Content
- 1 Is it possible to plant geraniums in open ground?
- 2 Variety selection
- 3 When to plant geraniums in open ground in spring
- 4 Where to plant geraniums in the garden
- 5 What kind of soil does garden geranium like?
- 6 Planting pelargonium in open ground in spring
- 7 How to care for geraniums in the garden
- 8 How to propagate garden geranium
- 9 Diseases and pests
- 10 Do I need to dig it up for the winter?
- 11 Conclusion
Geraniums must be planted in open ground in accordance with certain rules. It is necessary to observe optimal timing and provide the plant with basic care.
Is it possible to plant geraniums in open ground?
Growing geraniums in open ground is associated with certain difficulties. But if you follow simple rules, the perennial will take root in the soil and will delight you with abundant flowering.
To plant geraniums or pelargoniums in a plot, you need to choose a well-lit and warm place with light soil. The plant should be transferred to open soil only after the end of the last night frost. In warm weather and on suitable soil, the culture will develop no worse than in a home pot.
Variety selection
To plant geranium in open ground in the spring, you need to take a responsible approach to choosing a variety.There are several points to pay attention to:
- Size. For planting in open ground, it is better to choose large, tall varieties. Miniature pelargonium will look too faded in the garden and will not attract much attention.
- The size of the inflorescences. Before buying a geranium, you need to study its description and make sure that the perennial forms sufficiently large “caps”.
- Flowability of petals. Some varieties of pelargonium bloom very beautifully, but the buds fall to the ground even from a weak wind. It is better not to plant such varieties in open ground.
When choosing a plant, you should give preference to the most frost-resistant and hardy varieties with strong immunity.
Pelargoniums with spreading shoots that form spherical bushes are best suited for planting in the garden.
When to plant geraniums in open ground in spring
It is recommended to plant geraniums in open ground in the spring only after the last night frosts have passed. In the southern regions, the procedure is scheduled for mid-May. In the middle zone it is better to wait until the beginning of June.
For planting, choose a warm, dry and moderately sunny day. It is not advisable to move geraniums into open ground in hot weather or rain.
Where to plant geraniums in the garden
The rules for growing pelargonium in the garden recommend choosing a well-lit or slightly shaded area for the plant. You cannot plant geranium in full sun or in lowlands. In both cases, the perennial will develop too slowly, and the likelihood of fungal and infectious diseases will increase.
When planting geraniums in open ground, it is important to provide it with cover from the wind. It is recommended to place the culture close to the fence or facade of the house.You can also plant pelargonium under the cover of tall shrubs and trees. First you need to make sure that the crops have the same requirements for soil composition and moisture regime.
What kind of soil does garden geranium like?
Before planting geraniums in open ground in the spring, you need to make sure that the soil on the site is suitable for the plant. The substrate must have a neutral or slightly acidic composition.
It is recommended to dig up the pre-selected area thoroughly. If the composition of the soil does not meet the requirements of geranium, it is necessary to add coarse sand, peat and a small amount of humus.
If the soil is alkaline, it is treated with citric acid or iron sulfate. You can also add complex minerals to open ground. It is better to prepare the site in the fall; in this case, by the time the pelargonium is planted, the beneficial substances will be fully absorbed in the soil.
Planting pelargonium in open ground in spring
There are several ways to plant geraniums in open ground in spring. For propagation, adult perennial bushes are used or pelargonium is first grown from seeds.
Rhizome
Mature geraniums older than five years require rejuvenation. If the perennial has grown greatly and its flowering rates have decreased, it is allowed to carry out the division procedure for pelargonium. In this case, the resulting new plants are used for planting on the site.
Reproduction of garden perennial geraniums by rhizomes is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Water the adult plant generously the day before dividing.
- After a day, carefully remove the perennial from the pot.
- Using a sharp instrument, divide the pelargonium along the rhizome into 2-3 parts.
- The sections are treated with crushed activated carbon.
- Transfer the cuttings into open ground into prepared holes.
Immediately after planting, the pelargonium on the site is watered abundantly. At first, it is advisable to provide the perennial with shade from the bright sun.
Before dividing geraniums, it is recommended to disinfect the tool in medical alcohol.
How to plant pelargonium seedlings in open ground
Planting geranium seedlings on a plot is carried out according to the standard scheme. It looks like this:
- Seedlings obtained at home are abundantly moistened on the day of transplantation.
- Carefully remove the sprouts from the substrate, trying to preserve the earthen lump as much as possible.
- The seedlings are transferred to prepared holes approximately twice the size of the roots.
- Place the plants in the center of the holes and sprinkle with soil.
- Water properly.
The procedure is carried out no earlier than the end of May. Before planting in open ground, seedlings are hardened off in the fresh air for two weeks to increase their hardiness.
Growing garden geranium from seeds
You can plant geranium in the garden in the spring after growing the perennial from seeds. They are usually sown at home in shallow but wide containers or peat cups. Planting of seedlings is carried out in early February, since the seeds germinate and develop rather slowly.
At a temperature of about 22 ° C, the container is kept under film until shoots emerge. Then the box is opened and transferred to a well-lit windowsill. Caring for seedlings comes down to periodic watering and additional illumination with a phytolamp for up to 12 hours a day.
After the seedlings produce 4-5 true leaves, it will be possible to plant them into individual containers. When planting seeds in peat cups, this step is skipped. After the onset of final warmth, the seedlings are transferred to open ground. You should expect flowering no earlier than six months later.
When planted with seeds, geranium sprouts in an average of two weeks.
Perennial seeds are usually not sown directly into open ground. Theoretically, the procedure can be carried out before winter, but with a high probability the pelargonium will die and not sprout.
From the pot to the street
A fairly strong and healthy homemade geranium can be transferred from a pot to open ground. Landing is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Dig up the area and fertilize the soil with compost.
- Prepare a hole about 25 cm deep and pour drainage into the bottom.
- Moisten the geranium generously and carefully remove it from the pot.
- Treat the roots of the plant with a solution of a growth stimulator.
- Place the perennial in the center of the hole and spread the feeding shoots to the sides.
- Cover the plant with a substrate made from a mixture of garden soil, peat and sand.
- Moisten the perennial after planting with lukewarm water.
As in all cases, the procedure is carried out only after the onset of final heat.
How to care for geraniums in the garden
If you leave geranium in open ground for the summer, the plant will not require complex care. You will need to pay attention to several points:
- Watering. Geranium tolerates short drought well, but suffers from prolonged lack of moisture.In dry, hot weather, the plant should be watered regularly once every 2-3 days as the top layer of soil dries.
- Feeding. To make pelargonium bloom more luxuriantly, every month the perennial is fertilized with an infusion of mullein or bird droppings. It is also allowed to use complex minerals containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
- Trimming. After planting in open ground, it is recommended to regularly pinch ornamental bushes at the ends of the shoots. This will stimulate the tillering of the perennial and make it more lush. During flowering, it is worth plucking off the wilted buds in a timely manner.
- Loosening. After each watering, it is recommended to stir the soil in a flower bed with geraniums shallowly with a rake. The procedure will improve the breathability of the soil and help avoid fungal diseases.
With the onset of autumn, geraniums usually undergo radical pruning. The above-ground part is shortened to 5-6 cm, and then the remaining stumps are covered with a thick layer of dry leaves or sawdust. The top of the decorative perennial should be insulated with spruce branches.
It is necessary to prune geraniums in the fall in the garden and when transplanting them into containers a couple of weeks before the arrival of cold weather.
How to propagate garden geranium
With good care, geraniums in open ground develop without any problems after planting. Mature bushes over three years old can be used for vegetative propagation to increase the crop population in the garden.
Propagation of garden geranium by cuttings
Planting geraniums with cuttings in open ground is very simple - this method is usually used to propagate the crop. The diagram looks like this:
- At the beginning of summer, a shoot 7 cm long with three leaves is cut off from an adult plant.
- The lower plates are removed and the upper one is shortened by half.
- Dip the cutting into a solution of a growth stimulator.
- Plant in a nutrient substrate.
- Abundantly moisten the soil.
In a temporary bed, geranium will take root within 2-4 weeks after planting. When the plant is properly strengthened, it will be possible to move it to a permanent place.
Diseases and pests
Young geraniums, after planting in open ground, remain vulnerable to some diseases and insects. The greatest threat to bushes is:
- black leg - the base of the stem of pelargonium darkens, over time the plant withers and lies on the ground;
Black leg develops against the background of waterlogging of geraniums after planting
- gray rot - a light coating appears on the leaves and shoots of the crop, which turns brown over time, and the tissues soften and die;
Gray rot affects geraniums in damp, cold summers
- aphid - an insect that attacks pelargonium in large colonies, leaves sticky honeydew on the plates and causes their deformation;
Aphids can carry dangerous geranium viruses
- spider mite - a parasite that settles on geraniums in dry, hot weather, entangles its shoots and feeds on the leaves.
Simple sprays with water help get rid of spider mites.
If there are symptoms of fungi, pelargonium should be treated with Fitosporin or Bordeaux mixture. Actellik and Confidor are good repellents for insects. If there are few pests, you can also use a soap solution or chamomile infusion.
Do I need to dig it up for the winter?
Wintering in open ground for geraniums is always associated with certain risks. The most frost-resistant varieties are able to remain in the soil until spring in southern regions where severe cold does not occur.But in the middle zone and in the Moscow region, with the onset of autumn, it is better to dig up pelargonium, regardless of the variety.
In September, the perennial flower must be carefully removed from the soil after pruning and placed together with a lump of earth in a spacious pot. Throughout the winter, the plant is kept in a cool, bright room. From time to time, pelargonium is watered with a small amount of water. With the onset of spring, the flower is again sent to the flowerbed in accordance with the traditional planting algorithm.
Conclusion
Planting geraniums in open ground is permitted subject to certain rules. The plant can take root in the soil, but requires regular watering and pruning. For the winter, most varieties have to be removed from the ground.
