If you want to effectively decorate the wall of the house or window, then the colorful Pelargonium ivy is the plant that is worth growing. These flowers look equally good both in individual pots and in group composition. Cultivation of the spittle-bearing pelargonium does not present any difficulties, wintering tolerates well, and it can be renewed with the help of apical cuttings.
Reproduction of Pelargonium flaky in Europe began in 1700, when the first plants were brought here from South Africa. For three hundred years breeders have brought out a variety of the most diverse varieties of Pelargonium ivy, which differ both in coloring, and in the shape of bushes, and in size.
The most important difference between Pelargonium and Split is that it can bloom under favorable conditions for five to six months! It is simply impossible to remain indifferent at the sight of these beautiful inflorescences of white, pink, purple, red and their shades. Most of the varieties of this species are represented by plants with downturned shoots. Within one year these shoots can grow by 20-25 centimeters. Due to this feature and high decorativeness, Pelargonium ivy is perfectly combined with other plants in group compositions.
Features of care
Pelargonium ivyless without exaggeration can be called unpretentious plant, which will never create unnecessary problems for you. A fresh-fledged grower needs only to know that pelargonium should be updated once every three years. This is due to the fact that flowering in adult plants is not as abundant as in young plants. And the leaves on the shoots are much less. As for the quality of the soil, Pelargonium accepts as a mixture of compost with peat and sand, as well as ordinary garden soil. But the site for her planting should be chosen sunny. And the sun of pelargonium is necessary in winter. If the average temperature on the street dropped below 10 degrees, then the plant should be brought into a warm room. In winter, the maintenance of pelargonium ivy is reduced to providing the optimal temperature for the resting phase (13-16 degrees) and lean irrigation (once a week). In the phase of active growth, the comfort temperature for pelargonium is 23-25 degrees. Water it when the soil is almost dry. Excessive watering is the enemy of the plant, provoking the disease of Pelargonium ivy. The most dangerous of them is the black leg. If you notice that the stem began to lose its elasticity at the roots, immediately destroy the plant to avoid infecting the remaining flowers with a black leg.
Top dressing during the flowering period is vital. As soon as the first inflorescences appeared on the plant, during the watering, complex fertilizers with a high content of potassium are added to the water. Regular feeding is a pledge of long and abundant flowering.
Reproduction
Cultivate Pelargonium ivylus can be from seeds and cuttings. And do not let the high cost of seeds scare you! Their germination is excellent. You can sow in prepared loose soil all year round.
To propagate the plant with cuttings, in May or August it is necessary to cut the apical petioles up to 10 centimeters long from the pelargonium. They are removed leaves and planted in a mixture of peat, perlite and sand. Shade pots with cuttings is not necessary, but the sun's rays are harmful to them. But the soil in the pot should always be moistened. After 7-8 weeks, it is possible to transplant well-rooted cuttings into large flower pots.