Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Cutting Propagation of Scented Geranium

Scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is a perennial herb or shrub native to southern Africa, growing up to 1 m tall, with upright stems densely covered in glossy soft hairs. It has various scents such as rose, citrus, mint, coconut and many other fruit fragrances, and can be made into essential oil. Common propagation methods include cuttings, hybrid seed sowing and tissue culture. Next, the editor will explain in detail the cutting propagation techniques for scented geranium.

1. Establish a mother plant cutting orchard for scented geranium in a plastic greenhouse with good ventilation and no easy water accumulation. Install a layer of manually retractable shade net with a shading rate of 50% inside the greenhouse, and cover the greenhouse floor with black cloth.

2. Plant the scented geranium mother plants in 15.5L flower pots, with a placement density of 2500 pots/mu. The substrate is a mixture of coconut coir, peat and perlite in a volume ratio of 2:1:0.5. Apply Aibeishi 18-6-12 Tree and Shrub GAL-XEONE controlled-release fertilizer at 1 m³ per application, and mix thoroughly and evenly with the substrate.

3. Keep the maximum summer temperature in the mother plant orchard below 35°C, the minimum winter temperature above 6°C, and the strongest light intensity controlled within the range of 30000-35000 Lx. In spring and autumn, open the shade net before 10:30 AM and after 4:30 PM for appropriate supplementary light; in summer, open it before 9:30 AM and after 5:30 PM. March to October is the growing period of scented geranium; water thoroughly once every 2 days, but note that watering should stop on rainy days. During the dormant period from November to February of the following year, water thoroughly once every 4 days. Apply fertilizer once every 2-3 months, and stop fertilizing during the dormant period from November to February of the following year.

4. Before cutting, place the plug trays filled with substrate on the seedbed. Two hours before cutting, disinfect the substrate with 1000-fold methyl thiophanate.

5. In early March, use pointed pruning shears to cut tender stems from the scented geranium plants in the mother plant orchard as cuttings. Each cutting must have leaves, and the lower cut surface of the cutting should be smooth. After cutting from the mother plant, keep the cuttings moist with a clean wet cloth, then soak them in 1000-fold methyl thiophanate for disinfection for 5 minutes. Remove and let them dry slightly, then quickly dip the base in a 500 ppm rooting agent solution for 5 seconds. Insert into 50-cell forestry plug trays, one cutting per cell. Complete the cutting within 2 hours, spray water immediately, and enter the maintenance stage.

6. Install a small plastic film arch shed on the seedbed for heat preservation and moisture retention. The shading rate should be 70-80%, the relative air humidity should be 80-90%, the daytime temperature should be 20-28°C, and the nighttime temperature should be 15-23°C. After cutting the scented geranium, callus tissue appears at the base of the cuttings on days 10-12, rooting begins on days 15-18 after cutting, and after the roots fill the plug tray cells on days 35-40 after cutting, hardening off is carried out. During hardening off, the environmental shading rate should be reduced to 50-60%, and the relative air humidity should be 50-60%. The plastic film can first be opened by 1/3 for ventilation and humidity reduction. After 3-4 days, open the plastic film completely, then harden off for another 4-6 days to reach the seedling out standard.

What Is Scented Geranium: Cultivation of Scented Geranium

Beauty-loving ladies all like to use some fairly good perfumes. At the same time, to protect their skin, they also often use essential oil skincare products and so on. In fact, few people know that these daily perfumes and skincare products are quite closely related to scented geranium. Scented geranium is a plant originally growing in South Africa and other places. Due to its special plant properties, scented geranium is widely used in the perfume industry.

What is scented geranium:

Habits: It likes warmth and cannot tolerate cold; the minimum temperature in winter should be kept above 2°C. It dislikes high summer heat and enters a semi-dormant state after summer begins. It likes sunlight, but in summer it should be in a semi-shaded environment. It dislikes waterlogging, and especially in summer attention should be paid to water control; when there is too much water, it is prone to root rot and death.

Origin: Southern Africa.

Characteristics: It is a perennial herb, 60-70 cm tall, with the entire plant covered in long fine hairs. The stems are upright, and old branches become woody. The leaves are palmately deeply lobed, with the lobes further divided into small lobes and with shallow serrations; the leaf surface is wrinkled and fragrant. It blooms from March to April at the leaf axils of branch tips, with umbel inflorescences, 4-8 flowers per inflorescence, pink and small.

Uses: The fragrant leaves have a rose aroma and are a high-value, widely used spice; dried leaves can be used in many aromatherapy practices.

Cultivation of scented geranium:

1. Cuttings

Scented geranium requires fertile, well-drained soil. For potting soil, use 1/3 humus soil, 1/3 rice husk ash and 1/3 garden soil, then add a small amount of superphosphate and mix evenly. Select robust 1-year-old branches with short internodes for cutting propagation. In April and May or September and October, cut sturdy branches with terminal buds, 5-8 cm long. After the cut surface dries, carry out cutting, retaining 2-3 terminal buds. Shade and keep moist; rooting and survival occur in about 15-20 days. When breeding new varieties, artificial supplementary pollination is often used, and then seeds are collected and sown. At 20°C, germination and emergence occur after 7-10 days.

After the cutting seedlings grow new leaves, they can be potted. Use neutral culture soil as the potting soil and provide sufficient light. During the growing period, apply fertilizer once every 10 days. Grasp the principle for potting soil: "do not water if not dry; when watering, water thoroughly." In the high-temperature season from July to August, the leaves turn yellow, indicating that the plant has entered a dormant state. At this time, place it in a cool, ventilated place and prevent rain from hitting it. In autumn, as the climate turns cooler, the plant regains vitality and enters the growth and flowering period again. At this time, cut off withered and yellow branches and leaves and carry out normal water and fertilizer management. In late autumn, keep it in a low-temperature greenhouse; the overwintering temperature should be above 5°C. With proper care, it will bloom as usual, and long-day conditions are favorable for flower bud differentiation and flowering. Spring cuttings can bloom by autumn, while autumn cuttings can only bloom by early summer of the following year. Repotting is often done after flowers fade in autumn.

2. Transplanting

Select robust 1-year-old branches with short internodes and insert them on the seedbed for centralized seedling raising, then transplant them into the field. This method is generally used in areas with heavy winter frost. Use small cold-proof arch sheds or cover with weeds to help them overwinter safely. After the late frost the following year, they can be taken out of the nursery and planted in the field.

It is hoped that through the introduction in this article, some help can be provided to homeowners about to renovate, so that they can make their new home refined and warm. Wishing everyone a happy and fulfilling life.

How to Grow Scented Geranium? Scented Geranium Growing Techniques

Scented geranium is a perennial herb that can grow up to one meter tall. The leaves and flowers of scented geranium both have great ornamental and economic value, so many people place scented geranium in their homes. So how do you grow scented geranium? Today, follow the editor to look at scented geranium growing techniques for everyone's reference.

Scented geranium is a perennial herb and flower type with very strong ornamental value. Because the plant has volatile aromas, it is loved by many friends, and this plant also has relatively wide applications. It can not only be used to make essential oil, but scented geranium also has many scents, such as rose, citrus, mint, coconut and cardamom, as well as many fruit flavors. Its flowering and fruiting period is from March to June, and its place of origin is southern Africa. It likes a warm and humid environment.

Introduction to the Growth Habits of Scented Geranium

This perennial herb, scented geranium, generally grows most vigorously when cultivated for 2-3 years, and after 5 years it begins to show decline. It is a plant that likes warmth, tolerates drought, cannot tolerate cold and fears waterlogging. Its water requirements are not very high. When cultivating, neutral or weakly alkaline soil is suitable. Geranium is a plant that loves a warm and humid environment. During cultivation, sufficient light should be provided, because light has a good effect on plant development and the increase of essential oil content. Suitable planting areas include areas below 1800 m altitude and with a frost period of less than 10 days.

Propagation Methods in Scented Geranium Growing Techniques

1. Cuttings

Cuttings are the main method, but sowing or tissue culture can also be used. In April and May or September and October, cut sturdy branches with terminal buds, 5-8 cm long. After the cut surface dries, carry out cutting, retaining 2-3 terminal buds. Shade and keep moist; rooting and survival occur in about 15-20 days. When breeding new varieties, artificial supplementary pollination is often used, and then seeds are collected and sown. At 20°C, germination and emergence occur after 7-10 days.

After the cutting seedlings grow new leaves, they can be potted. Use neutral culture soil as the potting soil and provide sufficient light. During the growing period, apply fertilizer once every 10 days. Grasp the principle for potting soil: "do not water if not dry; when watering, water thoroughly." In the high-temperature season from July to August, the leaves turn yellow, indicating that the plant has entered a dormant state. At this time, place it in a cool, ventilated place and prevent rain from hitting it. In autumn, as the climate turns cooler, the plant regains vitality and enters the growth and flowering period again. At this time, cut off withered and yellow branches and leaves and carry out normal water and fertilizer management. In late autumn, keep it in a low-temperature greenhouse; the overwintering temperature should be above 5°C. With proper care, it will bloom as usual, and long-day conditions are favorable for flower bud differentiation and flowering. Spring cuttings can bloom by autumn, while autumn cuttings can only bloom by early summer of the following year. Repotting is often done after flowers fade in autumn.

2. Transplanting

Select robust 1-year-old branches with short internodes and insert them on the seedbed for centralized seedling raising, then transplant them into the field. This method is generally used in areas with heavy winter frost. Use small cold-proof arch sheds or cover with weeds to help them overwinter safely. After the late frost the following year, they can be taken out of the nursery and planted in the field.

Scented Geranium Growing Techniques

1. Soil

Geranium requires fertile, well-drained soil. For potting soil, use 1/3 humus soil, 1/3 rice husk ash and 1/3 garden soil, then add a small amount of superphosphate and mix evenly.

2. Watering

Geranium tolerates drought and fears water accumulation. Therefore, during growth, control water appropriately. Too much watering and excessive water content in the potting soil will cause leggy growth or root rot. During vigorous growth and flowering in spring and autumn, water a little more appropriately, but it is still best to keep the potting soil moist. In winter, when the temperature is low and plant growth is slow, water as little as possible.

3. Fertilizing

During cultivation, in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, during the growing season, especially at the peak flowering stage, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. Diluted decomposed livestock and poultry manure with water is better, and decomposed cake fertilizer water can also be used for irrigation. Three to five days before fertilizing, water less or not at all; applying fertilizer when the potting soil is somewhat dry is more conducive to root absorption.

4. Light

Geranium originates from South Africa and likes environmental conditions with sufficient sunlight, warmth and good ventilation. In spring and early summer, when light is not too strong, the flower pot can be placed in a place with sufficient light so that it receives adequate sunlight. However, in the hot seasons of midsummer and early autumn, it should be placed in a shaded place and avoid direct strong light; otherwise, the branches and leaves will be sunburned.

5. Pruning

To make the plant shape attractive and produce more flowers, if the plant grows too vigorously in spring, branch thinning and pruning can be carried out. After flowering, promptly cut off faded flowers and overly dense branches. During the dormant period, prune once more, cutting off yellowed old leaves, thinning overly dense branches, and shortening overly long branches, so that after the dormant period new branches can sprout and continue to form buds and bloom. In addition, geranium itself has a special smell and rarely suffers from pest damage. Therefore, no control is needed.

Scented geranium is a plant and flower type with very strong ornamental value. Many friends cultivate it. Placing it in indoor living rooms, bedrooms, studies, balconies, courtyards and other places makes a very good decoration and handicraft. Moreover, this plant is also a plant with high medicinal value. It has many effects and functions: it can not only dispel wind and remove dampness and promote qi circulation to relieve pain, but can also delight the mood. The relevant information about scented geranium is introduced here for everyone. We hope this article is helpful to everyone.