Geranium garden planting and outdoor care. Types of garden geraniums. Storage before planting in the ground.

If you do not have time to grow seedlings of annual flowers every year, planting perennial garden geraniums in the country will significantly reduce the laboriousness of flower bed design. Some flower growers call geranium pelargonium. They are related but different cultures. Pelargonium is an annual plant, it is often grown in pots on the windowsill. Country cottage area decorate lush bushes geraniums with colorful clusters of bright medium-sized flowers, which even children and pensioners can care for. Each summer, the territory will be covered with a motley carpet from blood red to pale white.

Relaxing on the balcony or dining on the terrace is extremely important as it allows you to spend some quality time outdoors. Especially in summer, you can enjoy the view of the garden and bright flowers. Unfortunately, rest can effectively spoil insects. How to dissuade them?

Path to mosquitoes - what plants to plant?

How can you decorate your terrace and balcony with container grown plants that discourage insects. Plants will attract bees, but will also discourage unwanted insects - flies, flies, mosquitoes, or ants. On summer evenings, mosquitoes are an annoying problem in the garden. There are several types of plants that, even if they do not help to get rid of mosquitoes completely from the balcony and terrace, will significantly reduce their number.

Decorative varieties of geraniums are bred from the ancestors of this plant, living in meadows and clearings. The flower has adapted well to the conditions wildlife, he is unpretentious and tenacious. Breeders noticed that the bush has beautiful carved leaves, which themselves can serve as a decoration for a flower bed in the garden between flowering, and created many varieties. different varieties ornamental plant. The color of the inflorescences is very diverse: blood-red, white, lilac - any, except for yellow and orange. You can plant one branch in the country, provide good care, and it will begin to grow and soon turn into a lush openwork island. There is one drawback - brittle stems, but scientists are working on this problem and have already created species whose beauty will not be spoiled by rain or strong wind.

Way to fly - what plants to plant?

You can find in the literature that a good deterrent is not black. True - the popular bush shrub is not liked by insects, but, in any case, you should not plant it near the terrace. Firstly, the shrub is expansive, and after a while a problem arises, and secondly, not everyone appreciates its advantages as an ornamental plant. Finally, and most importantly, during the fruiting season, they attract bird worms that feed on colored fruits, thereby destroying the area around the terrace.

Why among huge amount perennial ornamental plants to many owners summer cottages Do you like garden geraniums? If you have the time, energy and desire, you can plant roses, orchids and even completely exotic flowers that are accustomed to a tropical climate. And a person who comes to the dacha only on weekends and is forced to pay attention to the garden, and the vegetable garden, and the flower garden in 2 days does not have the opportunity to provide complex care for capricious pets. He needs decorative crops to:

The path to the little flies - what plants to plant?

Small but large groups of flies are mostly plague flats, but they can also appear on terraces when they smell food or food. Their attacks are not as noticeable as mosquito bites, but in addition to "feeding" people, they speed up the process of spoiling food. You may also find effective method fly. On the balcony, terrace and window sills it is useful to plant several herbaceous plants that emit an unpleasant odor.

Known and cultivated for a long time and in our country, installed on windows, balconies or in the garden, the bite is appreciated by wonderful lovers for its qualities to create a joyful atmosphere, thanks to the contrast between strong, healthy green leaves and bright flowers, especially red- ruby, which bloom almost all year round.

For many years they grew in one place and did not require an annual planting.
They were not afraid of drought and did not require daily watering.
Well tolerated frosty winters.
They did not get sick and were not attacked by pests.
Didn't require weeding.
They bloomed for a long time, but had an attractive appearance even without flowers.

All these qualities are possessed by perennial garden geraniums. Simple care, endurance and beauty of the plant attract the sympathy of summer residents.

The leaves alternately or alternately have round or oval limbs, with a relatively long petiole provided at the base of the stitch. In some species the leaves are covered with a large number of glandular bristles which, when touched, radiate around a strong, characteristic fragrance.

The flowering of flowers is very diverse, depending on the species and especially the variety of varieties, from white to red, with a wide range nuances. The size of the flowers, as well as their shape, varies. The fruits are elongated, consisting of five valves, each of which is a seed. Maybe you are sometimes surprised that you have a very beautiful, but very good seed, but it never makes seeds. These are hybrids that do not usually harvest or have viable seeds and can only grow vegetatively.

There are many varieties of decorative bush. Combining different varieties, you can create an interesting composition, covered with colorful clusters all summer. While the plants are still young and the leaves do not cover the entire area, the empty soil will help to fill the annual pelargonium. They need about the same care, and in appearance, pelargonium does not differ much from geraniums and will not violate the style of the flower garden.

In winter, it is possible to go through a rest period when plants retain or lose leaves, depending on the conditions they have. If they are stored in a cool and dark room, they lose their leaves, leaving only stems until spring. Keeping in bright and warm rooms, plants planted all winter, sometimes blooming.

Bites grow quickly, so they need a lot of water. However, it does not carry excess moisture. The udder will be moderate if the water does not stagnate in the drains in which the pots are placed. The cultural substrate should be light and have good drainage. A simpler mixture is also recommended: leaf earth - two parts, compost - two parts, sand - on one side. Artisan species are easily propagated vegetatively through seedlings that can be grown all year round. But there are two peak periods: the beginning of autumn to get plants with winter flowering and in early spring when plants that will flourish profusely in summer.

Area for a flower garden

Garden geranium can grow in any soil, but to get lush inflorescences, you need to plant it in light, fertile soil. If your dacha is solid clay, add manure, peat or compost to it. This flower does not like transplants and can decorate the site for up to 10 years. If you want to see every year different design, complement the flower garden with geraniums with annuals, pelargonium is well suited.

Butchers get from the tips of the shells and from 3-4 knots. Planting roots for rooting is done in warm, lit rooms in a substrate made of sand or sand with peat or even leafy soil. Butchers are deep planted, sprayed on the leaves, shade for several days, and the temperature should be high. Butchers from the top of the peak are well rooted in a water bowl in which the first two basal nodes descend. After the roots have formed, the seedlings are planted in pots, initially with a small diameter, which is then changed if necessary.

When choosing varieties, pay attention to the living conditions of plants in your flower garden. From the variety of species, you can choose those that will feel great with the existing lighting and soil moisture.

In sunny and dry places, you can plant Georgian red-brown and large-flowered geraniums.
Humid and well-lit areas will grow Himalayan, splendid, and meadow geraniums.
Shade and dry soil loves the Balkan and blood-red varieties.
Wet shady areas are suitable for marsh, Himalayan and meadow varieties.

You can skillfully combine high and low varieties so that in one area the light-loving varieties are in the sun, and the shade-loving ones are in the shade. Above half a meter grows blood-red, meadow forest, swamp geranium. Dwarf varieties include Himalayan, large-rhizome and Dalmatian.

To encourage branching, the peaks are pinched annually, once or twice, on three or four leaves. Since many varieties and hybrids do not produce seeds, they can be obtained from specialized stores. Bite species are resistant to diseases and pests, without the need for special work in this regard. Possible pests are treated with insecticides and fungal infections that are obtained from plant protection centers.

Cezanne, with white and red-violet flowers; - Renoir with compact inflorescences and orange or pink flowers; - Doris Frith, with white flowers with purple iris. Originally from the mountains of Europe and Asia, there are more than 400 species of annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous plants in the genus Geranium. Due to its rustiness and reduced conformation, it is highly adaptable to growing in borders and rocky mountain gardens. Prefers full sun, but can also grow in slightly shady places; It is important that the soil is well drained because if water is poured in, there is a risk that the roots will rot and the plant will die.

Geranium propagation

Planting material can be purchased at mall for gardeners. Examine the root Special attention pay attention to the place where the shoots will come from. If it is soft, rotten or dried out, do not take it. The root itself must be solid, many processes depart from it. Do not purchase specimens in winter that have already begun to wake up and develop buds. Such tubers need special care: they will have to be temporarily placed in a container with soil, and with the onset of heat, planted in open ground.

They are frost-resistant and have good low temperatures and snow. They have matt green or gray leaves and flowers of 5 petals, 5 sepals and 10 stamens, pink to purple; The flowering period is from late spring to late summer. Colorful, pretty, fragrant and loved not only by humans but also by bees and butterflies, garden peonies are extremely decorative, hardy and have the advantage that once planted they bloom year after year with a minimum of care.

Garden peonies are mostly pink, but there are white, red or yellow peonies. There were peonies that grew flowers of the same root even 50 years in a row. Garden peonies have lush, tall and relatively stable flowers. Peonies are perennials that bloom from early spring to autumn for decades. If planted correctly, right soil, garden peonies will grow alone with rainwater, warmth and light, and you will enjoy it all summer.

You can prepare the material for planting yourself. To do this, you need to collect seeds or separate a part from an adult plant. If you want to sow seeds, keep in mind that in some species they do not form - you will waste your time waiting. If different geraniums grow on the site, they can pollinate, and the colors that you expected will not appear on the flower bed at all.

Ideal garden peonies are planted in early autumn, from September to mid-October. Autumn plant peonies have time to form a root network and explode the next spring. Garden peonies can also be planted in early spring, but then seedlings are recommended.

Garden peonies, stars of May

When planting garden peonies, it is advisable not to plant plants, because this way you will stimulate their development and choose a bright spot, because peonies need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. The last condition is to thoroughly cultivate the soil you plant them in and take care to dig it between the rows once a year, because garden peonies need well-grounded soil. It is desirable that you be protected by strong ventilation holes, so you'd better plant them near sunny fences or at the edge of the garden.

To collect the seeds, wrap the pod in a paper bag. When the shell bursts, the grains will not fall to the ground, but will remain in the bag.

At vegetative reproduction a part of the bush with roots and a growth bud is separated. Before planting in a new place, inspect the fragment and cut off damaged and dried areas. In spring and autumn, you can cut a cutting from a plant you like and plant it in open ground. With vegetative propagation, the bushes will bloom in the same year, when sowing seeds, you will have to wait until next summer.

After planting, it should be watered twice. This is best done in the middle of the day when it is warmer. In spring, peonies do not necessarily need water, but they need to be protected from flooding because their roots are very sensitive and the plant will die after a few days if there is excess water.

The soil should be fertilized in autumn, before frost and in spring before sunrise. Do not touch manure manure. Fertilize only the soil around the plant without touching the plant. Garden peonies should not be picked after they bloom because they will no longer grow or bloom. You can only burst peony flowers after they bloom a few times, but never in the first 2-3 years.

How to plant a geranium

Perennial garden geranium quickly develops long roots. Let the young shoots take root well and grow without interference at first: dig a deep hole so that about 20 cm remains under the longest spine loose earth. There should be at least 30 cm between the holes. Before planting, treat the rhizomes with a disinfectant solution, and the lower sections of the cuttings with growth stimulants.

Garden peonies grow quickly, so the autumn seed will produce flowers in May next year, but only if the water does not swell, if the sun is sunny and the soil is well developed. You can stimulate flower production by breaking leaves. However, garden peonies have many leaves, so if a leaf breaks, air circulation improves and soil water is better managed.

Garden peonies bloom in the first year after planting, but in the third year of life they make more rows of flowers. It is a winter toy and it is not much for the zealous gardener to know what kind of work to do in the garden. But if you want to do gardening this time of year, you can get by with sowing seeds.

Landing is carried out in early spring or autumn. Pour a mound of fertile soil on the bottom, install a rhizome and distribute the underground processes evenly over the ground elevation. Cover with earth and water to compact the soil. The first year there will not be very many leaves; they will not protect the flower garden from weeds. To avoid weeding, mulch the soil. Voids can be filled with pelargonium, asters or other annuals.

Some vegetable varieties such as creamy cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce, can be planted in January under glass. If you have old vegetable seeds at home, you can only use them if they are intended for vegetables with smooth bark and you need to take a germination test before planting. To do this, dampen a piece of paper or tissue paper, sprinkle seeds on it, and watch the seeds to see if they germinate after a while.

Some summer flowers can already be imagined now. If you want to grow geraniums or homegrown, you should start. However, keep in mind that if you are growing spring plants, you need areas to grow, such as a greenhouse, a solarium, or enough warm veneers. If you don't have enough space, it's best to let professionals grow vegetables and balconies.

Deepen the cut cuttings into the soil by about 5 cm. Until the shoots take root, they need care. Cover the sprouts from frost with a film or non-woven material. Make sure that the soil is moist, but the water does not stagnate. In hot weather, all plantings in the early days should be shaded from the scorching rays of the sun.

Probably the biggest problem with growing seedlings this time of year is the lack of daylight and sunlight. This shortcoming can lead to poor installation quality and excessive linear growth. Small seeds and those that require light to germinate should not be covered and need more attention than larger seeds. To prevent the seeds from being sown too close together, we recommend combining small seeds with a small amount of sand. Make sure the seed is light and ventilated.

Growing Germinating Germinating Seeds

As soon as the seeds have grown and you see the first leaves, seedlings that are too close should be transplanted to a greater distance. Seeds of plants that germinate in the cold, such as honey, bruise, aconite, and shingles, like cold. These plants must go through a cold stage so that all germ-forming substances are destroyed. Among such plants are some native shrubs such as roses. The ideal is to use the cold days of January to plant seeds in the propagation soil. However, before planting the seeds under the bushes, let them sit in a warm window between two and four weeks.

Easy flower care

Garden geranium came to our dachas from the wild and retained the ability to take care of itself on its own. The hosts will only need to help the plant a little if conditions become too unfavorable. Dense greenery prevents weeds from breaking through, and while the bushes are still young, a layer of mulch will protect open areas and excess grass will not grow there. Garden geranium is also resistant to drought, but in order for the bushes to be lush and the flowering to be plentiful, water the soil as it dries.

After flowering, you do not need to walk around with a knife and cut off dried inflorescences. Withered clusters fall under the lush leaves and do not spoil the flower bed with their unsightly appearance. You can leave flower stalks, but bursting pods will throw seeds to the ground, from which next year young shoots will grow. Decide for yourself what is more convenient for you to do: removing the seed pods that have appeared or thinning out the plantings.

Both pelargonium and garden geranium contain essential oils with a high concentration of phytoncides. This aroma is not liked by pests and pathogens. Bushes can be planted not only in a flower garden, but also in vegetable beds, and you do not have to protect edible crops from insects and various infections. Sometimes, due to poor conditions, if the flowers are not properly cared for, they may be attacked by:

Powdery mildew. Seeing white coating, cut off the affected parts and spray the flower garden with Bordeaux mixture.
Gray rot. It is difficult to treat, destroy the diseased bush and make drainage in the flower bed or add hydrogel to the soil to reduce moisture.
Spotting. If you notice brown spots, treat the geranium with a fungicide.

Do not care for geraniums in extreme heat. At high temperature the release of essential oils increases, allergies or skin irritation may occur.

In the spring, when the plants in the country house begin to wake up, feed the geraniums nitrogen fertilizers. A month later, you can feed with a complex preparation, and during flowering, the bushes need phosphorus and potassium. Since tuberous and mountain species do not need abundant nutrition, keep the amount of fertilizer to a minimum. That's all the basic operations that include caring for perennial garden geraniums.

Conclusion

Garden geranium can grow outdoors for up to 10 years, unlike its relative pelargonium - annual plant. The flower is not demanding on the composition of the soil, if you choose varieties in accordance with the illumination, it will grow well both in the sun and in the shade. Geranium does not need complex care, the plant winters well without shelter. Essential oils repel pests from the flower garden. A low, large-rhizome geranium can grow on vegetable garden protecting garden crops.

Perennial garden geranium is not only decorative, but also useful plant. It is used in traditional medicine and in the perfume industry. If you put the leaves in jam, mold will not appear in the jar. All summer the site will be enlivened by a magnificent white, blood red, pink and lilac composition. The flower beds in the garden are decorated with bright inflorescences and lush openwork leaves.

decrease in the body's immune defenses
drowsiness
frequent fatigue
depression
headaches, and as well as various pains and spasms in the internal organs

If you feel frequent ailments, you just need to cleanse the body. How to do it

to see a healthy plant at home, you need to apply the secrets of the content. Gardeners love unusual flowers. The subtleties of care for most classes of plants are the same. In this collection, we intended to present a collection of tips to prevent death when growing a particular plant. Any flowering creature requires an individual fulfillment of conditions. It is important to understand for useful actions which family the purchased plant belongs to.

Numerous species and varieties of garden pelargonium

PELARGONIUM (Pelargonium) is indispensable in floral arrangement- differs in plentiful and long blossoming, effective inflorescences, beautiful leaves and is appreciated for unpretentiousness. This plant is usually called geranium, although the correct name is Pelargonium zonale, or hybrid garden. It is a perennial plant grown in gardens as an annual. A number of species are suitable for cultivation in room conditions(see on a separate page)...

), in which the flowers are absolutely regular, the flowers of pelargonium are bilaterally symmetrical. The fruit - a long narrow box, thinning towards the top - resembles the shape of a stork's beak, hence the name of the genus (from the Greek pelargos - stork).

Many species are widespread ornamental plants and are represented in the collections of botanical gardens; some are valuable raw materials for the extraction of essential oil, used in the perfume and soap industries. A number of species are suitable for growing indoors. Grown in gardens, greenhouses, boxes, on balconies.

Zonal group of garden pelargoniums

Pelargonium large-flowered hybrid (P. grandifiorum hybridum hort. (P. domesticam Bailey, P. grandiflorum hort.)). This species is also called English. In England, she is known as a royal or exhibition, and in the US - as "Lady Washington". Pelargonium home, or royal - the closest relative zonal pelargonium. This beauty forms a bush with stiff shoots 30-60 cm high, serrated leaves and large two-tone corrugated flowers with a diameter of 3.5-5 cm, usually white, pink or red. It is not for nothing that this plant is called royal - it is undoubtedly very beautiful, but at the same time it is very demanding on heat. In the garden, it can only be grown in a very warm, protected place, and even better - indoors. Some of the varieties:

Pelargonium zonal garden (P. zonale hort.). Plants with thick shoots, woody with age, especially below. The leaves are rounded to kidney-shaped, slightly lobed along the edges, pubescent, with a more or less prominent reddish or pale yellow rim. The flowers are collected in umbrellas, red, pink, white, sometimes lilac, simple, semi-double and double. In ornamental horticulture, the species is represented by numerous hybrids and varieties and is used in flower decoration. From P. zonale hort. The following are widely used:

Pelargonium thyroid garden (P. peltatum hort.) Herbaceous plant with long (up to 80 cm) creeping shoots. Leaves 5-8 cm in diameter, thick, smooth, glossy, sometimes finely pubescent, almost round, 5-lobed or 5-angled, entire, more or less ciliated, green, sometimes with a brown zone. Flowers on short peduncles, simple, semi-double and double, red, lilac, pink, white. It is widely used for decoration of balconies and as a pot-and-ampel plant. Common varieties:

Pelargonium garden (Pelargonium hortorum) A cultural species obtained as a result of a series of crosses. It is distinguished by a red or brown border along the edge of the leaves. The flowers are simple or double, white, pink, sometimes variegated, collected in umbellate inflorescences. Varieties of garden pelargonium:

Pelargonium fragrant, or odorous (Pelargonium graveolens) This species is valued for leaves that smell like roses, lemons or apples, and was once popular. Semi-shrub up to 1 m high, with densely branched, pubescent shoots. Leaves 5-7-lobed, pubescent, with a strong aroma. The flowers are medium-sized, pink, collected in umbrella inflorescences.

Pelargonium curly (Pelargonium crispum ‘Variegatum’) The species is valued for its decorative fragrant, yellow-spotted leaves with scalloped or curly edges.

Garden Pelargonium Care Tips

Growing pelargonium is relatively simple, as it is not capricious and is not very susceptible to pests and diseases. But not every gardener manages to achieve abundant flowering. However, this success is the result of diligent and skillful care. Proper care primarily consists in regular and abundant watering with soft (settled) water, as well as top dressing flower fertilizer with high phosphorus content. For abundant flowering, the timely removal of fading flowers is also important. With such sanitary cleaning, the flowers are removed along with the peduncle. After each shower or wind, the plant is inspected and all damaged areas are removed - flowers, leaves, shoots.

Very photophilous, prefers direct sunlight - their flowering depends on it. In this case, the flowering period is somewhat reduced in plants, but the color of the flowers is brighter. Although Pelargonium can grow and bloom in light partial shade, the color of the corollas becomes less bright, and the stems are stretched. The height and shape of the bush can be adjusted by pruning, using remote shoots on cuttings.

At home, pelargonium grows like a perennial, develops a powerful root system, tolerates winter well, and with the onset of spring, green foliage appears again. In our country, pelargonium cannot winter because of the harsh winter, so in the fall, before the onset of frost, the plant is dug up, the roots are shortened with pruners, and then carefully placed in a pot, at the bottom of which drainage is made.

During the dormant period, in winter, when the plants do not bloom, the substrate in the vessels is kept slightly moist, preventing it from drying out and waterlogging. Plants that have overwintered in the house are planted in the garden when there is no threat of frost and the air warms up to 12-14 degrees. When planting in summer in open ground for pelargonium, a site with good drainage and loose soils is selected. After planting, the soil is watered abundantly and the top layer is mulched from drying out. For better survival, it is desirable to remove the inflorescences.

The main method of reproduction is green cuttings, which are prepared from the tops of growth and side shoots, leaving 3-4 developed internodes. The cuttings are cut with a sharp knife 0.5 cm below the leaf node, the cut is made slightly beveled. The lower leaves that may be in the substrate are cut off.

Before planting, the pelargonium cuttings are slightly dried for a day and placed in a glass of water, and when the roots appear, they are planted in loose soil. You can plant a cutting for rooting immediately in a special substrate. Planted to a depth of 3 cm in a richly watered substrate. The substrate is prepared two-layer. The bottom layer is an equal amount of sand and soddy soil, and the top layer is pure washed sand. When rooting, the cuttings may die from excessive waterlogging. The beginning of rooting occurs on the 15-17th day, and mass - on the 25th. Optimum temperature when rooting - 15-20 degrees and good lighting.

To obtain compact plants in spring, they are formed by removing the top above the 8-10th node. This causes the development of second-order shoots. Be sure to remove wilted leaves from plants so that gray rot does not appear on them.

Hybrids of the first generation (F1) are propagated by seeds. They take a bowl with loose fertile soil and sow seeds in it to a depth of 1.5 cm. Before emergence, the container is kept in a warm place - 20-23 degrees, and then transferred to a cooler place. If you sow seeds in January-February, in July the plants will bloom, throwing out 2-3 peduncles at the same time.

Having several flowering pelargonium bushes in the garden, you can create your own healing corner. She can soothe nervous system, normalize sleep, relieve fatigue. If pelargonium grows in the garden, then there will be no aphids on gladioli, asters and other flower plants. Dried leaves of fragrant geranium are placed in a cabinet against moths.

garden plants

garden geranium

In the view of most inhabitants, geranium is a plant, although beautiful, but exclusively indoor. Few people know that garden geranium, unlike its room relative, grows in the open field in the best way. Moreover, there are more than three hundred varieties of this plant in the world. Motherland garden geranium considered England, where it is very popular. Of course, the Russian climate is somewhat different from the British one, but there are varieties of garden geraniums that feel good in our open spaces.

Garden geranium - care and cultivation

How to grow geraniums in the garden? Our tips will help you with this:

Perennial garden geranium is a very unpretentious plant in planting and care. The soil for garden geraniums needs loose and fertile, and it is better to plant it in open, well-lit areas.
When marking out a site for planting, it should be remembered that due to short rhizomes, geranium grows very strongly in breadth. Therefore, the distance between the bushes should be at least 25-30 cm. In a year, the geranium bushes will grow so much that they form a continuous carpet. In addition, garden geraniums really do not like to transplant, and large distances between bushes will allow her long time grow in one place without a transplant.
Garden geranium can grow in one place without transplantation and rejuvenation for 10 years.
Weeding a site planted with geraniums is not necessary, because its densely growing lower leaves no weed will be allowed to grow. If you plant row-spacings with low garden crops or mulch them, then you won’t have to loosen the soil. Thus, caring for geraniums in the garden comes down to timely watering.
Garden geranium is practically not affected by diseases, and its sharp aroma repels insect pests.
Perennial garden geranium does not require shelter for the winter and tolerates frost well in open ground.

Propagation of garden geraniums

There are several ways to propagate garden geraniums: rhizome segments or seeds. geranium seeds - a very troublesome task. Firstly, after ripening, the seeds scatter in different directions and it is problematic to collect them. Secondly, with this method of reproduction, varietal characteristics are very often lost. Therefore, most often, garden geraniums are propagated by segments of rhizomes. To do this, in early spring, healthy young rhizomes are selected, which are separated from the mother bush, and then planted in the soil and watered.

Pelargonium (Pelargonium).

Pelargonium Pelargonium (Pelargonium) belongs to the geranium family. More than 250 species are known in nature. Homeland - South Africa. One of the most popular crops both outdoors and indoors. Pelargoniums do not have a pronounced dormant period. Plants can live for a long time with little or no water, as they have a semi-succulent stem. They do not tolerate dampness, especially in winter time. There are thousands of varieties of pelargoniums with variously colored flowers: white, orange, pink, red, raspberry, lilac, purple, violet, variegated. The stems are erect, creeping, the leaves are green and multi-colored, often emitting a pleasant aroma when touched.

The most widespread are three types of pelargoniums - zonal (R. zonale Ait.), Ivy-shaped pelargonium, or creeping (R. peltatum Ait.), and large-flowered pelargonium (R. grandiflorum Willd.). Less common is fragrant pelargonium (P. denticulatum,), which is grown for the sake of openwork foliage and a pleasant smell. Pelargonium zonal is known as "just geranium". It got its name from the Greek zona - belt "due to a darker stripe that runs along the sheet and repeats its shape. It appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. as a potted plant and gave rise to numerous hybrids. In 1889, the French gardener Lemoine developed the Meteor variety, which is now widely distributed. Stem erect, branched, 35-60 cm tall, densely pubescent, woody at the base with age. The leaves are light green, large, rounded with shallow recesses, sitting on long petioles, arranged in a spiral, sometimes there is a brown rim on the leaves. At a close distance, a pleasant smell is felt. The flowers are large, simple, fiery red, collected in umbrellas.

Ivy pelargonium is a highly decorative ampelous plant with thin hanging or climbing faceted shoots with fleshy dark green, shiny, rounded cut leaves. The flowers are very bright simple, semi-double and double, collected in umbrella inflorescences on strong peduncles. The color of the flowers is varied: red, pink, lilac, raspberry, white and orange, in different tones and shades.

Large-flowered pelargonium has rough, folded, serrated leaves and very beautiful, fairly large, single-color flowers with spotted petals. Modern varieties bloom not only on windows and balconies, but also in open ground all summer.

Pelargoniums propagate by cuttings at any time of the year. The cuttings root easily in the sand. For summer gardening, cuttings are usually taken from February to April. Cuttings are taken from strong, healthy mother plants, apical and lateral shoots. If reproduction requires a large number of cuttings, then it is advisable to grow mother plants in the soil of greenhouses, where they can be in one place for more than 10 years. If a small number of cuttings are required, then the mother plants are kept in pots, transplanted annually into new soil in February. Mother plants should not fatten, because cuttings from such plants take root poorly and often rot. Pelargoniums fatten from excess nitrogen, so they cannot be planted in oily soil. Winter care consists of moderate watering, loosening, cleaning plants from yellow leaves, adding earth to pots. Mother plants are kept in a greenhouse in winter at a temperature of 6-8°C. In February the temperature rises to 15-18°C. To get more cuttings, plants are not allowed to bloom, all flower buds are broken out at the very beginning of their development.

Cuttings 10 cm long with 3-4 internodes are cut with a sharp knife, the lower leaves are removed, and the cuts are dried, i.e. leave them to lie in a cold room for several hours until the cut is covered with a thin film, or treat the cut with dry crushed charcoal mixed with heteroauxin powder (1 tablet per 100 g of coal). Plant cuttings in boxes or on racks at a distance of 8 X 8 cm. ) and moisturize well. Landing is done to a depth of 2-3 cm. For rapid rooting, it is required: a bright place, a temperature of 12-15 °, rare abundant watering, it is impossible to spray the cuttings, and when watering, you should try not to wet the leaves. Before the formation of calus, the cuttings must be protected from direct sun rays and drops of film or paper. They take root in 12-15 days. If the cuttings are rarely planted and are in a bright place, they do not stretch, and after rooting they can be left in the same place for another two to three weeks. In April, they are planted in 9-11 cm pots or in plastic cups and placed in picking boxes of 15 plants. For planting, they take compost soil or make up a mixture of light turf, humus, peat soil and sand (4: 4: 2: 1). For the formation good bush in April, the tops of the stems are cut off, which are used for cuttings. Sometimes the plants stretch out, and the tops of the side branches have to be cut off a second time, thanks to which the bushes become branched and dense. Cuttings can be immediately in peat pots or in ordinary pots with earth. This greatly saves labor and cost. Before landing in the ground, pelargonium must be kept in sunny places and hardened in May by opening greenhouses for the day. In room conditions, pelargoniums are grown on sunny windows. In winter, it is better to keep them on bright cold windows (7-10 °). From hot air batteries central heating plants are isolated with a polyethylene curtain. They feel great in the summer on the southern, southwestern and southeastern balconies. It is better for amateur gardeners to cut pelargoniums before frosts at the end of September. In a two-liter pot, 7-10 cuttings are planted at once. In February-March, they are planted one by one in pots and at the same time the tops of the shoots are cut to form bushes. In the summer, pots are dug near garden houses.

Pelargonium is planted in the ground in early June. The distance when planting between plants is 25 cm. The flower beds look very elegant from the first day until the frost. This plant is very unpretentious, tolerates dryness well, but must be protected from stagnant water. Summer care consists of weeding, watering and loosening. In the autumn, before frosts, the plants are transplanted into pots, brought into greenhouses or planted in the soil of the greenhouse and used as mother liquors for several years. Pelargonium is indispensable as a pot culture for landscaping balconies, for planting in the ground and for cutting. It looks impressive in hanging baskets, pots on the walls of loggias, on window sills, it looks good as bright spots on lawns, near pools, at the entrance to a garden house.

Pelargonium

Pelargonium is loved by flower growers and is successfully grown as an indoor, balcony and even garden plant (moving to the garden for the summer). Some do not like pelargonium, considering it a rustic, rustic, grandmother's plant, but I think they just have not had time to appreciate all its beauty and variety of varieties. Although there are objective reasons for some people not to plant this plant in their home. The fact is that the plant is rich in essential oils, which give the pelargonium its characteristic smell, which can affect people in different ways. Some like it, others do not, it has a calming effect on some people, others cannot stand it, it depends on the characteristics of the body of different people. In addition, some types of geraniums are slightly poisonous and can cause contact dermatitis in some people.

The most common among flower growers are zonal pelargonium and ivy-leaved pelargonium.

1. Pelargonium zonal - perennial plant. This is the most common group of pelargoniums, it includes more than 1000 varieties. It is characterized by a pattern on softly pubescent long-petiolate leaves of a darker shade, repeating the shape of the leaf. Zonal pelargoniums have large bright flowers collected in multi-flowered umbellate inflorescences. Flowers can have varying degrees of doubleness, and the color of the petals can have all sorts of shades, including two-tone with an eye in the center or a border around the edge. Different varieties of zonal pelargoniums have different height, they can be dwarf with a height of about 20 cm, medium-sized up to 40 cm or tall more than 42 cm. The shape of the petals also differs for different varieties, zonal pelargoniums can be phlox-shaped, star-shaped, cactus-shaped, rose-shaped, bouquet.

Zonal pelargoniums are grown as indoor, balcony and garden plants. They lend themselves perfectly to formation, thanks to which you can get both a neat bush and a small tree at your request. The life span of zonal pelargonium is more than 20 years.

Variegated pelargoniums also belong to the group of zonal pelargoniums. Their beauty is not mainly in the flowers, but in the interesting color of the leaves, which can have various combinations and shades of white, yellow, silver, bronze. Variegated varieties of zonal pelargonium are usually undersized, they are used both as indoor pot plants and as garden plants. In the garden, they are mainly used for making annual carpet compositions.

2. Large-flowered pelargonium is also very common and numerous. This pelargonium can also be found under other names, it is often called English or royal, as well as French and domestic. Plants of this group are distinguished by unusually beautiful flowers up to 8 cm in diameter and lush large inflorescences - bouquets. This group is characterized by greater tallness of plants. Large-flowered pelargoniums have rather thin stems, woody at the base, which in the first year stretch up to 40-80 cm, depending on the variety, and subsequently can reach 2-3 meters and need support. The leaves of large-flowered pelargoniums are rounded or maple-shaped, about 5-7 cm in diameter, covered with sparse hard pubescence, serrated or serrate at the edges, the color is bright green. Ancient varieties usually bloom only once a year, while modern varieties are able to bloom continuously for 9 months. Large-flowered pelargoniums are used mainly as houseplants, since they are not very suitable for growing in the garden. Their place is on sunny windows, loggias and bright halls.

3. Ivy pelargonium (thyroid) - these are complex hybrids of thyroid and faceted pelargonium, they are ampelous plants with thin flexible highly branched stems. Ivy pelargoniums form an unusually beautiful cascade of bright inflorescences. Ivy pelargonium flowers are medium in size, they are collected in umbellate inflorescences of 8-15 pieces. Flowers may have varying degrees of doubleness and various colors. The leaves are fleshy, dense, with a wax coating, sometimes with a slight pubescence, green or with a concentric pattern, reminiscent of ivy leaves. Ivy pelargoniums are used both as indoor, and as a balcony, and as a garden plant. Their flowering can last all year round. From the ivy pelargonium, you can form a beautiful standard tree.

4. Fragrant (fragrant) pelargonium. This is a group of pelargoniums that have a pleasant aroma when touched on its parts. These pelargoniums are used mainly in industrial plantations in order to obtain geranium oil. The aroma of these plants can be lemon-apple, pink, verbena, pineapple. In countries with warm climates fragrant pelargoniums used in landscaping parks.

5. Succulent pelargoniums are still little known in our country. These pelargoniums have highly branched, beautifully curved stems, woody at the base, reminiscent of baobab miniatures or some fabulous creatures with their interesting intricate shapes. Succulent pelargoniums are used in interior decoration, in creating bonsai-style compositions, in rocky gardens. There are about 10 species of succulent pelargoniums, the most common are humpbacked pelargonium, cortus-leaved pelargonium, fleshy pelargonium, regular pelargonium, fluffy-leaved pelargonium, thick-stemmed pelargonium and angular pelargonium.

Doors "Profildoors" are made of modern materials on new technologies. Doors Profildors are not only very beautiful, they have excellent operational characteristics, easy to care for, environmentally friendly and safe.

__________________________________________________________

Pelargoniums are very photophilous, and easily tolerate even direct sunlight, so it is best to determine a place for them on the windowsill of the south window. Although, in the absence of such, your pelargonium will grow well on both the eastern and northern windows, except that it will stretch a little during the winter months.

Pelargonium loves Fresh air, the room where she grows, it is advisable to regularly ventilate, and for the summer it is better to arrange a summer vacation for her in the garden. At the same time, it is not advisable to transplant the plant into open ground, if you subsequently want to bring it back into the house, it is better to dig it into the ground along with the pot. Otherwise, your beauty, feeling the will, will begin to gain green mass, which will go to the detriment of flowering.

In winter, buds are laid for future flowering, the desired temperature for the plant at this time is about 11-13 degrees, watering the plant at this time should be very moderate as the earthen coma dries up.

Pelargoniums do not like waterlogging and tolerate dry air well. In summer, the plant is watered moderately after 2-3 days, spraying will be useful in summer only during a particularly hot period.

Sometimes the lower leaves on the plant may turn yellow and dry out, they should not be cut off, as the tissue exposed in this case may begin to rot. It is better to cut the leaves, leaving part of the petiole on the trunk. If you notice decay on the trunk, you must urgently cut it to a healthy tissue and sprinkle the wound with crushed coal.

The soil for pelargoniums should be light permeable with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The pot must be with drainage holes.

Pelargoniums are propagated by cuttings. Seed propagation is used mainly for breeding purposes. For cuttings use the tops of shoots with 3-5 leaves. Cuttings are carried out in February-March or in summer in July-August. The cut cuttings are slightly dried for 1-2 hours, then the ends are dipped in coal powder and planted in a container with soil. A container with cuttings is placed in a bright place without direct sunlight, watered very carefully or simply sprayed. Rooting time for cuttings is about 2-3 weeks. When the cuttings take root, they are seated in separate pots. The pots must be small size about 9 cm, so the plant will bloom faster. Cuttings rooted in summer bloom in April, rooted in February-March will bloom in mid-summer.

Plant transplantation is carried out in March. Young plants are transplanted annually, into fresh ground, while doing formative pruning, in order to subsequently obtain lush, profusely flowering plants. To do this, 2 to 5 buds are left on each shoot. Adult plants are transplanted as needed (if the pot becomes small).