Today, geranium is experiencing another wave of popularity. It is decorated with residential and office premises, windows, greenhouses. Its main feature is the stretching of the shoots, which must be removed on time. You need to do this, knowing how to trim the geranium. If you follow all the rules, the bush will bloom on time and have the desired shape.
Do you need to cut geraniums and when to do it
Beginner gardeners have many questions about geraniums: how to cut it so that it is lush throughout the season, is it necessary to do it regularly, etc. Geranium pruning should be done on time and correctly. This ensures the formation of not only a beautiful, lush bush, but also rejuvenates the flower, significantly increasing its lifespan.
Blooming geranium
Why pruning geraniums
In general, geraniums do not require complicated care. Pruning plants must be given due attention. If this is not done, the flower will turn into a huge bush with shoots of different lengths that will stick out carelessly in all directions. That is why it is important to get rid of unnecessary branches in a timely manner. Also, cutting a flower contributes to:
- awakening of lateral stems;
- the formation of an attractive form;
- the formation of new inflorescences;
- extension of flowering time;
- increase the splendor of inflorescences;
- propagation by cropped shoots.
- improve metabolism of nutrients.
It is recommended to cut the plant every year, otherwise it will stop scrubbing. There is no need to wait until the shoots grow back.
Note! The flower cannot independently form shoots, pruning on the sides provokes the awakening of buds that are in a sleeping state. From these sprouts inflorescences are subsequently formed.
In the first year of flower growth, it is not recommended to trim it, it is better to wait until it grows
Preparation of soil, balcony and room geranium for pruning
Mostly geranium bushes that do not get sick. Throughout the summer, autumn, they bloom luxuriantly and give esthetic pleasure to those around them. For better flowering, it is necessary to properly prepare the geranium for further pruning, depending on the place of growth.
In the garden
Before the onset of the first cold days and frosts, the pelargonium that grew on the garden plot is dug up with the root and, using the transshipment method, transplanted into a prepared container. Previously, a drainage layer of several centimeters is made in the planting pot. Then the transplanted plant is transferred to a room and is not touched for 14 days. Only after adaptation can you start the process of pruning the flower.
On the street flowerbed
When growing pelargonium on the street, the storage method in plastic bags comes to the rescue. In a cold room or refrigerator. The method involves trimming after digging a plant from a street plot. The shoots are cut and leave shoots up to 6 cm, long roots are also shortened.
Moistened soil is left on the roots, the plant is placed in a strong plastic bag and tied so that the reversed stem is visible. You can use the milk bag. The contents of the package are transferred to the refrigerator in a box for storing vegetables and fruits. There, the temperature usually varies between +5 ℃.
On the balcony or window sill
In case the flower grew in a pot on an open terrace or unglazed balcony, they are brought into the room before the cold weather. If pelargonium hibernates on a windowsill in a home apartment, it should be watered once every 30 days. Otherwise, the arid climate during the heating season will affect the development of the flower. This limitation in water is caused by the fact that after cutting green leaves there is practically no residue and the plant has nothing to evaporate moisture. Therefore, to avoid disease, watering is reduced.
Important! Pelargonium pots are best stored in a dark room with an air temperature ranging from 0 to +10 10. When providing such conditions, monthly abundant watering is not required.
If geranium is constantly growing on the windowsill and not planted in the summer in open ground, it must also be pruned correctly. So that in winter it does not stretch out due to a lack of light, a part of the leaves is removed to the plant. To achieve uniform flowering of pelargonium, long branches are cut above two internodes.
Preparing for pruning is necessary only for those bushes that need rejuvenation
The technique of pruning geraniums for lush flowering
So that the flower does not hurt and develops correctly, it is important to know how to prune geraniums correctly so that it blooms lushly and for a long time. Gardeners identify the following rules and recommendations regarding pruning for active flowering:
- All manipulations must be carried out with disinfected tools: a sharpened knife, blade or scissors.
- The incision is made strictly obliquely above the leaf node.
- In no case can you damage the growth point of the flower (a node on the stem).
- First, lateral shoots and long ones are removed, then those that are in the middle of the plant.
- The place of cut is recommended to be treated with wood ash, activated carbon, or cinnamon powder is allowed to be used as an antiseptic. Manipulation will protect the bush from decay or damage by pests.
- After spring cutting of the bush, geraniums are fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer to accelerate the growth of young branches, the appearance of ovaries.
- If in summer the flower withered on geraniums or some shoot began to dry up, they are disposed of. Otherwise, the flower will spend its strength and nutrients on unhealthy parts. The bush is carefully looked after to get rid of sick shoots.
Additional Information! It is not necessary to use tools to remove the young shoot. It is enough to hold the nipple gently with clean, dry hands.
From healthy trimmed stems, you can grow new good bushes
For the propagation of pelargonium by trimmed shoots, it is placed in water and left in an illuminated place. Avoid contact with flowers in direct sunlight. After a while, roots appear on the processes and they are planted in the ground.
Types of flower pruning
Often gardeners ask themselves: what is the best way to cut geraniums? The procedure is divided into three types depending on the objectives pursued:
- The main one.
- Seasonal (spring and autumn).
- Topping.
Autumn pruning is considered sanitary. It is carried out only after the plant has faded and is necessary to prepare the plant for wintering. It is done until December. All branches that damage the appearance (damaged, wilted) are removed from the bush. Shoots on which there are no leaves are cut off by a third.
Note! Spring pruning is carried out in late winter or early March. The sooner it is held, the sooner flowering will begin. During the procedure, gardeners cut elongated and weakened shoots, leaving no more than three buds on them.
The latter species has proven itself well; it is effective when it is known exactly how to pinch a geranium bush. The flower takes on a beautiful shape. The view has many advantages, but you need to know how to pinch the geranium correctly. In winter (from December to January), bush cutting is not carried out, since the plant is immersed in a dormant state. This time serves to restore strength.
Geranium is thoroughly pruned for the winter
Pinching a plant
Pinching involves cutting off the point of a plant sprout. The action will lead to the awakening of the side shoots and the formation of a lush crown. Before proceeding, it is recommended that you learn how to pinch the geranium so that it grows denser and blooms on time. For the formation of a bush of pelargonium without stress, the pinching technique should be applied. Carried out as the plants grow. It is necessary to remember that flowering will begin with a little delay. To correctly carry out the procedure, it is important to remember how to pinch the geranium for lush flowering and adhere to the following scheme:
- Pinching the upper kidney is done 14 days after transplantation.
- As the stems develop, manipulation is carried out when there are 4 leaves on the shoot.
- Pinching ends upon reaching the desired shape of the bush.
The procedure is carried out at any time (best from the beginning of spring to the end of summer), except for winter. Varieties that bloom in the winter season are excluded from this rule.
During the summer, you can pinch geranium several times. As a result, new buds form on the overgrown shoots, the bush grows more, becoming denser.
Additional Information! In order for the geranium to be able to lay the buds, the pinching process is suspended two months before the flowering begins.
Royal pelargonium is a moody species. To inflict minimal stress on her, it is recommended to limit herself to pinching only. As a result, the crown will have an attractive spherical shape.
Crown formation
The shape of the crown can be formed gradually from the moment of planting. To correctly trim the crown, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Pruning should be done with disinfected and sharp scissors, a knife to prevent infection.
- In the process of thinning shoots begin with those that grow deep into the plant.
- The stem is cut above the leaf by five mm.
- A few days before pruning, the flower is limited in watering.
- You can pinch off the shoots before the summer days, otherwise the bush will not be able to form flowers.
Choice of timing for cutting geraniums
Geranium cannot do without pruning. The procedure is necessary for awakening sleeping buds, which, as they develop, will turn into lateral stems.
Worth to know! Pruning of the bush is carried out in due time so as not to cause stress in the flower. The main type of manipulation is carried out with the advent of spring.
How to prune geraniums in the fall
Autumn haircut involves preparing for the winter. The development of the plant in the next season depends on the fidelity of the technology being conducted. The plant fades, after which they perform a series of actions:
- First, sluggish inflorescences are removed from the bush, then dry and weakened foliage are cut.
- Next, adjust the crown. After examining the entire bush, determine which stems are removed under the root. From them in the future you can grow new bushes.
- Having finished the correction, they shorten the main shoot by one third. Pinch young shoots at 5 point. If this is not done, the plant during the wintering period will spend its energy on them, and in the spring it will not bloom.
The "creeping" or ampelous form of pelargonium also needs to trim the shoots that are too hanging from the pot. The best period for this is autumn.
The ivy pelargonium is pruned in autumn
From December to mid-February, the flower is at rest. During this period, you can not trim, pinch or fertilize. A minimal water supply is sufficient.
Spring pruning geraniums at home
Spring pruning is carried out in March. It allows the plant to form many buds and leaves.
Note! After this pruning, geraniums usually bloom later, but as a result of inflorescences, more is formed and their flowering period increases.
Pruning of stems is carried out taking into account the parameters of the bush itself. If the bush is large, many shoots should not be cut. Otherwise, he will not have the strength to form new inflorescences and foliage. As a result, the plant will not please flowering. A young fluffy flower allows you to get any shape, unlike large, overgrown bushes. At home, they also grow geranium pruning for lush flowering which is done in the fall.
How not to harm geraniums when pruning
The procedure for pruning the shoots is not difficult, but geraniums may begin to have an unsatisfactory appearance or even die from beginning gardeners. Common mistakes include:
- Untimely pruning. A cut of shoots during flowering can cause the blooming inflorescences to fall.
- A slice of a large number of branches. If you remove most of the shoots at a time, the plant will not bloom and grow for a long time.
- Failure to comply with recommendations for cutting height relative to the sheet unit. Too high a cut can cause the death of the top of the shoot, which will significantly impair the appearance of the bush.
- A large number of haircuts. In this case, the development of buds and buds is suspended.
Fulfillment of all pruning recommendations contributes to lush flowering in the next season.
Pruning geraniums is an integral part of caring for it. Compared to other colors, she is completely picky. Allowing 15 minutes for pruning in the fall, with the onset of summer, the flower will delight with the beauty and aroma of inflorescences.
