Beginning gardeners can skip it, but it is very dangerous: the root neck turns black, the plant begins to rot, and the seedlings are leaning. often, such a seedling is no longer viable, it is necessary to disinfect the soil and the place of the cut during the next landing.