Geranium (pelargonium) - indoor or summer flowering plant, unpretentious in care. In order for the pet to remain healthy and delight in large buds, you need to take care of it. To do this, create the necessary temperature regime, monitor the watering and appearance of the plant. After all, even a timely transplant is able to return a flowering geranium.
If the geranium does not bloom
There are several factors that explain why geraniums do not bloom. When a pleasant aroma does not spread throughout the house, it means that one of the rules for caring for a plant is violated. Most often, this is affected by the lack of a wintering period, which the plant needs to grow stronger and gain strength for new buds.
Note! In the cold season, geraniums are moved to a room with a temperature of about 10 degrees. Watering for this period is reduced, light is provided in moderation. A plant needs sunlight or an artificial alternative for several hours a day.
Blooming geranium
There are other reasons, the study of which will help to understand what to do if the geranium does not bloom.
Nipping the bushes
Pelargonium is necessary to pinch bushes. The procedure is required to:
- Get rid of diseased leaves and branches that do not allow geraniums to grow in full force;
- To accelerate the flowering of the plant and make it more magnificent and bright.
The tops of a geranium stem are usually cut. You need to remove the leaves from the branch, leaving no more than five. Then the plant will let out more young shoots and become livelier and brighter.
You need to find the top growth point or bud on the stem and remove it. This is the place where most of the shoots come from. You can remove it with your fingers or scissors, if the stem is solid. If left, the flower will stretch up, as the side shoots do not have time to form. After removal, processes on the sides will begin to be tied, so the plant will become more luxuriant. At this time, geraniums require a lot of heat and sun to give strength to new leaves and accelerate their formation.
The attached growth point is treated. To do this, use:
- activated carbon, crushed to a powder;
- brilliant green;
- alcohol;
- mustard powder;
- ash.
This is necessary to disinfect the plant, accelerate healing and protect against the spread of a possible infection.
Note! After a while, the attached growth point will shoot again. You need to carefully observe them and adjust the shape of the flower so that it does not stretch up. Pinching is usually carried out several times a month. The exception is the period of wintering, when the plant is trying not to disturb once again.
Plant pruning
When pruning, whole branches of geranium are removed, usually those that grow inward. It is necessary to find a leaf node and perform a cut above it by 3-5 millimeters. To do this, use a sharp knife, pre-sanitized. You can wipe it with alcohol or pour over boiling water.
Geranium pruning
Scissors for trimming are not recommended, as they pinch and injure the branch. Sprinkle the affected area with an antibacterial agent.
Note! Pruning will help to get a lush bush, will not allow it to stretch in height, it will bloom profusely. Buds after the procedure are usually tied larger.
You need to trim several times a year:
- In winter, before the plants go into hibernation. This is a planned procedure designed to prepare geraniums for rest. Wilted leaves, dry branches and flowers are removed. During rest, the plant does not need to spend energy on restoring the yellowed crown;
- In the spring, to prepare the geranium for flowering. It is used to give a beautiful shape and get more buds;
Need to remember! The procedure inhibits flowering, shifting it to a later date, but the flowers will be larger.
- In the summer, as dry branches and leaves appear, in order to preserve the strength of the plant and direct them to the growth of young shoots.
Need for transplants
It is believed that geranium grown at home does not need a transplant if it grows, blooms and looks healthy. Trimming and pinching is enough. There are cases when you need to transplant a plant. For example, if he was not touched after the purchase, the pot became a small flower. Then the roots do not have enough space, and the plant does not develop normally. This may be one of the reasons for the lack of flowering.
An urgent transplant is required if the roots of the plant are visible in the drainage holes. The size of the pot should be 2-3 centimeters larger than the previous diameter. If the geranium is resettled in a huge pot, the roots will begin to develop rapidly, taking all the vitality, while the crown will not be magnificent enough.
Also, a plant should be transplanted during wetting, when a large amount of moisture has accumulated, and the process of decay has started. Foliage will begin to fade, turn yellow. This can be avoided by using the drainage laid out at the bottom of the pot.
As a material for him use:
- expanded clay;
- broken red brick;
- fragments of pottery;
- Styrofoam.
Drainage
Drainage is laid out to a height of 2-3 centimeters. Before transplanting, the plant should be abundantly watered a day before the procedure. Due to this, geranium can be easily removed from the pot without injuring the roots. Together with the earth, it is transferred to a new pot. If there are affected areas of the roots, they are carefully removed with a sharp sterile instrument. Then fill the soil, which must be moistened in advance. It is necessary to lay until the void in the pot disappears.
Compliance with the temperature regime
The homeland of geraniums is South Africa, so the flower is used to a tropical climate. Incorrect temperature conditions affect the health of the plant, manifested in the absence of flowering. In spring and summer, pelargonium prefers a temperature of no higher than 22 degrees. In winter, it is at rest in a cool room. It is important that the temperature is below 15 degrees, the minimum limit is 10.
Important! No need to create coolness by airing and spraying. Geranium does not tolerate drafts and in the cold season requires minimal soil moisture. Leaves do not need it at all. Do not even recommend wiping them with a damp cloth.
How to make geranium blossom
If the geranium does not bloom, it is not satisfied with the conditions in which it is located, or the plant is not healthy. First you need to review the temperature conditions and watering regime. If a plant is indifferent to humidity, then a lot depends on the state of the soil.
Flowering conditions
Overmoistening is dangerous for the plant, stagnation of water leads to decay of the roots and death of pelargonium. To avoid this, use drainage mixtures. Watering the plant is necessary when the topsoil dries up. Young flowers and shoots are recommended to be moistened with the help of the pan in which the pot is located. In addition to excessive watering, insects or fungal diseases can seriously damage the roots of plants. Their elimination does not cause problems, this is done using special means, removing the affected areas of the plant. If the problem was in the pests, in the near future, the pelargonium will recover and bloom.
Need to remember! Capacity for landing you need to choose a small size. Better let the plant be slightly cramped than too spacious. If geranium grows in boxes, then the distance between the flowers should be about 3 centimeters. You can plant several bushes in one pot, it is believed that pelargonium loves competition. Therefore, such conditions will give impetus to flowering.
Also, one of the reasons why pelargonium does not bloom is the lack of sunlight or its excess. The main thing is to avoid direct rays, but also not to keep the plant in the shade throughout the day. In such conditions, the plant will survive, but will not be attractive, will lose its decorative appearance. Royal geranium is especially fond of light, which is distinguished by larger leaves.
Geranium in bloom
Expert Advice
Specialists, in order to make geranium bloom, recommend arranging a temperature difference for it. For example, send to a cool balcony or take to the garden. This is true for spring and summer, when heat during the day gives way to cool at night. In this case, frost and temperatures close to zero should be avoided, otherwise the plant will die. There should also be no drafts that harm pelargonium.
Perhaps the plant is not in its place, so you can move it around the room in search of a comfortable position. If the geranium begins to bloom, you need to leave it alone.
It is not recommended to put geranium next to hygrophilous plants, this can cause yellowing of the leaves and affect flowering.
Soil composition
Geranium prefers loose soil and the obligatory presence of drainage. Young plants are recommended to add to the soil:
- sand;
- peat;
- perlite.
If you do not use soil created specifically for geranium, you can buy black soil and mix perlite with it. It improves the quality of the soil, absorbs moisture, gradually giving it to the plant later. It also reduces the excess acidity of the soil, which can harm geraniums, provides air access to the roots. It is recommended to add river sand to the soil.
Additional Information! Soil quality can be checked by wetting it and holding it in the palm of your hand. If it crumbles, it is suitable for use, when knocked into a lump - it is better to refuse it.
Garden soil is also used, mixing it with sand and peat.
Ideal for planting geraniums is soil prepared from:
- peat;
- sand;
- turf;
- sheet land;
- humus.
Perlite in the ground
Loose and porous soil promotes plant growth and helps it bloom. Excessive moisture and increased acidity, on the contrary, can cause harm to geraniums.
Fertilizers for geraniums
The use of fertilizers for geraniums is one of the stages of care. Top dressing is necessary, first of all, for the lush flowering of a plant. Fertilizers also increase the protective properties of pelargonium needed to control pests and fungi. To know how to feed geraniums, it is better to study the types of fertilizers and their properties.
Need to remember! Fertilizing is not required during the dormant period of the plant. You can not feed if the flower has been in the sun for a long time. Heat for him is a kind of stress. Therefore, before the procedure, you need to transfer the geranium to the shade and give it a rest.
Feeding with iodine and peroxide
A few decades ago they knew how to feed geraniums for abundant flowering at home. Used the tools that are always at hand: iodine and hydrogen peroxide. With a solution, you need to water the plant once a month, it is better to do this in the morning or in the evening. This is a folk method, which over the years has proved the effectiveness of its application. For cooking you will need:
- water - 1 liter;
- iodine - 2 drops;
- hydrogen peroxide - 1 tablespoon.
Feeding with iodine and hydrogen peroxide
Such top dressing not only stimulates the growth and flowering of geraniums, but also protects against pests and fungal diseases. In addition, after processing, the earth becomes more loose, saturated with oxygen.
Vitamin top dressing
Vitamin top dressing for flowering geraniums has been carried out since the beginning of March. The plant requires nitrogen, so it is better to introduce fertilizers into the soil, in which it is present. B vitamins are also used. They are usually contained in ampoules, which must be dissolved in water. Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are used. Feed them in turn. For three weeks, every few days you need to fertilize with one vitamin, diluting the ampoule in two liters of water. Then they are replaced by another and operate according to the same scheme.
Organic top dressing
Organic top dressing is infrequent. It must be used carefully, if the proportions are not respected, the plant may die.
How to fertilize geranium using organic products:
- cow dung;
- bird droppings.
Raw materials must be bred in water and applied to the soil. You can apply this method no more than once every three years.
Despite the fact that geranium is considered an unpretentious plant, it is necessary to care for it. Only the correct regime of lighting, watering and timely care will help give pelargonium a flowering appearance. We must not forget to feed the plant, transplant if necessary, then the buds will appear every season, and the leaves will remain fresh and bright.
