Detailed Guide to Mosquito Repellent Geranium Cultivation Techniques and Propagation Methods

Mosquito repellent geranium mainly refers to the genetically modified geranium (Pelargonium), which uses genetic modification technology to embed the "vanilla" with a mosquito-repellent gene - the citronellal gene structure - into it. Mosquito plant and vanilla are a fine combination of nature and modern high-tech bioengineering. Mosquito repellent product. Do you know how to grow mosquito repellent geranium? This is a small guide introducing mosquito repellent geranium cultivation techniques and breeding methods.

Cultivation Techniques for Mosquito Repellent Geranium

Changing Pots and Soil

Mosquito repellent geranium grows quickly. It needs to be replaced every year to add soil and fertilizer. This is usually done in early spring from February to early March. First prune it, leaving only 3 lateral buds on each base, then remove the pot, and the surrounding roots must be removed. Replace the fertilizer with new soil and apply base fertilizer. After new branches are released in early April, apply a thin organic liquid fertilizer once a week, and gradually remove it from the outside in the second half of the year. In early June, move it to scattered light inside the balcony.

Move garden maintenance work to the shade, the east side of the house, or a shady spot. Note that when the surface of the soil in a small pot turns white, and when the surface of the soil in a large pot is 1 cm, water it. From July to August, spray water to cool it during high temperatures, keep the surrounding environment moist, and do not let water accumulate in the pot. In mid-October, before frost arrives, the winter room temperature should not be lower than 12°C, with sufficient light and fresh air, and the flowers will continue to bloom.

For professional cultivation to have a large number of flowers for the "May Day" holiday, it can be pruned in late autumn, moved into a low-temperature room (below 10°C), kept with sufficient light, controlled water and moisture retention, and moderate ventilation and maintenance.

Biological characteristics and cultivation techniques of mosquito repellent geranium: it likes light, and except in summer it should have slight shade; in autumn, winter, and spring it should have direct sunlight. It likes warm water; 10-25°C is the suitable growth temperature, while temperatures below 7°C and above 32°C are unfavorable for growth. Water once every 3-6 days, but there must be no water accumulation.

1. Nutrient Soil Preparation

Mosquito plant vanilla (mosquito repellent geranium) likes neutral and acidic soil, and is usually fertilized once every 15-20 days. When the plant height is 30 cm, 40 mosquito repellent leaves have a better mosquito-repellent effect, and yellow leaves should be removed at any time. Seedlings grow very quickly, so pots need to be changed more diligently during the seedling stage. Use 6 parts peat soil, 1.5 parts vermiculite, 1.5 parts perlite, 1 part coal ash, and slightly acidic to neutral soil; you can also buy good products from the flower market (pH 5.5-7). After six months, these plants have strong adaptability and can be used freely. Two-year-old plants are wrapped with wood and can be pruned and freely shaped according to personal preference.

2. Temperature Control

Mosquito plant vanilla (mosquito repellent geranium) grows best at a temperature of 10-25°C, and is safe above 0°C in winter; it has a normal lemon fragrance above 15°C. The higher the temperature, the stronger the fragrance. Spraying an appropriate amount of water onto the plant leaves can continuously release the source of citronellal, which makes the mosquito-repellent effect better.

3. Light Adjustment

Mosquito plant vanilla (mosquito repellent geranium) likes shade and cannot tolerate strong light during growth, especially in summer when shading should be strengthened; it can be planted under trees or in the shade. Household potted plants are usually kept indoors.

4. Water and Fertilizer Management

After each pot change, water once, and fertilize the seedlings after 10 days. Spring and autumn are the vigorous growth periods of the plant. Apply 200 ppm liquid of 20-10-20 and 14-0-14 water-soluble compound fertilizer every 15 days. Watering should follow the principle of drying between waterings. In summer, water less during high temperatures and do not fertilize, which is beneficial to root development and improves disease resistance. In home cultivation, a small amount of cake fertilizer, rice water, etc. can also be applied.

Propagation Methods for Mosquito Repellent Geranium

For seedling propagation, mainly use cuttings pruned from adult plants. Around October each year, cut the side branches of mosquito plant vanilla into 5 cm sections, soak them in 10 mg/L acetic acid for 15 minutes, and then insert them into a rock or river sand seedbed covered with film and a shade net.

Sprinkle water 3 to 5 times a day; they usually take root in about 10 days, and at 20 days the new shoots grow to about 5 cm, so they can be transplanted into pots. Large-scale seedlings mainly use tissue culture technology.

Usually sowing and cutting propagation are used, and both spring and autumn cuttings survive easily. In the first 10 days of March, plant the seeds in clean fine sand at a depth of 3 cm. After watering for 4 hours, water again, then keep the soil moist, not too dry or too wet. In early spring, keep it warm and bright indoors. At a room temperature of about 20°C, it can germinate and take root in about one month. Subsequently, plant the plants, and cultivate the seedlings in small pots with ordinary culture soil. When the seedlings grow vigorously and white roots appear from the bottom of the pot, fill some of the soil with fertilizer to make base fertilizer, then change them into chrysanthemum pots for planting.