If you need a beautiful blooming indoor plant that does not require painstaking care, pay attention to geranium - pruning for a lush bloom will make her delight with delicate flowers all the warm season. There are many kinds of geraniums, differing in both leaves and flowers.
When to cut geranium to make it bloom?
Each plant has its own life cycles closely related to the seasons, and geraniums are not an exception. So, most varieties blossom abundantly in the warm season, in winter it begins a period of rest. Therefore, the question of when to cut geraniums is one of the most important in caring for it, as much depends on the season of the year. In summer, during the flowering period, it is impossible to cut geranium in any case.
Pruning geraniums is not only for aesthetic purposes. The fact is that if there is a minimum of leaves on the bush, it protects it from fungal diseases and pests, that is, almost up to the flowering period, the plant is completely protected from the appearance of parasites. As a result of pruning, the volume of the plant becomes smaller, but in a few weeks it acquires a beautiful shape, and later it will please you with a magnificent bloom.
Pruning geranium in autumn
The last buds wither in September-October, and as soon as the last inflorescences dried, one can tackle the question of how to cut geranium in the fall. If this is not done, the flower will grow, the leaves on the stem will be less and on the high bush in the summer there will be one or two buds with flowers. Agree, this is not very beautiful, and not at all this kind of geranium we would like. The purpose of autumn pruning is the formation of a bush, but remember that for a beautiful form of a one-time procedure will not be enough. Pruning activates the growth of lateral shoots, as a result of which the bush becomes beautiful and lush.
Before autumn pruning, geranium does not require special preparation, but some rules should be observed.
- If the summer flower spent in the fresh air, on the balcony or in the garden, it is important to hold it indoors for ten days before pruning. Neglecting this rule can lead to geranium disease and even to her death.
- First, it is important to remove dry leaves and shoots - this will simplify the trimming procedure.
- Shoots should be cut off before the leaf nodes, and young branches that grow sideways - pinch.
Pruning geraniums in winter
Winter - a period of rest for most varieties of flowers, and pruning geraniums in winter at home should only be carried out if necessary. If for some reason you could not spare time to form a bush in autumn, it is better to wait for the end of February for pruning, and it is not necessary to shorten the stems very much, the flower can get sick. But it's better to wait until spring, when the flower starts to wake up.
Pruning geranium in spring
Spring pruning of geranium is needed in two cases:
- if you did not form a bush in the fall;
- if the branches of the flower are too stretched out over the winter.
If you decide to form a spring geranium, pruning for a lush bloom is not very different from the autumn one.
- The first thing to do is to shorten long, bared and sick branches.
- With a large distance between pairs of leaves, the stem is cut 5 mm above the lower pair.
- On each shoot it is important to leave at least three kidneys.
What time can be called favorable, so that the geranium, for which pruning is done for lush blossoms, was not affected, and the procedure positively affected it? It is important to do this before the first buds appear. In order not to be mistaken, it is better to do it in March, then by the time of flowering it will have time to acquire a beautiful shape.
How to cut geraniums for lush flowering?
In order for the procedure to be useful and the main thing safe, it is extremely important to know how to properly cut geranium. It is necessary to observe some rules.
- First of all, choose the tool. It can be a sharp knife or a garden pruner , but in no case are scissors - they pinch and damage the stem.
- It is important to disinfect the tool before use. The method of disinfection is not important - alcohol, boiling.
- Cut the stems do not rush to throw away - geranium rooted easily and quickly, and they can be used to multiply the flower.
- Sites of cuts on geranium must be treated with powder of cinnamon or charcoal.
Geranium after pruning
Do not forget that pruning is a big stress for a flower, and caring for geranium must be very painstaking. No special action is required, but it is important to pay attention to such moments:
- The amount of watering should be reduced to the maximum - excessive moisture is fraught with decay.
- For rapid leaf growth, fertilizers should be used.
- It is important to provide good scattered light to the flower.
What is needed for the flowering of geraniums?
You followed all the rules how to form a geranium, trim for a lush blossom was performed, but already spring, and the plant still does not bloom? There are several reasons for this:
- too big pot;
- incorrect watering;
- unsuitable soil;
- the need for additional fertilizing;
- too low air temperature.
What to do for flowering geraniums first thing - it is important to make sure that the plant feels comfortable in the ground. The pot should be a flower in size, and the geranium will not bloom until the roots fill the entire container, look carefully, is it worth changing the pot right now? If the plant is on the windowsill, try to rearrange it to another place - it may be cold there.
Try watering geraniums less often. Excessive moisture is fraught with decay, a lack of moisture deprives the flower of its strength. If the plant is in a warm room, you can safely water it a little every day, but if you see that the top layer of soil does not have time to dry, reduce watering to 2-3 times a week. Leafy leaves, and sometimes with signs of mold, are a sure sign that there is too much water in the earth.
What else can be done if the geranium does not bloom at home - to transplant it into good soil. If you do this in the spring, the transplant will be especially beneficial for the plant. You can carefully add a universal fertilizer to the soil, but it is important not to overdo it - excess fertilizing is also harmful to flowers.