How to Grow Geraniums? Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Precautions

Many people have heard of or seen geraniums. Geraniums love sunlight, especially in autumn. To give geraniums good light, most gardening experts choose to place geraniums on the balcony for growing. Besides light being very important for geraniums, what other factors can affect the cultivation of geraniums? Let the editor introduce them below.

How to Grow Geraniums

1. Temperature control: The most suitable temperature for geraniums is 10--20°C, which means spring and autumn are the most suitable seasons; winter is too cold and summer is too hot. So in summer, you must prevent exposure to the sun. Applying sunscreen is definitely useless; just put it in a cool place. In winter, the indoor temperature should not be lower than 0°, otherwise it will get frostbitten. If there is no heating equipment, turning on a 200° large light bulb in a small room also has a certain anti-freezing effect.

2. Water control: Geraniums should not be watered too much. If you find the roots of the geranium rotting, it is mostly caused by excessive watering and relatively stuffy hot weather. Control the watering frequency to once every two or three days. Each watering should use a large amount of water and soak through.

3. Soil selection: Geraniums are suitable for surviving in sandy soil. Mixing some sandy soil into the soil bought at the flower market will have a better effect.

4. Pay attention to pest and disease prevention: Leaf spot disease and wilt disease are prone to breeding on geraniums. If the leaf edges appear withered and yellow, you should consult a professional flower seller and must not handle it casually.

5. Prevent the effects of bad weather: Windy weather will break geraniums, while rainy weather will cause the root system of geraniums to be soaked by rainwater, causing the roots to lack oxygen for respiration and thus rot. So, to grow geraniums well, you need to pay attention to the weather forecast.

6. Fertilization control: Applying too much fertilizer at one time will cause dehydration of geraniums, but the author cannot tell you exactly how much fertilizer is appropriate, because this is related to the quality of your soil, the size of the flowerpot, and the size of the geranium. It is best to ask the shop when buying flowers about the amount and frequency of fertilization. If you apply too much fertilizer, for example too much nitrogen fertilizer, it will cause the plant to grow wildly and not bloom. In this way, the value of your geranium will be lower. After applying too much fertilizer, watering frequently can alleviate the symptoms.

7. Sufficient sunlight: Sufficient sunlight helps geraniums bloom, but when the temperature is too high, it should not be exposed directly to the sun. You must control this degree well. In spring and autumn, expose it to more sunlight. In summer, when the temperature is too high, do not let it be exposed to the sun.

Geranium Cultivation Methods and Precautions

1. Geranium Cultivation Methods

1. Choose containers. Choose different containers for different seasons, and definitely do not make them too large. For my own batch cuttings, taking plug trays as an example, 50-cell trays are more suitable in summer, 72-cell in spring and autumn, and 128-cell in winter (see the picture). The most critical point is that they must be disinfected. The best disinfection method is very simple: rinse the container with clean water, then place it under the sun for three days. Do not let it get rained on during this period. Flower friends at home can also choose other containers and soak them in disinfectant.

2. Cutting medium. There are many kinds of cutting media. I use the simplest and cheapest one, peat soil. Personally, I suggest everyone use imported peat. To save costs, I use domestic peat. Put the peat soil into the container and compact it. Remember to compact it so that the air in the soil is forced out! This way, the roots that the little geranium produces will be very strong and the survival rate will also be high. Next is the disinfection of the medium, generally treated by dissolving carbendazim in water. In summer, use thiophanate-methyl and follow the instructions with a slightly larger proportion.

3. Cutting seedlings. I have seen many people use some old branches for cuttings. Maybe everyone thinks this kind of branch is relatively thick and has a relatively high survival rate, but I do not think it is very ideal. Old branches also have almost no advantages. I generally use tender branches for cuttings (see the picture, remove the flower buds). Tender branches have several advantages: strong vitality, good apical dominance, and relatively rich nutrients.

4. Short seedling recovery period, while old branches not only root slowly but also carry miscellaneous bacteria and are easy to rot. Rooting is fast, and the cutting cycle can be reduced by about one week.

5. Save area. When cutting many plants, they can be managed in batches. Small branches can reduce the number of waterings, and ventilation is more ideal, reducing disease caused by poor ventilation. 3. After surviving, they grow rapidly and can also easily control the plant shape.

2. Geranium Precautions

Geraniums have different varieties, and plant heights are also different. For home cultivation, small plants should be chosen. In addition, growth regulators are also needed for adjustment. When the plant grows to 12 cm or 15 cm, spray chlormequat, once a week, for 2 consecutive times. Ensure 14 to 18 hours of light every day. This can effectively control the height of geraniums and provide high-quality potted flowers. Watering geraniums requires extra attention. Too much can cause plant death, and high temperature and high humidity can easily rot the roots. Of course, flowering time can also be controlled. The full bloom period is generally from April to June, but if the temperature is appropriately raised in winter, it can bloom continuously from September in autumn to June of the following year.

Geranium Pruning Methods

1. According to the plant's growth, after autumn choose 3~5 main branches that grow vigorously and are evenly distributed near the base. For other overly dense, weak, and leggy branches, they can be cut off directly from the base.

2. Then shorten the main branches and side branches. Each side branch only needs to retain vigorous side buds. In this way, the entire branch distribution is even and compact, and the plant shape is full and short.

How to Propagate Geraniums

1. Seed propagation: After collecting the seeds, they can be sown. If you want to sow when the weather is cool, you can first dry the seeds and store them well. At a temperature of 20°C, they will germinate in about 7-10 days.

2. Cutting propagation: Cutting is best done in spring and autumn. Choose healthy cuttings, then soak them in indolebutyric acid for about 5 seconds and let them dry. Wait until they wilt, then insert them for cutting. Water thoroughly and avoid strong light. After 2-3 weeks, they will root.

From the above, it can be seen that geraniums can be regarded as a kind of plant with tenacious vitality, and they can also show a tenacious side under relatively low temperatures. But the editor wants to remind everyone that the cutting step for geraniums will be a little difficult, but as long as you grasp the timing and light well, there is no problem.