Geranium is a favorite of flower growers and breeders. This flower is able to become a real decoration of a house or a summer cottage. The article is devoted to one of the plant species - royal geranium. You will learn how it can be propagated, and what care is needed.

Short flower description

Royal geranium (or pelargonium) is a perennial large-flowered species with flowers with a diameter of 5-15 cm. In shape, they are similar to pansies. Coloring can be various. During flowering, the plant resembles a bright ball. In height, it reaches 60 cm.

Did you know? The names of both geraniums and pelargonium came from the ancient Greek language. The first is translated as “crane”, the second as “stork”. The flower received such names because of the similarity of the fruits to the beaks of these birds.

Breeding methods

Geranium can be propagated in 2 ways:

1. Seed.
2. Cuttings.

Both one and the other are used at home. Seed material can be purchased at the store and planted in a loose substrate to a depth of 0.5 cm. It is better to do this in February. After planting, you need to organize a mini-greenhouse - cover with glass and put in a well-lit warm place. Periodically, it will be necessary to ventilate the seedlings and moisten the soil. After 2 real leaves appear on the sprouts, they need to be dived - planted in separate pots. Seedling care is standard: regular watering and top dressing.When the sprouts get stronger, and 5-6 leaves are formed on them, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. Cuttings include growing a plant from a separate cuttings from the mother plant. This method is simpler and more accessible to every grower. It allows you to save all the qualities of the mother plant. For royal geraniums, this method is preferable.

Home Cherenkov Technology

To properly propagate the royal pelargonium using cuttings, it is necessary:

1. With a sharp knife or a scissor in the spring or in the autumn, cut 10 cm cuttings at an angle of 45 ° so that 2-3 leaves with internodes remain on them. Rooting in the spring will be faster than in the fall.
2. Then you need to remove all the buds and 2 lower leaves.
3. Place the cuttings for drying in a shaded place (this will save them from decay).
4. To process with "Kornevin".
5. To root the stem, it must be placed in water or planted in a nutrient substrate (universal soil with vermiculite and sand), and then placed in a room where the room temperature is.
6. When required, it will be necessary to water the stalk. In this case, water should not fall on the stem.
7. Rooting will occur a month later.

Follow-up care

Royal geranium belongs to the fancy indoor plants. You need to try very hard so that she will please you with her decorativeness. Therefore, do not neglect compliance with the necessary conditions and recommendations for care. The pot for planting it will need ceramic, soil - nutritious with the introduction of nitrogen fertilizer. The place for the pot should be chosen where there are no drafts, direct sunlight, heating appliances, the temperature should be up to 25 ° C.

Did you know? Geranium oil is widely used in aromatherapy. It is advised to be used when it is necessary to calm the nervous system and improve mood.

If you plan to grow on a window or a warm loggia, it is better to choose those that overlook the east or north side. Immediately after planting the rooted cuttings, they need to be put in a shaded place for about 14 days. At the same time, water twice a day in small portions. In the future, watering should be carried out in the morning, up to 11 hours. This will protect the plant from sunburn. The frequency of watering will depend on the season. In the summer, it will be more frequent. In winter, watering will need less.It is necessary to ensure that the top layer of earthen coma does not dry out. Usually indoor plants are watered once every 2-3 days. Watering must be carried out defended for 2 days (or filtered water at room temperature). In the spring and summer seasons, top dressing is needed: 1 time in 2 weeks, mineral supplements with a predominance of potassium and phosphorus are added. In autumn and winter, the plant is fed 1 time per month. It will require organic matter and nitrogen. In order for the bush to be beautiful in shape, it must be periodically trimmed.

Important! Watering indoor plants with cold hard water from the tap, you can cause irreparable harm to them.

After the stems grow 15 cm in height, it is necessary to cut off the tops by 2 cm. This will give an incentive to the flower to shoot side shoots. When the lateral sprouts reach 5 cm, they must be cut off by 1 cm. Transplantation should be done infrequently - 1 time in 3 years. If there is no emergency, then this event can be completely abandoned. Geranium does not tolerate when it is disturbed, so it can react negatively to the fact that it was transplanted. This flower is transplanted by transshipment, that is, without destroying the earthen lump.

Possible growing difficulties

Errors in the care of royal pelargonium can affect the state of the plant, its flowering. Various diseases and pest injuries cannot be avoided.

The most dangerous among them:

1. Rot. It affects the root system. The disease is manifested by yellowing of the leaves, and then their blackening and lethargy of the whole plant. It is treated by the establishment of proper care, regular loosening of the soil, the removal of diseased leaves and sections of rhizomes, treatment with fungicides.
2. Rust. Fungal disease. The causative agent provokes the appearance of bright spots on the upper leaf plate and rusty ones on the lower. The diseased plant is cleaned from damaged leaves. The frequency of irrigation is reduced to the maximum, but the volume of water is increased. Apply spraying with Fitosporin, Fundazol, Topaz, Bordeaux liquid.
3. Bacteriosis. Symptoms are as follows: with normal watering, the leaves turn yellow and dry, at the base of the stem is covered with black rot. You will have to part with a diseased plant, and it will not be possible to cure it. Flowers that were nearby should be treated with one of the fungicides - Fitosporin, Alirin-B, Gamair, Abiga-Peak.
4. Root and stem rot. Often develops with improper soil selection. Treatment with Fitosporin M, Alirin-B, Fitolavin, transplantation with simultaneous soil treatment with Gliokladin is necessary.
5. Thrips. The fact that these parasites chose a plant is indicated by small holes on the leaves, brown spots, deformation of the stems. Their reproduction is facilitated by dry air and the absence of spraying. Actellik, Inta-Vir, Fitoverm, Aktara insecticides are treated by spraying.
6. Ticks A characteristic symptom that these pests have settled on the flower is the presence of small yellow dots on the leaves. Favorable conditions for their spread are heat and dryness. You can get rid of parasites by wiping with soap and water, using Fitoverm, Bi-58, Karate, Iskra-M, and Aktellik.
7. Aphid. This is a sucking parasite that feeds on the plant's juices, as a result of which it withers, its leaves turn yellow, curl and fall off. Wiping aphids helps to wipe the organs of the flower with a soapy solution, spraying with the insecticides Akarin, Inta-Vir, Fufanon, Fitoverm, Aktara.

In addition to the ailments and parasites described above, when growing geraniums, other difficulties may arise that the plant can tell about with its changes in appearance:

1. Yellowed leaves. The cause of this problem is insufficient watering. To eliminate it, you must remove the yellow leaves and increase the volume and frequency of watering.
2. For a long time, the plant does not give flowers. By such behavior, the flower indicates that it lacks light, it is too cold, lacking or too many minerals in the ground, it has an excessively large pot, it has not been cut for a long time. To correct the situation, it is necessary to find the true cause and eliminate it.
3. The leaves are drying out. If the tips of the leaves dry, then this is a sign that the flower does not have enough water. It is necessary to increase the introduction of fluid. If the flowers, buds, whole leaves dry, this may indicate the presence of a fungal infection. In this case, spraying with fungicides (for example, "Fitosporin") will help.
4. Brown growths appeared on the lower leaf plate. The reason is a strong hydration of the roots and high humidity. It is necessary to control the humidity level and bring it to normal values.

Important! Often, geranium leaves turn yellow soon after transplantation. This is a normal and temporary phenomenon. You should cut off the yellowed organs of the plant and adhere to the recommendations for care and the necessary conditions.

Royal geranium is a moody plant, which not everyone can grow. It requires constant attention, special conditions and painstaking efforts to care for. If you get used to it, then it will delight you with its chic flowering for a long time. It is better to propagate it by the method of cuttings.

Video: propagation by cuttings and the result