It is not for nothing that many gardeners love geranium. It is easy to care for, undemanding to soil and watering. But there is something that is necessary in the formation of a beautiful lush pelargonium bush and its long-term flowering. This is trimming and pinching. If these operations with geranium are not carried out in a timely manner, then very quickly the flower will lose its shape, bare shoots will stretch out, and the number of inflorescences will disappear. When and how to trim and form the crown of a flower correctly? This is what experienced geranium lovers advise.
How to prune geraniums correctly in autumn
The purpose of autumn pruning
There are many varieties of geranium: indoor or garden plant, with lodging or climbing stems, tall or short, bushy or hanging. For each flower, you need to choose your own pruning method, comparing it with the desired shapes that you would like to give to the pelargonium.
The ultimate goal of pruning geraniums is to obtain beautiful bush with lush blooming inflorescences. Related is the improvement of the bush.
For all types of geraniums, it is important to adhere to the main requirement: pruning and control over the shape of the bush should be done regularly. It is impossible to trim once and get the intended design. Engage in formation beautiful view Geraniums need to be grown constantly, starting immediately after planting. There is no need to wait a year or two for the stems to grow long and bare, retaining only a few leaves at the very top. Pruning stimulates the growth of side shoots and stimulates the conception of new inflorescences.
The geranium itself does not throw out additional side stems without human intervention. But dormant growth buds are located in each node. Their growth should be provoked. After pruning, the plant begins to grow compactly, without bare and ugly branches jumping out. In addition to the side shoots, flower buds are also activated. Such geraniums bloom longer and more luxuriantly than their unkempt counterparts. After flowering is completed, the bush produces high-quality planting material, which allows you to propagate your favorite pelargonium variety.
Time spending
Pelargonium is a smart plant. She herself will tell you when to start pruning. Geraniums are pruned after the bush has stopped flowering and the last inflorescences have withered. If the plant is planted for the summer in open ground or stays in the garden all year round, then remove half the height of the stem. If a flower spent the summer on outdoors, before pruning, you should keep it in the room for ten days so that it gets used to the new living conditions. Removing excess crown improves air exchange, the lower leaves open to sunny color. This reduces the risk of fungal diseases.
Winter is a resting time for the plant, but not for the grower. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the cuts. If the cut has turned black or has become an unnatural color, it is necessary to repeat the pruning, removing the non-healing wound on the stem.
Features of the procedure for different types of pelargonium
You can determine whether a particular plant needs pruning by looking at its appearance. If the bush is compact and the branches are neat, then pruning can be postponed until spring. For example, zonal geraniums often grow obscenely, exposing the trunk uncovered by leaves. Then, of course, pruning is required. Ampelous pelargonium is beautiful with long shoots, but decorated with foliage and flowers. If the type of plant is quite presentable, then it is better not to touch the bush until spring.
Variegated geraniums experience severe stress after pruning, so if you can avoid trimming, then don't. There is an interesting variety - mini pelargoniums. The name itself indicates their miniature size. Therefore, pruning is a rare event for them. Perhaps only to remove something suddenly sticking out from the overall compact structure. Royal geranium needs pruning after the bush grows. In the fall, they cut off everything unnecessary, leaving only a small shoot with buds.
Scheme of work
Geranium shoots must be removed with a disinfected instrument. This is a sharp knife (kitchen or stationery) or blade. Scissors are not suitable for this procedure, as they pinch the stem. The trunk of the geranium is cut three to five millimeters above the leaf node. The cut is made at an acute angle. Nodules should be selected that are aimed at outside bush. When shoots grow from such a bud, the shoots will not lead to thickening of the crown, as they will tend to separate from the center of the bush.
Step-by-step instructions for autumn pruning of geraniums
- Remove yellowed or damaged branches, leaves and all faded inflorescences. This will reveal the bush's true form.
- Prepare your tools. You will need a sharp knife, blade, or, in extreme cases, pruners or scissors. You can disinfect instruments with alcohol by wiping them work surface. Another way: heat over a flame or boil in water for 10–15 minutes.
- Make the cut above the leaf node. If a branch directs its growth inside the bush, it is better to remove it. Shoots that cross each other should also be cut off. Weakened branches are pruned without pity.
- You should start pruning from the outer stems, gradually moving to the center of the bush. If it is necessary to remove about half of the bush, pruning should be done in two or three passes. Between each approach, give the plant a two-week break.
- You can trim the ends of the stems after four or five leaf nodes. New sprouts with flower stalks will form here.
- Treat the sections with a disinfectant (ash, coal, cinnamon, alcohol solution).
- Apply nitrogen fertilizer to support the plant. Create appropriate thermal and light conditions for wintering.
Hint on video
Features of caring for geraniums after pruning
The place where the geranium stem is cut must be disinfected. Suitable for this Activated carbon. It needs to be crushed into powder and then sprinkled on the cut area. Another remedy is wood ash. She is also good antiseptic. Cinnamon powder is considered a natural stimulator of wound healing. They can also process a cut.
The treated plant must be fed nitrogen fertilizers. This vitamin complex will help cope with stress and stimulate the growth of shoots and greenery.
Watering must be reduced. Since there will be very little green mass left, excess moisture will not be able to evaporate. This can lead to disease and death of the plant. It is already weakened by the ordeal it has experienced.
Wintering conditions: table
Crown formation
It is necessary to form the crown of geranium almost immediately after planting the cutting. The main actions to achieve this goal are pruning and pinching. If geraniums are pruned in the fall, you can prune or pinch them in the spring. What is the difference? Pinching is the removal of a plant's growing point. In its absence, the geranium throws out side shoots and turns into a small branched tree. The first pinching is done on the 8th or 10th leaf. It is held at the end of February-March. Side shoots are also pinched as they grow. There is no point in delaying spring manipulations with geraniums. The later the pinching is done, the longer the time until the flowers appear.
Spring pruning is cutting off large stems at the level of the second or fifth leaf from the root. The time of the operation is autumn or early spring.
Basics of proper crown formation
- Carry out all manipulations with geranium only with treated tools and clean hands.
- First of all, shoots growing inside the bush are removed (cut or pinched) to prevent thickening.
- At long distance between pairs of leaves, cut the stem immediately above the leaves, making an indent of up to five millimeters.
- First of all, diseased shoots are removed, capturing up to five centimeters of the healthy part.
Step-by-step instructions for spring procedures
Spring work with geraniums is very similar to autumn pruning. The first three steps are completely the same. But it also has its own nuances.
- Carefully examine the plant and carefully think about what kind of result you would like to get.
- Remove yellowed or damaged twigs and leaves.
- Prepare your tools. You will need a sharp knife, blade, or, in extreme cases, pruners or scissors. You can disinfect the tools with alcohol by wiping their working surface. Another way: heat over a flame or boil in water for 10–15 minutes. To pinch, wash your hands thoroughly.
- Cut off all the stems, leaving the healthiest and most beautiful. The lower side shoots must be removed from it.
- A stem that is too tall needs to be shortened by removing part of the top. The side buds will grow and the geranium will turn into a small tree on the trunk (or a ball on a stick).
- Pelargonium stems that are too long or crooked can be trimmed, leaving stumps up to ten centimeters. In a few weeks, fluffy bushes will appear in the pot instead.
- Pay attention to the direction of bud growth. It should tend to grow in the opposite direction from the main stem.
- Treat the sections with a disinfectant (ash, coal, cinnamon, alcohol solution).
Formation of a geranium crown (video)
Spring pruning and pinching perform an important agrotechnical function - they stimulate the formation of new buds, branches and inflorescences.
It is important to remember: after spring pruning and/or pinching, the geranium will bloom later.
The explanation for this is simple: the flower needs time to recuperate. Therefore, you need to decide what you want to achieve: early flowering or its lushness and longevity. If you consider that pinching is a more gentle procedure than pruning, then in the spring you can choose the first option. Young shoots need to be pinched not only in the spring, but also as the plant grows.
Unless strictly necessary, pruning in the spring may not be carried out. You can trim only up to 20% of all shoots. Extensive thinning can significantly delay flowering time. Also, the plant may spend all its energy recovering from stress and not bloom at all this season.
Care after work: table
Geraniums that have suffered spring pinching or pruning need the most favorable conditions content.
| Conditions for keeping geraniums | Required indicators |
| Temperature | Comfortable temperature is above +12 degrees. Can be exhibited on Fresh air at night temperatures from +4 degrees. |
| Light mode | South side of the house. Geranium loves the sun very much and tolerates direct sunlight. Doesn't like drafts. |
| Watering | Water every other day or two. You can check the need for watering by looking at the top dried layer of soil. |
| Air humidity | Under no circumstances should you spray the plant. This is dangerous for geraniums. |
| Top dressing | Loves nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. You need to apply it twice a month. Can be purchased ready-made fertilizers"For flowering plants" Can't stand it organic fertilizers(fresh manure). |
Pruning: necessary or useless procedure?
Of course, geraniums do not need to be pruned. But will the plant turn out beautiful? flowering bush ik? Most likely no. Geraniums have a tendency to stretch their stems. The elongated stem does not become covered with leaves and does not throw out inflorescences. The plant will grow, but there will be nothing to please the eye. Some gardeners suggest not to bother with old plants, pruning and pinching them. They think the best option trim the old bush in the fall, throw away the root, and root the cuttings to get a young plant.
If you save old faded geraniums, then it is important not to forget that pruning is the greatest test for the plant. Therefore, it is better to carry it out when the daylight hours increase, that is, at the end of winter or beginning of spring. Autumn pruning is less tolerated by pelargonium and the plant may not have enough strength to recover.
Mistakes when pruning geraniums at home
Pruning geraniums is not so difficult process. The only thing that must be observed is the timeliness of its implementation. But incorrect pruning will lead to an unplanned result or the death of the plant.
Geranium pleases the human eye with beautiful flowers and a unique aroma. Every gardener can create a well-groomed pelargonium bush. To do this, it is enough to trim the plant in time and provide it with proper care. Lushly blooming geraniums need to be fed with potassium. This is where all the secrets of creating a spherical crown or fluffy geranium bush end. A pleasant sight for your eyes.
After trimming the branches, new shoots appeared from all the axils, and the crown became round and lush. It is difficult to determine the size by eye, but in the top photographs it is = 40 cm wide. From another angle it is narrower.
More than a dozen flower stalks appeared again, just like in the summer. But they bloomed one by one, and not all at once, as in the summer.
The first three bloomed at the beginning of October.
Each flower = 5.5 cm.
The first ones bloomed, the next ones bloomed.
Pelargonium bloomed on the balcony until the snow.
And then she brought it into the house. And it still bloomed for some time.
Crown formation
Forming the crown, that is, pruning branches, can only be done during periods when there is a lot of sunlight. Even in summer, if it is cloudy and rainy, the branching will be weak.
What should be taken into account when forming the crown.
1. Firstly, the shorter you cut the branch, the greater the chance of getting a bushy form. That is, young shoots will climb not only from the branch, but also from under the root.
Using my Imperial pelargonium as an example, I will show the difference.
This stalk was very small and frail. And it is cut very low above the ground - above the second node.
As a result, a branch appeared from under the root. If the cuttings were stronger and longer, then with such low pruning, much more shoots would come out of the ground. But I've already gotten such a bad start. But you saw how beautifully it bloomed the first time, and what it became like in the fall.
2. If you cut only the crown, side branches will appear at the top. And you will get a tree - standard pelargonium.
3. If you do not cut off the planted cuttings at all, the pelargonium will still produce side branches, but much later. And by this time it will already be high. And the first peduncle will be only on the top of the head.
4. Pruning stunts height growth. Therefore, cuttings planted at the same time will differ in growth if one of them is cut and the other is not. And the cut one will bloom later, but there will be more flower stalks and they will bloom at the same time.
5. You also need to know that the trunk of pelargonium is not so powerful, and the foliage is quite elastic and heavy. Therefore, when you form a crown on a trunk, you need to take into account that under the weight of flowers and foliage it can begin to tilt to the side. That is, you will need support.
And colorful bright blooms. They do not require regular, abundant watering and even tolerate temperature changes. One of the basic rules that you must know to obtain lush flowering, is timely pruning. Learn how to prune geraniums and when to do it.
This procedure is necessary for these plants to cause the formation of new side shoots and give the bush an attractive straight and compact shape. Also, pruning allows you to get very good material for these plant crops.
Experts who grow these flowers do not recommend waiting for the shoots to lengthen in a season or two. These plant crops very rarely produce new side stems without outside timely intervention. Buds are formed in each node. Thanks to pruning, they awaken and new ones are formed.
Video “Care and propagation of pelargonium”
From this video you will learn how to properly care for geraniums at home.
Terms and rules
It’s not for nothing that this plant is called a “smart flower”. It tells you when to prune. This procedure must be performed after flowering has stopped and the last inflorescences have withered. If planting in summer, remove half the height of the stem ten days after flowering has stopped. Removing excess parts of the crown will improve air exchange, and the lower leaves will open to sunlight. With this pruning, you will be able to reduce the risk of fungal infections in the flower.
Winter is a dormant time for geraniums. But even during this period, do not forget to monitor the condition of the cuts.
Among the basic rules of pruning, it is necessary to highlight the use of a high-quality disinfected knife or blade. You should not use scissors; they will pinch the stem too much. It is necessary to cut above the leaf nodes at an angle. It is important to select only those nodes for cutting that are directed towards the outside of the bush.
Spring pruning
In the spring you need to pinch off yellow leaves and damaged branches that have dried up after the winter. The instrument must be disinfected with an alcohol solution. Wipe the working surface of the prepared instrument.
It is recommended to cut off all the stems, leaving only the healthiest, strongest and most beautiful ones. After this procedure, the bush will grow quickly. If the stem is too tall, it must be shortened by removing top part. Cut off crooked stems, leaving “stumps” up to 10 cm.
Autumn pruning
During this period, you also need to trim the bushes. Prepare your pruning tool in the same way as in the spring. Remove yellowed foliage and inflorescences that have already faded. Make the cut above the leaf node. Shoots that cross each other must also be eliminated. Cut off weakened branches.
Be sure to treat the cuts with ash. Apply nitrogen fertilizer.
How to shape for lush flowering
How to shape geraniums to get a beautiful bush with abundant flowering? Trimming and pinching correct execution These procedures will allow you to enjoy the beauty of flowering all year round. Pinching differs from pruning in that it is a procedure for removing the growing point of a flower. As a result, the geranium throws out new side shoots and turns into a branchy small tree. It is best to form the crown of such a plant crop at the end of February or at the beginning of spring.
I've had pelargonium for a long time and I'm used to it. New indoor flower Royal geranium appeared recently and required special care. The slightest negligence resulted in suppressed flowering of the plant and yellowing of the leaves. Also, flowers formed in small quantities, until I realized that I was not taking care of them properly.
I studied books on indoor plants, supplemented my knowledge on the Internet, and changed flower care. The result did not take long to wait - the geranium formed large inflorescences that painted the windowsill of my house in bright colors.
There are hundreds in the world different varieties royal geranium. The beginning of breeding activity was laid in the Cape Lowlands of South Africa. Here travelers discovered plants with amazing beautiful flowers. They dug them up to hand them over to biologists of the country of Foggy Albion.
The maternal zonal pelargonium was with simple flowers, but reminiscent of hydrangea. This was enough for scientists in England to cross several varieties and get large flowers amazing coloring.
The inflorescence differs from its relatives large size up to 15 cm in diameter. The flower of some varieties alone can grow up to 7 cm in diameter. Gorgeous royal pelargonium White Glory surprises with its royal lush inflorescences.
Breeders have developed varieties with different petal colors. The three lower and two upper petals are more strongly colored than the rest, reminiscent of a garden viola. The Spanish Angel variety, popular among flower growers, is characterized by its low height. The lilac inflorescences contrast perfectly with the green mass.
Growing geraniums at home
A flower with all its “crowning” - unpretentious plant. If you care for it correctly, which means watering and feeding, then the plant will respond with lush flowering with early spring until late autumn. Timely pruning for lush flowering is another way to get a bright indoor flower.
In my apartment on the fourth floor, the windows face east, and the plants bloom even in winter. True, they produce one flower stalk at a time, but this is enough to give the room comfort and charm. The main thing is to strictly follow the rules for caring for your green ward.
Royal geranium requires the same care at home as other members of the Pelargonium family. I advise you to watch an introductory video about growing a houseplant:
in spring
For transplantation to new pot best time- spring.
- I cut off the tops of the mother plant, 15-20 centimeters long, forming a low bush.
- I plant the cuttings in a nutritious and moist substrate or distribute them to friends.
Such propagation by cuttings allows you to quickly obtain a full-fledged plant, which will delight you with flowering after 2-3 weeks of adaptation.
For royal geraniums I take the usual universal mixture for indoor plants. I choose a spacious pot, for one small young plant with a diameter of 15-20 centimeters, for 3-5 cuttings - a larger container.
The constant condition is ceramics. For a royal person only the most Better conditions growing.
I put the pots on the windowsill. Pelargonium – light-loving plant, but is afraid of too bright sunlight. In May, when there is a lot of sun, the leaves turn red, so light shading will help in this situation. For example, I place a container behind a frame between the panes of glass on the living room window sill.
In summer
Watering
Caring for royal geraniums at home is easy. I water the plant as it dries. To do this, I lift the pot and feel how dry the soil is. Even if I forgot to water, the plant easily tolerates a lack of moisture.
I feed the flowers once every two weeks with liquid complex fertilizer specially designed for indoor flowers.
Note! Organic or pure nitrogen fertilizer can provoke the growth of green mass rather than the formation of buds.
Appearance
The plant constantly puts out flower stalks. After the inflorescences wither, I tear them off at the base of the stem so that the royal geranium does not have flaws and maintains its decorative appearance.
Temperature
Bright sun can cause leaf burn. Therefore, the plant must be protected from ultraviolet radiation. To do this, I place a pot with a flower behind the frame or make a light shelter out of cardboard during the midday hours.
Hydrangea is a heat-loving plant, but can easily withstand cool temperatures of up to 10 degrees and heat, but lasting low temperatures can cause diseases with fungi or viruses of various etiologies.
It is easy to prevent such conditions in an apartment or house. It is enough to bring pelargonium indoors during cold weather.
Autumn and winter
With the onset of cold weather, geranium goes into a dormant state. She is able to please with a single peduncle released, but rarely. Ideally, a temperature of 10-15 degrees is required, but to achieve it in conditions ordinary apartment difficult.
Therefore, I leave the flower on the windowsill in the coolest room - the bedroom, where in winter the temperature ranges from 18 to 22 degrees.
During the dormant period, I do not feed the plant, but I water it occasionally, although experts do not recommend this. But I can't leave the plant completely without water.
Trimming
In the fall, I trim off the elongated stems of the plant. If the flower itself is old and there are many woody parts, then it can be replaced with young pelargonium.
Choosing a pot
Pelargonium prefers tight containers. Some plants grow in small pots for 2-3 years, but they do not form a large head of flowers, like royal geraniums in spacious containers.
Advice. Choose medium-sized pots: neither small nor too large. This will be enough to grow a flower for 3-4 years.
7 common problems with growing a flower
The queen among geraniums is famous for her capricious disposition. The reasons for this lie in selection: you have to pay for beauty with special requirements for growing conditions.
- When there is a lack of minerals in the soil, the internodes of the plant become elongated. As soon as you notice a deviation, feed the flower with complex fertilizer.
- Yellow leaf edges are formed due to lack of moisture in the soil.
- Abundant watering leads to the appearance of rot, fungal diseases, as well as pronounced lethargy of the bush.
- Frequent replanting causes stress in the plant, hence the weak flowering.
- Do not plant pelargonium immediately in a large pot. The plant will begin to spend energy on the development of the root system and leaves.
- Hot and dry air can cause buds to fall off before they bloom.
- The soil mixture, carefully flavored with nitrogen fertilizers, causes the formation of green mass, but not the formation of flower stalks.
Royal pelargonium in garden design
It is better to decorate the patio area with royal geraniums without replanting them in open ground. Compared to zonal geraniums, the royal geranium is sensitive to transplantation. For a flower pot, choose places hidden from the bright sun.
Useful properties of geranium
Pelargonium of any type has leaves with a specific aroma. IN folk medicine they are used in medicinal purposes, for example, with otitis media. The leaf is inserted into the sore ear.
Even the presence of a flower in a room can have a beneficial effect on the air. The plant secretes phytoncides and essential oils that kill harmful microorganisms. It is believed that royal geranium can relieve stress and help you find inner peace.
For asthmatics and people suffering from allergies, the choice of flower should be approached carefully so as not to provoke illness.
It is not for nothing that many gardeners love geranium. It is easy to care for, undemanding to soil and watering. But there is something that is necessary in the formation of a beautiful lush pelargonium bush and its long-term flowering. This is trimming and pinching. If these operations with geranium are not carried out in a timely manner, then very quickly the flower will lose its shape, bare shoots will stretch out, and the number of inflorescences will disappear. When and how to trim and form the crown of a flower correctly? This is what experienced geranium lovers advise.
- 1 How to prune geraniums correctly in the fall
- 2 Crown formation
- 3 Pruning: necessary or useless procedure?
- 4 Mistakes when pruning geraniums at home
How to prune geraniums correctly in autumn
The purpose of autumn pruning
There are many varieties of geranium: these are indoor or garden plants, with lodging or climbing stems, tall or short, bushy or hanging. For each flower, you need to choose your own pruning method, comparing it with the desired shapes that you would like to give to the pelargonium.
Geraniums need help to form a beautiful bush
The ultimate goal of pruning geraniums is to obtain a beautiful bush with lush blooming inflorescences. Related is the improvement of the bush.
For all types of geraniums, it is important to adhere to the main requirement: pruning and control over the shape of the bush should be done regularly. It is impossible to trim once and get the intended design. It is necessary to constantly develop a beautiful appearance of geraniums, starting immediately after planting. There is no need to wait a year or two for the stems to grow long and bare, retaining only a few leaves at the very top. Pruning stimulates the growth of side shoots and stimulates the conception of new inflorescences.
The correct place to trim geranium cuttings
The geranium itself does not throw out additional side stems without human intervention. But dormant growth buds are located in each node. Their growth should be provoked. After pruning, the plant begins to grow compactly, without bare and ugly branches jumping out. In addition to the side shoots, flower buds are also activated. Such geraniums bloom longer and more luxuriantly than their unkempt counterparts. After flowering is completed, the bush produces high-quality planting material, which allows you to propagate your favorite pelargonium variety.
Time spending
Pelargonium is a smart plant. She herself will tell you when to start pruning. Geraniums are pruned after the bush has stopped flowering and the last inflorescences have withered. If the plant is planted in open ground for the summer or remains in the garden all year round, then half the height of the stem is removed. If the flower spent the summer outdoors, before pruning it should be kept in the room for ten days so that it gets used to the new living conditions. Removing excess crown improves air exchange, the lower leaves open to sunny color. This reduces the risk of fungal diseases.
Formed flowering geranium bush
Winter is a resting time for the plant, but not for the grower. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the cuts. If the cut has turned black or has become an unnatural color, it is necessary to repeat the pruning, removing the non-healing wound on the stem.
Features of the procedure for different types of pelargonium
You can determine whether a particular plant needs pruning by its appearance. If the bush is compact and the branches are neat, then pruning can be postponed until spring. For example, zonal geraniums often grow obscenely, exposing the trunk uncovered by leaves. Then, of course, pruning is required. Ampelous pelargonium is beautiful with long shoots, but decorated with foliage and flowers. If the type of plant is quite presentable, then it is better not to touch the bush until spring.
Variegated geraniums experience severe stress after pruning, so if you can avoid trimming, then don't. There is an interesting variety - mini pelargoniums. The name itself indicates their miniature size. Therefore, pruning is a rare event for them. Perhaps only to remove something suddenly sticking out from the overall compact structure. Royal geraniums need pruning after the bush grows. In the fall, they cut off everything unnecessary, leaving only a small shoot with buds.
Scheme of work
Geranium shoots must be removed with a disinfected instrument. This is a sharp knife (kitchen or stationery) or blade. Scissors are not suitable for this procedure, as they pinch the stem. The trunk of the geranium is cut three to five millimeters above the leaf node. The cut is made at an acute angle. You should choose nodules directed towards the outside of the bush. When shoots grow from such a bud, the shoots will not lead to thickening of the crown, as they will tend to separate from the center of the bush.
Preserved shoots with growth direction from the center do not lead to thickening of the crown
Step-by-step instructions for autumn pruning of geraniums
Hint on video
Features of caring for geraniums after pruning
The place where the geranium stem is cut must be disinfected. Activated carbon is suitable for this. It needs to be crushed into powder and then sprinkled on the cut area. Another remedy is wood ash. It is also a good antiseptic. Cinnamon powder is considered a natural stimulator of wound healing. They can also process a cut.
The treated plant must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers. This vitamin complex will help cope with stress and stimulate the growth of shoots and greenery.
For the lushness of greenery and flowers, the plant must be fed
Watering must be reduced. Since there will be very little green mass left, excess moisture will not be able to evaporate. This can lead to disease and death of the plant. It is already weakened by the ordeal it has experienced.
Wintering conditions: table
Crown formation
It is necessary to form the crown of geranium almost immediately after planting the cutting. The main actions to achieve this goal are pruning and pinching. If geraniums are pruned in the fall, you can prune or pinch them in the spring. What is the difference? Pinching is the removal of a plant's growing point. In its absence, the geranium throws out side shoots and turns into a small branched tree. The first pinching is done on the 8th or 10th leaf. It is held at the end of February-March. Side shoots are also pinched as they grow. There is no point in delaying spring manipulations with geraniums. The later the pinching is done, the longer the time until the flowers appear.
Pinching young shoots accelerates the growth of side shoots
Spring pruning is cutting off large stems at the level of the second or fifth leaf from the root. The time of the operation is autumn or early spring.
Basics of proper crown formation
- Carry out all manipulations with geranium only with treated tools and clean hands.
- First of all, shoots growing inside the bush are removed (cut or pinched) to prevent thickening.
- If there is a large distance between pairs of leaves, cut off the stem immediately above the leaves, making an indent of up to five millimeters.
- First of all, diseased shoots are removed, capturing up to five centimeters of the healthy part.
Step-by-step instructions for spring procedures
Spring work with geraniums is very similar to autumn pruning. The first three steps are completely the same. But it also has its own nuances.
Formation of a geranium crown (video)
Spring pruning and pinching perform an important agrotechnical function - they stimulate the formation of new buds, branches and inflorescences.
It is important to remember: after spring pruning and/or pinching, the geranium will bloom later.
The explanation for this is simple: the flower needs time to recuperate. Therefore, you need to decide what you want to achieve: early flowering or its lushness and longevity. If you consider that pinching is a more gentle procedure than pruning, then in the spring you can choose the first option. Young shoots need to be pinched not only in the spring, but also as the plant grows.
Geranium requires constant monitoring by the grower over the growth of shoots and the removal of unnecessary shoots
Unless strictly necessary, pruning in the spring may not be carried out. You can trim only up to 20% of all shoots. Extensive thinning can significantly delay flowering time. Also, the plant may spend all its energy recovering from stress and not bloom at all this season.
Care after work: table
Geraniums that have suffered spring pinching or pruning need the most favorable conditions.
| Conditions for keeping geraniums | Required indicators |
| Temperature | Comfortable temperature is above +12 degrees. Can be exposed to fresh air at night temperatures from +4 degrees. |
| Light mode | South side of the house. Geranium loves the sun very much and tolerates direct sunlight. Doesn't like drafts. |
| Watering | Water every other day or two. You can check the need for watering by looking at the top dried layer of soil. |
| Air humidity | Under no circumstances should you spray the plant. This is dangerous for geraniums. |
| Top dressing | Loves nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. You need to apply it twice a month. You can purchase ready-made fertilizers “For flowering plants.” Does not tolerate organic fertilizers (fresh manure). |
Pruning: necessary or useless procedure?
Of course, geraniums do not need to be pruned. But will the plant turn into a beautiful flowering bush? Most likely no. Geraniums have a tendency to stretch their stems. The elongated stem does not become covered with leaves and does not throw out inflorescences. The plant will grow, but there will be nothing to please the eye. Some gardeners suggest not to bother with old plants, pruning and pinching them. They consider the best option to trim the old bush in the fall, throw away the root, and root the cuttings to get a young plant.
Without pruning, geraniums stretch upward and become bare and ugly.
If you save old faded geraniums, then it is important not to forget that pruning is the greatest test for the plant. Therefore, it is better to carry it out when the daylight hours increase, that is, at the end of winter or beginning of spring. Autumn pruning is less tolerated by pelargonium and the plant may not have enough strength to recover.
Mistakes when pruning geraniums at home
Pruning geraniums is not such a difficult process. The only thing that must be observed is the timeliness of its implementation. But incorrect pruning will lead to an unplanned result or the death of the plant.
Geranium pleases the human eye with beautiful flowers and a unique aroma. Every gardener can create a well-groomed pelargonium bush. To do this, it is enough to trim the plant in time and provide it with proper care. Lushly blooming geraniums need to be fed with potassium. This is where all the secrets of creating a spherical crown or fluffy geranium bush end. A pleasant sight for your eyes.
