At home, you can grow absolutely any, even the most exotic, types of flowers from seeds that cannot grow independently in our latitudes. However, this will require a lot of effort, especially in the first stage, which includes getting the first sprouts. But geranium is quite easy to grow from seeds and does not require any special care for the plant in the future.

The flower, firmly established on tables and window sills, belongs to the geranium family and its types vary depending on the zonal affiliation. In addition, there is a special ampelous and ivy-leaved form of pelargonium, but the principles of growing and caring for them are almost the same.

Features of growing pelargonium from seeds

To grow geraniums without problems and quickly, you need to carry out careful selection planting material. The seeds should have a brown color with a slight matte sheen and a moderate tint.

The shape of the seeds should be oblong, with small depressions on the sides, the shell should be leathery and dense, size - quite large.

If you come across flattened, small, deformed, or different from the desired tone and covered with stains different colors seeds - set them aside. Planting such material will not provide the desired result.

The seeds of some types of geranium, especially ivy-leaved ones, do not sprout for 2-3 months, which causes panic and disappointment among novice gardeners. As a result, caring for the plant completely stops.

To minimize germination time, it is necessary carry out the scarification procedure, that is, remove part of the shell in order to ensure unhindered access of nutrients directly into the seed.

You can do this yourself using fine- or medium-grain sandpaper, which will remove upper layer without forming gaps that are harmful to the plant.

If you need to achieve the fastest germination of pelargonium, rub the seed 2-3 times on sandpaper with slow rotational movements.

Preparing the soil for growing geraniums from seeds

The substrate can be purchased at a special flower shop, but there is a high probability that the soil will be oversaturated with minerals.

Such conditions for pelargonium are not very favorable - seedlings appear several times (2-3) slower, and the bushes have thick stems and short growth, flowering is sparse.

Soil for geraniums better to make it yourself. To do this you will need:

• peat High Quality(1 part);
• river sand (1 part);
• turf land (2 parts).

To avoid infection of the flower with various diseases (which is especially important for hanging varieties), before planting the seeds, the substrate should be bake in the oven 2-3 minutes.

At the same time, there is no need to be afraid that organic compounds And nutrients, located in the soil, will be destroyed - pelargonium feels great in unenriched soil and does not require the use of fertilizing.

You can also use a high quality fungicide to treat the soil. Only in this case, you should wait 3-6 hours before planting the seeds.

Where can you grow pelargonium from seeds? Ideal for sprouting geraniums small compact pots or trays, 3 cm deep. You can purchase containers in special stores or make them yourself.

How to grow a plant from seeds

After filling the pots with soil, lightly sprinkle the surface of the soil with warm water and leave for one day to warm the soil to the required temperature (21−22 °C).

Then use your finger or suitable tool make small holes at a distance of two cm from each other. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of soil one cm thick.

The soil needs to be slightly moistened again and cover containers with film, in which small holes are pre-drilled to provide air access.

At home, geraniums must be provided with optimal temperature conditions and lighting, but under no circumstances place pots with planted seeds on the windowsill.

When the first soft green sprouts appear, remove the cover so as not to create conditions for the plant high humidity. Now is the time to place the trays with pelargonium on the windowsill to provide the plant with sunlight, otherwise growing the flower will take two to three times longer.

In order to obtain a healthy bush with strong stems, as well as to strengthen the root system, the soil must be loosened periodically. After two true leaves appear, pelargonium should be picked and transplant the bush into a narrow and tall container.

After waiting for the fifth leaf to appear on the pelargonium, the seedlings should be pinched. This will ensure that the bush grows as branched as possible, otherwise you will end up with a plant with a long, thin stem.

Caring for pelargonium from seeds at home

Pelargonium does not need to create any special conditions for further growth and development, but still requires some care.

Compliance with basic plant care rules guarantees its protection from pests and various diseases. If the substrate is excessively moistened, there is a high probability of fungal diseases affecting the geranium.

In addition, too hot and dry air can provoke the appearance of whiteflies. In these cases, to resolve the problem special drugs are used.

A plant with a somewhat complex name “pelargonium” is a familiar geranium. Having survived expulsion from window sills as an attribute of philistinism, pelargonium returned to our homes, but now renewed and often more beautiful than before. The demand for delicious flowers is growing every year. After all, pelargonium is not only beautiful, but also easy to care for and useful. Even when not in bloom, it can purify the air of the room in which it is located and have a calming effect on the nerves, and, when applied topically, a wound-healing effect. These and other properties of homemade geranium are used ethnoscience. Pelargonium is increasingly being planted as a garden or balcony plant; it has no equal in terms of duration and abundance of flowering. How can you grow such a miracle at home and in your garden? There are two reasonable ways - from seeds and from cuttings. Growing pelargonium from seeds has become widespread since the middle of the last century after the appearance of heterotic hybrids (designated F1 on the bags). For a long time, cuttings remained the main method of obtaining new plants. Photo: Ivy-leaved pelargonium grown from seeds

PELARGONIA FROM SEEDS

It is known that plants grown from seeds at home are more resilient than those grown in greenhouses from store shelves. Compared to cuttings, pelargonium grown from seeds has more luxuriant and longer flowering. The seed method of propagation allows you to renew old bushes that are losing varietal qualities, or create new varieties in an economically profitable way. And although the process is simple, not everyone succeeds in growing pelargonium from seeds. There may be several reasons:
- bad seeds (old or spoiled);
- improperly prepared seeds;
- improper sowing and/or germination process.

To avoid the above mistakes, use high-quality seeds for growing. There are a great variety of them on sale. different varieties zonal pelargonium (garden) and ivy-leaved geranium. To be absolutely sure of the result, you need to buy seeds from a reputable manufacturer and at reliable points of sale, because if stored incorrectly, they can be spoiled. Good seeds are sold prepared for sowing; all we have to do is sow them.

HOW TO PREPARATE PELARGONIA SEEDS FOR SOWING Photo: zonal pelargonium seedlings obtained from seeds

For varietal geraniums, not hybrid ones, you can collect the seeds yourself. But the characteristics of the variety may be lost. In order for pelargonium to grow from seeds for sure, at home they need to be easily and confidently treated with fine sandpaper ( scarification) or an abrasive nail file. Before sowing, soak for 3 hours in warm water, then treat with zircon, epin or another similar preparation.

WHEN TO SOW GERANIUM

Growing pelargonium from seeds can be started at any time. Some flower growers advise doing this from November to April, others only in December, others only in spring. Everyone is right, because geranium grows well both outdoors and indoors. But at home, seedlings may need additional lighting, which is inconvenient to do in an apartment. For this reason, growing pelargonium from seeds in middle lane In Russia they begin no earlier than February and no later than March with sufficiently long daylight hours. This allows for the summer get flowering plants. Photo: first geranium flowers

SOIL FOR SOWING AND GROWING

The main thing in growing pelargonium is the correct soil mixture and compliance with the conditions for seed germination. There are no strict requirements for the composition of the soil, but it is important that it is not clayey, heavy or too light. Pelargonium seeds germinate well in seedling soil purchased at flower shops. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself, for which you need to mix peat and perlite in a 1:1 ratio, or peat, sand and turf in a 1:1:2 ratio.

HOW TO SOW PELARGONIA

The method of growing pelargonium from seeds depends on the container chosen. If you sow seeds in a large box or plastic container, then after the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, they should be planted into separate containers. In this case, when sowing, maintain a distance of 5 cm, and when picking, take special care root system.
You can also grow pelargonium from seeds by sowing each seed separately in plastic seedling cells, or in disposable cups or other individual containers. Then, when transplanting grown seedlings, the root system will not be damaged.

If seeding cassettes are selected, it means that each cell already has a drainage hole. If the seeds are placed in solid boxes or unsuitable containers, such holes must be made in their bottom yourself, for example, pierced (melted) with a heated nail. If the height allows, a layer of drainage material (fine expanded clay, screenings) should be placed on the bottom of the seed container. But it is much more important that there is a drainage layer in the pot, where the seedling will subsequently be placed on permanent place residence. Photo: summer flowering geranium
The sowing process itself is as follows: fill the container chosen for the seeds with soil, compact it moderately, slightly moisten it, and sow.

In order for pelargonium to grow from seeds, they need to be laid out on the surface, sprinkled with a little soil on top and moistened with a hand sprayer. You can not sprinkle the seeds, but lightly press them into the damp soil with a match to a depth of no more than 3-5 mm.

Afterwards, the container with the seeds is covered with film and placed in a light window without direct sunlight. The temperature should be room temperature, +20+22°C. The soil is kept slightly moist. Opens once a day sowing for 5 minutes for ventilation. Shoots will appear at the end of the first or second week after sowing; for some shoots this process may take more than a month.

Photo: pelargonium grown from seeds as a container plant - from seedlings to seed formation

SEEDLING CARE

Tiny plants need proper care. It is simple, but allows you to grow beautiful pelargonium from seeds for your home and garden. The main rule is reasonable watering. The soil with sprouts should be moderately moist at all times. Using a regular pharmacy pipette, it is convenient to dose the amount of water required for each sprout. Sometimes medical syringes without a needle or a regular spray bottle are used. It is advisable that water does not remain on the sprouts, as this can provoke some diseases of the seedlings. When signs of blackleg appear, seedlings and soil are shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or preparations intended for this purpose, for example, phytosporin, and then the conditions are normalized.

The younger generation of geraniums should live in a bright window, even with direct sunlight, but not all day, but, for example, in the morning or only in the evening. IN winter time It is undesirable for a container with seeds or seedlings to stand on the windowsill very high hot battery. After seed germination, the temperature of the geranium should be lowered by 2 degrees to +18-+20°C. This will prevent the seedlings from stretching and the plants will be bushy and level. At this stage, geraniums are fed with a special instant fertilizer for flower seedlings once every 2 weeks. When using conventional microfertilizers, a solution is made, the concentration of which is two times lower than the recommended dose.

TRANSPLANTING AND PLANTING PELARGONIA

When two or three leaves appear on the sprouts, they are planted in separate small containers; pots for cacti are not suitable. As the geranium grows, it may require another transplant into larger pots, preferably clay ones, which will protect the roots from overheating and retain moisture longer. Replant geraniums better method transshipment without disturbing the roots and earthen coma. Optimal size container for low-growing varieties 20x30cm. When planting in a pot, it is advisable to apply long-acting fertilizer. After the threat of frost ends, pelargonium can be taken outside or planted in flower beds (5 plants per linear meter) in soil with the same characteristics as when growing seedlings.

Photo: growing ivy-leaved pelargonium from seeds

CARE OF PELARGONIA

Pelargonium grown from seeds can be kept on a windowsill at home, and in the summer on a balcony or in the garden. IN open ground geraniums grow all year round only in areas where there are no prolonged frosts in winter, and the thermometer never drops below -2 -3°C, but remains close to zero in winter. On rare cool days, it is enough to cover the pelargonium with film.

In regions where winters are more severe, geraniums can be planted in flower beds (non-double varieties) in summer, and transplanted into pots and brought into the house in winter. And although geranium is unpretentious, it does not like constant transplants (with the exception of the transshipment method). She reacts to this attitude towards herself by decreasing flowering or its complete cessation. Experienced flower growers advise replanting a flower only when necessary (strongly grown plant, root disease). In other cases, in the summer it should be taken out to the balcony or into the yard in a pot, and when cold weather sets in, it should be brought back in the same pot. By the way, in flower pots, suitable in size, with proper care, pelargonium feels no worse than in open ground, and sometimes even better. After all, here it is possible to protect it from excessive precipitation, and the soil, when the air temperature in the pot decreases, will warm up better than the soil.

Photo: summer flowering of ivy-leaved geranium

Caring for pelargonium grown from seeds consists of timely moderate watering, fertilizing with any flower fertilizer at least once a month in open ground and twice if the flower is grown in a container. Removal of faded inflorescences will be required, with the exception of some varieties that shed them on their own. Then pelargonium will delight you with abundant and long flowering. To prevent the flower stem from stretching upward, it is pinched, thereby forming a small crown. It is advisable to do this until the plant reaches a height of 10 cm. And so that pelargonium has correct form, the flower pot is placed freely on the windowsill and rotated a few degrees from time to time. In rainy weather, it is better to protect geraniums growing outside from excessive moisture, and when the air temperature drops, bring them into the room.

And although pelargoniums can live in the shade and in the open sun, in cool rooms and where it is hot, the best appearance and many beautiful flowers will occur in plants for which a moderate regime in both lighting and temperature is observed environment, and in watering.

Preface

It can be quite difficult for beginners to grow indoor flowers. To do this, you need to apply skills experienced flower growers. Let's learn how to grow popular flowers using expert advice.

Pelargonium is one of the most common indoor plants. Its flowers can be semi-double, double or single. The plant is grown not only for its beauty, but also for its presence beneficial properties. It quickly relieves the strong headache, resists poisons, and a decoction of flowers is recommended for people with stomach problems. The leaves of these plants can quickly stop bleeding, remove purulent accumulations and heal cuts. The leaves are often used for a decoction taken by hypertensive patients. This remedy helps cure disorders nervous system. In addition, pelargonium bushes filter the air well.

Pelargonium seedlings

All of the listed properties push connoisseurs of beauty and usefulness to sow this plant. As a rule, people who grow flowers for the first time begin the event by selecting and purchasing seed. At the same time, great attention should be paid to it appearance and the variety you wish to propagate. In most cases, plant seeds go on sale already peeled and ready for sowing. However, if you have previously bred plants at home and use them for further propagation collected seeds, then before planting they should be carefully treated with sandpaper. This way you will remove the hard skin that would interfere with the germination of the seedlings.

In addition to seed preparation, it is worth studying several important factors. These include:

• seed planting period;
• suitable soil for this;
• conditions in which seedlings will germinate;
• features of care;
• seedling germination time;
• picking seedlings.

Each of these factors is important in its own way. Without following at least one rule, you risk losing your plants.

Video: A new way to plant pelargonium

Most experts in the field of floriculture argue that there is no definitely best period for sowing a plant. However, in practice, saplings planted from seeds in November-April germinate best. It is during these five months that you should start planting flowers. For sowing you will need to prepare the necessary equipment. You will need sod, peat and sand in a 2:1:1 ratio, sand and peat in a 1:1 ratio, or perlite and peat in the same ratio. There are plenty of soil combinations, however, you must choose the most suitable option for you. In any case, to grow flowers, you will need to adhere to everyone.

Pelargonium seeds

Immediately before sowing planting material need to be prepared. To do this, the seeds are soaked in Zircone at room temperature for 2 hours. It is recommended to sow the seeds at a distance of 4 cm. After this, sprinkle the seeds with a small amount of soil and moisten them with water that has settled in the room. It is very important that the layer of soil above the seeds is not thicker than 5 mm. Make sure that the soil is well moistened during the germination of seedlings. warm water. After planting, cover the soil with seeds with transparent film or glass.

To ensure that the seedlings hatch quickly, maintain the temperature at 18–22 °C. The container with seedlings should be in a well-lit room, out of direct sunlight.

If you follow all these rules, the germination period of seedlings will take no more than 40 days, and the first seedlings will hatch within two weeks after planting. As soon as the first 2-3 leaves appear on the plants, it is worth transplanting them into larger vessels. 3 months after this, the first flowers can be seen on the bushes.

Planting and propagating pelargonium seeds requires proper care from the first days. Indoor varieties This plant is easy to care for, but there are several nuances that are worth remembering. First, the plants must be provided with sunlight. The bushes are not afraid of direct sunlight, but you should not allow the seedlings to remain under the influence of ultraviolet radiation for a long time. This can cause the leaves to die.

Flower seedlings

Secondly, you don’t need to water the grown seedlings very often. However, keep your plants well hydrated. It is best to do this whenever you notice dry soil around the bush. In winter, water your flowers less often. Thirdly, to grow pelargonium, maintain optimal temperature conditions. In summer, the ideal temperature is 22 °C, and in winter - at least 15 °C.

To ensure the plant blooms for as long as possible, make sure there is good drainage in the container. With it, water will not stagnate at the bottom, and the roots of pelargonium will not begin to rot. Expanded clay is suitable as drainage and should be placed at the bottom of the vessel. To ensure the health of the root and above-ground systems of the plant, it must be fed. This can be done no more than 3 times a month. Any store-bought bait is suitable for bait. organic fertilizer. Do not forget to cut off faded inflorescences. This way you will increase the flowering period of plants.

Finding out that you are not caring for your plants correctly is quite simple. There are a number of symptoms for this. If you notice that the edges of the leaves are turning red, then you need to raise the temperature in the room. If the leaves turn yellow, you will need to water more frequently. If the leaves have darkened, most likely you have watered the bush too often. It will need to be removed immediately. Another sign of waterlogging is the appearance of gray mold on the leaves. Also, if you notice that the lower leaves are falling from the plants, it means they are not getting enough light.

One of the required steps self-cultivation plants are a selection of seedlings. It must be replanted once it has at least 2 fully formed leaves. It is best to immediately plant the plants in separate containers. To do this, you need to carefully take one of the bushes and carefully divide its roots into 2-3 independent seedlings. The most important thing is not to “miss” the moment suitable for transplantation, otherwise it will be very difficult to untangle the roots later. For picking, select containers with a diameter of at least 12 cm.

Picking plants

To water transplanted plants, it is best to use a watering can with the narrowest spout. On cloudy, rainy days, install additional lighting above the flowers, as a lack of light will cause the leaves to die. If you notice diseased leaves, it is better to remove them immediately. This will help prevent mold and mildew. After picking seedlings into the soil, add a special substrate from time to time. You can buy it at any flower shop. As soon as 7–8 leaves appear on the plants, the seedlings will need to be pinched. This will prevent the bush from growing.

Dissolving aspirin

It is convenient to propagate pelargonium by cuttings. This is the simplest and effective method, in 99% of cases allowing you to receive good result. However, if we're talking about about rare varieties of geranium, which are quite difficult to find on the shelves of florist shops, the best option There will be a seed method for propagating geraniums. Today there are a sufficient number of excellent quality seeds on sale from which you can grow rare view plants.

Seed requirements

In order for pelargonium seedlings to sprout and develop successfully, it is necessary to select high-quality planting material. The seeds must be Brown, oblong in shape and necessarily hard. Other options for seeding material can either produce low-quality seedlings, or even leave the grower without a “harvest.” To avoid such troubles, you should not buy seeds at the market or in supermarkets. For this purpose, it is better to visit a specialized store, the quality of the goods in which will be guaranteed to be high. Good seeds are sold ready for sowing, so you don’t have to do any complicated manipulations to get them to germinate.

Also, when choosing planting material, pay attention not only to the beauty, shape and richness of the shade of the buds, but also to the maintenance conditions that the flower will need to provide for healthy growth and full flowering. If creating the appropriate conditions necessary for growing the selected type of geranium from seeds at home seems too difficult to you, it is better to opt for another variety of pelargonium.

When to plant geraniums

There is no specific answer to this question. It all depends on the gardener’s desire and ability to provide the seedlings with the required amount of light. Geranium is not a particularly picky plant to grow.

Florists recommend sowing in spring or summer, when daylight hours approach their maximum. However, if you have special equipment with which you can provide the seedlings with the required amount of light, there will be no time restrictions for you. It will take 3-5 months for geraniums to grow to medium size.

Preparing seeds for sowing

If you purchased high-quality seeds from a well-known company, you will not need to carry out complex preparatory procedures. All you need in this case is to store the planting material in a dry, dark place, protected from insects and sunlight.

If the packaging with seeds indicates that the material is not prepared for planting, or you have some doubts about the quality of preparation, you will need them additional processing. To do this, use phytohormones (“Epinom”, “Zirconom”), after which the seedlings are soaked in warm water for several hours. Carrying out such procedures helps accelerate seed germination and improves the quality of seedlings.

The most problematic for gardeners are seeds grown and collected at home. This will require a maximum range of activities. First, the material is cleared of the coarse top layer, which can slow down the germination process. To do this, the seeds are sanded using sandpaper. After this, they are treated with phytohormones (“Epin”, “Zircon”) and soaked in warm water for several hours.

Important! When using seeds obtained at home, the likelihood of obtaining high-quality seedlings is extremely low. The reason for this state of affairs is the loss hybrid varieties pelargonium in progress seed propagation gene passed on by the mother plant.

Preparing the soil and container

The seed material is dry, so it is sown in loose soil. Planting seeds in clay or too dense soil is unacceptable. The soil mixture can be purchased at a specialty store or you can prepare it yourself. To prepare the substrate, use the following proportions:

• peat, sand and turf soil are mixed in a ratio of 1:1:2;
• sand and peat are mixed into equal parts (1:1);
• peat and perlite are mixed in equal proportions (1:1).

The most acceptable is the first soil option.

Important! Choose quality ingredients when preparing the soil. Poor quality soil can spoil the seeds.

Sowing seeds is carried out both in separate containers and in a common pot. By choosing the first option, you are guaranteed to protect the root system of future seedlings from damage at the time of transplantation. The second option, in case of careful handling of seedlings, is also convenient and practical. The main thing is to plant the seeds at a distance of 5–7 cm from each other.

The container must be deep so that its volume is sufficient to accommodate the soil and for a complete drainage layer necessary to provide the roots with oxygen.

How to plant geranium seeds

Sowing geranium seeds is no different from other plants. The pot is filled with drainage, and then with soil, the seeds are laid out and covered with sand or soil.

Important! The seeds should be at a depth of no more than 3–4 cm. Otherwise, their germination will take too long.

After filling the seeds, we moisten the soil with a spray bottle, cover the container with film or glass, place the pot in a well-lit place and wait for the result. Growing pelargonium with seeds requires a room temperature of +23 °C. Lower rates may stop the germination of seedlings.

Care for sowing and seedlings

Be sure to lift the film once a day, providing the seedlings with an influx of oxygen. If everything is done right, The first shoots will appear in 4 weeks.

If you create the right conditions maintenance, the new “generation” of seedlings grows quite quickly and does not cause much trouble. But do not forget that young individuals are too fragile. Therefore, it is necessary to protect new shoots from drafts, strong wind, capable of breaking fragile stems, exposure to sunlight (obligatory shading of seedlings placed on a southern windowsill is necessary).

Growing geranium from seeds at home requires the mandatory provision of seedlings sufficient quantity moisture. To avoid flooding the seedlings, daily watering with measured application of moisture is recommended (a regular pipette can be used as a dispenser). In winter, watering should be more moderate than in summer.

If water gets on the stems during watering, black spots may appear on the skin of the young plant. They can be eliminated by watering the seedling with a solution of potassium permanganate or phytoalcohol.

Important! After the seedlings emerge, the temperature must be lowered to +20…+16 °C. If the seedlings become too cold, it will be impossible to save the young individuals.

The first large leaf of seedlings is usually released 1–2 weeks after germination. The intensity of subsequent growth will depend on temperature regime, soil quality and irrigation intensity.

Features of subsequent transplantation

To grow geranium from seeds, cultivating seedlings in a temporary container is not enough. The plants will require subsequent repotting into a permanent pot. A signal that the flower is ready to “move” will be the appearance of 2–3 leaves on a new individual. You cannot immediately transplant pelargonium into a large pot. Choose a compact container with a diameter of 10 cm. The young plant will be comfortable in such a pot. As the bush grows, the pelargonium can subsequently be transplanted again into a more spacious container.

It is better to choose pots made from natural materials(clay is ideal). Such containers will ensure a flow of oxygen to the soil and prevent rotting of the root system of the flower.

Flowers are replanted using the transshipment method, without disturbing the soil coma formed around the root. At the time of transplantation, you can use a long-acting fertilizer to speed up the process of flower adaptation. For this purpose, synthetic formulations are suitable that contain the proper volumes of potassium, nitrogen, phosphate, magnesium and other microelements necessary for healthy growth.

The transplanted plant is watered with a small amount of water. In warm weather, the transplanted flower is taken out to the balcony.

Important! If you intend to plant pelargonium in a flowerbed or front garden, the composition of the soil should be similar to the composition of the substrate filling the pot.

Propagating geraniums by seeds at home is not so difficult. This requires patience and careful adherence to a minimum set of simple rules.

The favorite of flower growers, geranium is easiest to propagate by cuttings - this is the simplest and most reliable method, which in 99% of cases gives positive results. But when it comes to rare varieties, which are difficult to find on the shelves of flower shops in adult form, the seed method of cultivation is useful. The selection of seeds is always quite good, and with a little effort it is quite possible to obtain a rare variety of geranium.

When can you sow seeds?

The time for sowing geraniums depends on desire and lighting. If it is possible to provide lighting or there is enough lighting in the room natural light, you can grow it all year round.

How to speed up seed germination?

In order for the seeds to germinate faster, it is necessary to carry out scarification, that is, to break the integrity of the shell. You can do this in two ways:

1. Place the seeds in a clay pot tray and rub them lightly with an emery stone.
2. Using a sharp knife, scrape off the brown shell on one side of the seed.

Soak the prepared seeds in water for a day.

Which soil should you choose?

For successful germination geranium seeds, the substrate should be loose. Ordinary garden soil will not work here; it is better to use lighter components for this purpose, such as perlite in a 1:1 ratio.

The best option would also be a soil mixture, which includes:

• 2 parts of turf;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part sand.

How to sow seeds?

Water the soil well before sowing. Place the seeds, leaving a distance of 5 cm between them and lightly sprinkle on top. To maintain the level of humidity and temperature necessary for germination, the pot must be covered with film.

You should periodically spray the soil in the pot to prevent it from drying out.

After one and a half to two weeks from the moment of sowing, shoots will appear, then the film can be removed. In another week they can be dumped into separate containers. At this stage, each seedling should already have at least 2-4 leaves. Before removing the seedlings, the soil should be well moistened so as not to damage the fragile young roots in the process.

Caring for young geranium bushes

The first feeding of geraniums should be done 2 weeks after transplantation. In the future, it is enough to apply fertilizers twice a month, using complex preparations with a small nitrogen content, otherwise the geranium will refuse to bloom.

When a young bush grows more than 6 leaves, the top of the shoot must be pinched - this way you can form a compact flower and achieve active flowering.

Video about growing geranium from seeds