Ampel geranium (pelargonium) is a group of perennial plants that can grow both in outdoor and indoor conditions. The birthplace of the flower is a tropical region of Africa. It differs from zonal geranium in the arrangement of branches, which fall with growth. In Russia, one variety is popular - geranium plushyelistaya (thyroid). It has been known in gardening for more than 300 years, mainly planted in a cache-pot.
Description of Ampel Geranium
The shoots of the plant twist and can reach a length of 70-100 cm. They cling to the nearest objects, so geraniums are often planted under a trellis or tied. The plant looks good at home, if you prepare a decorative grid for it in advance.
Rigid, dark green leaves of pelargonium are divided into 5 parts. Their width is from 3 to 6 cm. Some varieties differ in the presence of light spots on the surface. Leaf blades grow on long stalks.
During flowering, the culture produces numerous umbrella inflorescences, the diameter of which can reach 8-10 cm. Each of them contains many buds, the shape of which can vary from star-shaped to cactus or simple, depending on the variety. There are even terry inflorescences. On one peduncle, up to 50 flowers are formed. Often they are painted in one shade: white, purple red or pink. There are multicolor varieties in which the center of the petal is the same color, and the border and the area around the pistil or stamens are contrasting. Peduncles either rise above the foliage, or fall by 10-30 cm.
Varieties of ampel pelargonium
7 different flower varieties are popular in Russia.
| Grade | Description |
| Amethyst | Terry buds of a pink shade on long peduncles. Ampelic variety. |
| Rhapsody | The flowers are maroon, saturated color. The bush is lush, flowering. |
| Jackie gold | During the blooming period, the petals gradually change their color from white to pink or light lilac. |
| Crocodile | The leaf plates are covered with white veins, and the buds are coral. |
| Roll | Petals are distinguished by a red border, and the inflorescences themselves resemble alstroemeria. |
| Martin | Terry flowers of a lilac shade over a lush bush. |
| Icerose | In appearance, the inflorescences are similar to a rose. |
Breeding
Ampelic pelargonium can be propagated using seeds and cuttings. The first way of growing is more laborious, the second is suitable for beginners.
Cuttings should be carried out in spring or late autumn, when the geranium is prepared for wintering. It is necessary to cut several shoots with a length of 7 to 10 cm. There should be 3-5 leaves on them. Too many leaf blades will prevent the plant from taking root, as all nutrition will go to them. If necessary, you can trim 1-2 leaves.
Cuttings are important to prepare correctly. They are very sensitive to moisture and can quickly rot. To avoid this, you need to dry them for 5-6 in the sun or under a phytolamp if the gardener carries out cuttings in late autumn. Sprinkle the slice with ash or crushed coal, and simultaneously prepare the soil. The correct composition includes:
- sand;
- turf land;
- peat.
The proportion is 1: 1: 1. The mixture should be mixed well, but not too tamped. It must be loose so that moisture does not accumulate and does not cause rotting of plants.
After drying, the cuttings should be planted in a container with prepared soil and gently rammed around each sprout so that it does not tilt. Watering should be done carefully, as the soil dries. 2-3 weeks after planting, the cuttings will already have a fairly strong root system, and they can be planted in separate pots. It is recommended to do pinching to form a bush.
Reproduction by seeds is more complex, time-consuming and lengthy. Experienced gardeners should go to it. This method is used as part of landscaping, if at minimum cost you need to get as many sprouts as possible.
Pelargonium seeds are strong enough, have a hard and thick peel. Before landing, which is best done in late February or early March, they must be prepared:
- Using an emery paper of medium fraction or a nail file, grind a layer of the peel, being careful not to touch the internal contents. This will allow the sprout to hatch faster.
- Leave the seeds in water for 24 hours.
- Disinfect using potassium permanganate solution, then dry each copy.
These actions are not required, but they will increase germination. Not all seeds are of high quality, so the gardener needs to be prepared that some of them will not sprout.
For seeds, you need to prepare the same earth mixture as for cuttings. Seeds need to be planted in loose, well-moistened soil, with a depression of only 5 mm. Then sprinkle. Place the container under a film or in a mini-greenhouse for 10 days, maintain a temperature of 22-24 degrees. After emergence, the film can be removed. During this period, it is important to provide a large amount of light. Experienced gardeners recommend to illuminate the sprouts with a phytolamp. When each young plant has 3 true leaves, it is allowed to plant in separate containers.
Conditions for growing ampel geraniums at home
Caring for ampel geraniums is not complicated.
| Factor | Conditions |
| Location / Lighting | South windows, on the street - illuminated areas. |
| The soil | The drainage that can be done with expanded clay is important. Allow the use of dry, clay soil. It is necessary to periodically loosen the soil. |
| Pot | Small diameter to make the flower more magnificent. |
| Watering | As the topsoil dries. Do not allow the soil to completely dry out, but excessive accumulation of moisture can be detrimental to the plant. Spraying is not necessary. |
| Fertilizer | Every 14 days from spring to late summer. At the beginning of growth, nitrogen, during flowering, phosphorus. Ready-made mineral complexes can be used. In autumn and winter, feeding is not needed. |
| Pruning | Every autumn, long shoots are pruned. If necessary, for the formation of a bush, you can trim the elongated branches in the spring. |
| Transfer | Once every two years or as it grows. The new capacity should be 1.5-2 cm larger. If the root system has not yet braided the pot, just change the topsoil. |
Mr. Summer resident informs: features of wintering of ampelic pelargonium
In early autumn, watering the plants should be gradually reduced. In the fall and winter, pelargonium hardly grows, so fertilizer application is completely stopped. To rejuvenate the flower, you need to trim the long shoots. After that, at the end of November, the wintering season begins. At this time, the pot must be placed in a lit place. If the length of daylight hours is greatly reduced, which is typical for the northern regions, it is necessary to purchase a phytolamp, which will provide additional illumination of the plant. On the day you need to turn it on for 3-4 hours, depending on the length of daylight hours. It is important for geraniums to get a lot of light, otherwise it will quickly fade, become weaker and will grow poorly even in the summer.
It is important to monitor the degree of soil moisture. In winter, due to the fact that the total air temperature decreases, it can stagnate in the soil and lead to rotting of the root system. Experienced gardeners recommend an additional reduction in air temperature. Periodically, the room must be ventilated, but the pot should not be allowed to remain in the draft. This will lead to weakening of the plant and the development of diseases.
With proper care, ampelic pelargonium will delight the eye with beautiful shoots and lush inflorescences. The plant does not require painstaking care, rarely gets sick and blooms for a long time.
