Geranium - pruning for lush flowering. Autumn and spring pruning of geraniums for lush flowering

Modern varieties of geraniums (pelargoniums) are incomparable with those that our mothers and grandmothers grew on the windows. These flowers have not become more capricious at all, but now they bloom much more spectacularly than their ancestors. Terry varieties are especially magnificent. However, even such beauty can be ruined. improper care. In particular, plants, as before, need pruning. Without it, the shoots are stretched, exposed, flowering becomes scarce. It is also necessary to support geranium proper watering, timely top dressing. Only a well-groomed and cared-for flower will manifest itself in all its splendor.

Pruning young and old plants has different purposes. A newly planted geranium needs to form the correct crown, and mature plant periodically it is necessary to get rid of old lignified shoots that do not give flowering. It is recommended to prune twice a year - in spring and autumn. The cuttings remaining after the spring shearing, if necessary, are used as planting material.

Young geraniums need shaping pruning. If this is not done, the plant will stretch out a lot and will bloom worse. Timely pinching of the stems will cause the growth of many side branches and limit the growth of the plant in height. Thanks to this, the bush will turn out compact and at the same time lush. A geranium bush begins to form after 5-6 leaves have appeared on the branches.

On each shoot, where the fifth leaf is formed, pinch the point of growth. This can be done by hand or using small scissors. Soon axillary shoots will appear on the plant. The first flowering on them can be observed already 2 months after pruning. When root growth appears, it is also pinched - this will give the bush even more splendor.

Pelargonium formation: video

In autumn, the geranium begins to wither, preparing to enter a state of biological dormancy. After the last inflorescences have dried up, it will be necessary to prepare the plant for wintering. It is impossible to prune from December to February - at this time the pelargonium is too weakened. Try to carry out the procedure before the arrival of winter. First you need to think about how exactly you will form the plant.

Remove first yellow leaves and dried flowers, you also need to cut too old stems. Unnecessary shoots thickening the crown are cut below the first leaf node. If you need new young branches to grow from this place, cut off the shoot above the node. The main stem is shortened by 1/3 of the length.

Autumn pruning of pelargonium: video

Spring pruning is carried out from late February to mid-March. The procedure promotes the formation of a large number of new buds and the growth of the vegetative mass. Shearing geraniums at this time of the year will result in late blooming, which must be taken into account. However, the results of such a procedure will be impressive. The bush will be able to form more flowers, they will be larger, and the flowering itself will last longer than usual.

Starting pruning, you should consider the size of the geranium . It will be difficult for large specimens to recover after a cardinal shortening of the branches. Plants may simply not have enough strength to bloom and actively grow new shoots. The stems of a small bush can be shortened quite a lot, giving it the desired crown shape, but the genetic characteristics of the variety must be taken into account.

Trimming pattern

To form a large number of buds, it is important to adhere to the rules for shortening shoots. When cutting for lush flowering, you need to proceed as follows:

• The cut should be made with a sharp, disinfected knife. The scissors pinch the stem, so they won't fit.
• The stem must be cut above the leaf node facing the outside bush.
• In order for the shortened cutting to give new branches in the future, it must be cut off above the leaf.
• The cut is made at an acute angle, 3-5 mm above the node.
• Start pruning from the outer shoots, gradually moving deeper into the bush.
• If it is planned to remove half of all branches on the plant, pruning is best done in 2-3 stages, arranging two-week breaks.
• To increase the number of flowers, you can shorten the branches after 4-5 leaf nodules. It is here that young shoots with peduncles will grow.

On a note! All sections are powdered with crushed activated charcoal or cinnamon powder to prevent decay. Pinching is carried out with clean, dry hands, without pulling the stem strongly.

Cropping Features

Geranium pruning is carried out taking into account its variety. Today, about 100 varieties of geraniums are successfully cultivated in Russia, in total, almost 400 varieties are known.

On a note! According to the method of growing plants can be divided into indoor and garden subspecies. Indoor geraniums are especially capricious and thermophilic, with unfavorable conditions. outdoor conditions she will die.

Royal geranium has gained a reputation among flower growers as a capricious plant that does not always bloom willingly. This pelargonium is characterized by a short flowering period, it fades already in the second decade of July. If you cut the royal geranium in the spring, flowering will occur only in the next season. For this variety, it will be correct to make a haircut in late summer or early autumn. Cut the plant in two stages with a monthly break.

After the first shortening of the shoots, the bush should come to its senses and gain strength. Pruning at this stage is reduced to the removal of old peduncles and yellowed leaves. The second stage is to pinch out the many new shoots that have appeared after the formation of 4-5 pairs of leaves. This approach will help the plant look more decorative in the new season.

How and when to prune royal geranium: video

For ivy-like geraniums (it is also called ivy-leaved), it is advisable to carry out radical pruning in the spring. In autumn, you can limit yourself only to the removal of yellowed leaves and dried inflorescences. During the winter, the plant finally loses its attractiveness, dries out the whips, remains almost without leaves, so in spring all the stems are shortened to a height of 10-12 cm.

After that, the bushes begin to produce many young shoots and actively branch, and then bloom. Connoisseurs advise after pruning to spray the stiffened old stems with Epin's solution - in this case, more dormant buds awaken. You can pinch the ends of young branches, then flowering will be more abundant, but will come later.

It is not necessary to prune ampel varieties of pelargonium annually. The procedure is carried out less frequently than for other varieties of geraniums and only when the plants lose their decorative effect. Pruning ampel varieties can be called sanitary.

Yellowed leaves and parts of the stem, dry flowers, diseased and weakened shoots are removed from the plant. You also need to get rid of branches growing inside the crown, bare branches. The ends of young lashes are pinched for more lush flowering. They do the same with shoots growing sideways.

How else to help geraniums for lush flowering

Except for cutting. To form buds, geraniums must receive enough moisture, light and nutrients. Periodically, even homemade varieties of geraniums need to be exposed to fresh air, this will go to the plant to the benefit.

Watering geraniums on the windowsill is necessary all year round, despite the fact that she has a period of relative rest in winter time. Features of its watering are as follows:

1. Water should be soft, with a minimum content of iron, salts, lime and other impurities.
2. The plant prefers thawed or rain water room temperature, but if this is not possible, you can improve the properties of water by settling for 1-2 days.
3. It is not recommended to water geraniums during the winter months. warm water, this can stimulate her to grow, which is undesirable.
4. The amount of moisture received by the plant must be sufficient. An earthen ball in the heat is moistened abundantly, but stagnant water should not be allowed.
5. In the pot, it is necessary to provide a drainage layer and a drain hole.
6. At moderate air temperatures, the top layer of the earth is allowed to dry slightly before the next watering.

On a note! Young plants with insufficiently powerful roots are watered after the soil dries 1 cm deep. You can check the soil moisture with a match or a toothpick.

Watering should be uniform, without a sharp alternation of drought and abundant moisture. It is better to water the plant more often, but little by little. In autumn, the amount of moisture introduced is reduced, and in winter the plant is supported with rare, scanty watering, so long as its roots do not dry out.

Top dressing for pelargoniums is used during the period of active growth - in spring and summer. Fertilizer is applied to the soil twice a month, an hour after watering. It is impossible to apply top dressing to dry land, otherwise the roots will burn. After flowering is complete, geraniums stop fertilizing until early spring.

Nitrogen fertilizers are used at the beginning of the growing season to form a large amount of green mass. During the budding period, the plant needs to be given potassium and phosphorus. The nitrogen content of the top dressing should be reduced from now on. It is best to use complex mineral fertilizers, in which, in addition to the main elements, there is:

• manganese;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• zinc;
• copper;
• sulfur;

All drugs are applied in liquid form, the solution is prepared according to the instructions. Fertilizer is excluded 2 weeks before transplantation and within 1 week after. It is impossible to fertilize diseased plants, their roots cannot fully absorb nutrients, the condition of the flower will only worsen.

How to feed pelargonium for lush flowering: video

The best place in the apartment for geraniums is the southern windowsill, where there is always a lot of sun. However, the plant feels good in partial shade. You need to pay attention to the appearance of the flower, its condition.

If during the summer heat the leaves of a geranium turn yellow and wither, it means that it is hot. Remove the flower pot to the back of the room at noon, and then return it to its place. If you are not at home at this time, just shade the pelargonium with two layers of gauze or a piece of white paper fixed on the glass.

If you decide to decorate your garden with pelargonium or city ​​flower bed near the house, choose for this unpretentious varieties that do not require special growing conditions. For planting, it is recommended to choose a well-lit area with light, drained soil. Clay soil for geraniums is not suitable, as well as wetlands. AT middle lane you can plant pelargonium on the street in early June, when the threat of frost will surely disappear.

While creating suitable conditions geranium in the garden is changing, becoming healthier and stronger, blooming well. Its leaves and flowers take on a rich color.

1. To make the geranium bloom more magnificent, plant it in a cramped pot. In a large container, the plant gives all its strength to the formation of roots to the detriment of flowering.
2. For creating beautiful composition Several plants can be placed in one pot at once. Ampel varieties of various colors look especially impressive in a common pot.
3. As a soil, it is better to use a not too fertile mixture of sand, sheet and sod land, humus. In oily soil, geranium will grow stems and leaves well, but it will become worse to bloom.
4. Pelargonium does not need spraying the leaves, such a technique is more likely to damage it.
5. In winter, daylight hours for geraniums should not exceed 5 hours. This is one of the rules, the observance of which is necessary for the subsequent lush flowering.
6. Iodine is an important element for the lush flowering of geraniums. You can add it additionally by adding 1-2 drops of iodine tincture from a pharmacy to 1 liter of water and watering the plant along the edge of the pot. After 2-3 such procedures, you can notice the result in the form of the appearance of many new buds.

Take care of your pelargoniums, give them love and care, then the flowers will surely delight you with lush inflorescences. The beauty of this plant is unpretentious, but very touching. In addition, scientists have long proven the ability of geraniums to heal indoor air by releasing phytoncides into the atmosphere. Get geraniums in the house, if you have not already done so, and you will never regret it.

Pelargonium attracts domestic flower growers with its unpretentiousness and lush long flowering. But in order for indoor geranium to grow well at home, it must be cut regularly. Correct and effective pruning of geraniums is the topic of today's article.

How much pruning of geraniums is necessary for a gardener? What to do so that it blooms for a long time and profusely? These questions are asked by many flower growers. It is precisely because we do not know what care for geraniums should be at home that we are haunted by failures in growing this crop. If you do not pinch the plant in a timely manner, you will not be able to achieve abundant flowering and fluffy bush form. As a result, the plant is stretched and loses its decorative qualities and density.

When and how to prune

So, it is necessary to trim the pelargonium. In addition, it is important to do it according to the rules. If you know how to properly trim a geranium, and put this knowledge into practice, you can form an attractive plant that will please the eye for a long time.

Pelargonium pruning is designed to achieve several goals: firstly, to maximize the development of strong side branches to form a bush; secondly, control the height of the plant.

If you have a perennial plant, you need to pinch such a geranium twice a year - in the autumn and spring seasons.

Before you prune your geranium, take a close look at your plant: it may be in the form of a bush or a single main stem. Depending on this, we will act, because it is necessary to form pelargonium only taking into account the characteristics of its genetics.

When choosing where to cut, keep in mind that new shoots will develop from dormant buds, so try not to leave long gaps between nodes at the top of the plant. You need to cut the culture with a sharp instrument that has undergone a disinfection procedure. If you decide not to cut, but pinch the geranium, do it with well-washed hands.

All sections and places of pinching are carefully rubbed with crushed wood or activated charcoal. If in a heavily overgrown bush you find shoots directed inward, they must be removed immediately. This will free up additional inner space, improve the flow of air to the stem, and therefore reduce the risk of fungus development.

After pruning the geranium, be sure to feed the plant with any nutrient mixture with nitrogen. Thanks to this element, the culture will be able to actively grow foliage.

spring

After a long winter, it is imperative to carry out shaping pruning to achieve the desired shape. Spring treatment activates internal forces plants, giving him the opportunity to form additional flower stalks. You can start the process even in winter - at the end of February, or already in early March.

If your geranium is already several years old and has reached an impressive size, pruning for lush flowering should not be overly intense, otherwise the plant will grow green for a long time, and the onset of flowering will be pushed back in time. As a rule, it is enough to remove yellow, damaged or diseased shoots and leaves from geraniums. In the process, try to ensure that there are at least 2 buds on each shoot left.

autumn

Autumn pruning is carried out only when the plant has faded. Some ask: can I cut blooming pelargonium or not? Answer: no. By doing this, you can cause irreparable harm to the plant. Pruning room geraniums in the fall primarily consists in removing spent flower stalks and dried leaves. When this stage is completed, inspect the primary formed bush, and decide if something else can be removed.

Hint: to make your geranium grow better in summer, don't let it bloom in winter - any new buds that appeared the previous winter should be removed immediately. In order for it to bloom, geraniums must fully rest before the new season.

Another common question: when to prune indoor geraniums for the winter? Do it in advance, and not with its onset. So, you should refrain from the procedure in the winter months, since now the plant is in a state of suspended animation, and you can not touch it.

Formation for lush flowering

Geraniums are characterized by intensive development of shoots, so home care prescribes the pruning procedure with enviable regularity. Do not forget to inspect the plant from time to time during the winter months, and cut off the growing fifth points on the shoots.

Geranium has long been loved by flower growers. She is unpretentious in content. Almost all types of plants delight with long and colorful flowering. The vast majority of species of pelargonium without fail need shortening of the stems and pinching. This is the key to their luxurious flowering next season. When and how to prune geraniums for the winter, the flower itself will tell. As soon as he throws off the last faded buds, you can proceed. Properly trimming geraniums for the winter is not difficult at all.

Autumn bush formation

Behind the summer with lush blooming geraniums. It's time to give rest and help restore the strength of the plant. Removing excess shoots, cutting the main branches and pinching the tops will help to give the desired shape to the plant and normalize its further development.

The essence of circumcision

Pruning a geranium for the winter is freeing it from a third of the volume of the bush. Unnecessary shoots are mercilessly removed, all stems are shortened by a third. There is nothing wrong with this. Behind winter period, given that good care behind the plant, the bush will grow a new lush crown.

Together with the cut branches, the need to spend energy on their food also goes away. The plant has the opportunity to restore strength for the next season. This necessary operation will serve as the basis for laying the optimal volume of flower buds and a guarantee of healthy flowering bushes next spring.

What are the goals pursued

After the pelargonium fades, you can and should trim the bush. The procedure for shortening branches and cutting off excess shoots will allow:

• awaken the development of lateral shoots and the laying of future inflorescences;
• create the desired hive configuration;
• achieve abundant and long flowering;
• prepare excellent raw materials for breeding your favorite species.

It follows from this that autumn thinning is very beneficial: in spring, young plants grown from cuttings are added to the mother bush.

Correct crown design technique

There are a lot of types of pelargonium. There are indoor and garden, bush and ampel, high and dwarf. The formation of the crown for each of them has its own characteristics. But the basic requirement for all varieties of them timely pruning. The good appearance and the subsequent violent flowering of the plant depend on the quality of the work done.

Care for room gerbera at home

Therefore, cut off unnecessary shoots, shorten the main branches, preferably clean and very sharp knife. Ideal blade or clerical knife. Doing this with scissors is not worth it, because there is a risk of injury to the epithelium on the cut.

Branches are shortened by about a third of the length or after every fourth node. To do this, find a dormant nodular bud located on the outside of the bush, and cut upper part branches at an angle of 90 °, retreating 0.5 cm from the leaf node. Damaged or dried stems, dried flowers and leaves are also removed. In order not to close the root zone, branches growing inside the bush are cut.

After cutting, 2 to 7 leaves should remain on each shoot. In no case should you cut off all the leaves when pruning pelargonium in the fall, since these are the main participants in photosynthesis, and without them, the roots of the plant simply will not receive the microelements necessary for life.

Young shoots can simply be pinched off with your fingers. It is important that they are dry and clean. To avoid infection, cuts on the branches are sprinkled with ground coal or cinnamon powder. Finally, the plant needs to be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer to speed up the forcing of new shoots and good tillering of the flower.

Events for the autumn decoration of pelargonium bushes last all autumn until the onset of winter. During this period, additional shortening or pinching of missed stems is allowed without harm to the bush. But with the onset of winter, work stops. Now the flowers need rest until spring. The temperature drops to 10-12 degrees, watering decreases and plant fertilization completely stops. And the lighting stays the same. For good health, pelargoniums need good lighting all year round.

Spring, autumn pruning and care of grapes in the Moscow region

The specifics of the procedure for some species

How to prune pelargonium for the winter depends on the desired result. If you need to get a flower in the form of a standard tree, you need to remove all side branches, tie the main branch to a support, pinch its crown. This will cause new branches to appear. In the future, the crown of the tree is formed on 5-7 strong branches. Shoots are pinched after every fourth leaf.

The royal geranium is somewhat more physically demanding. Unlike zonal pelargoniums, it blooms for a very short time - only 3-4 months. But no other type of this flower can boast of such flowers. They are very large, painted in the brightest colors in incredible combinations. A short flowering period suggests only autumn pruning. If you touch the plant in the spring, then most likely it will not bloom.

Ampelnaya, or rather, resembles bindweed. She looks great in hanging planters. But to give shape and volume to the bush, regular shortening of the stems and pinching is required. The rules for carrying out such work do not differ from the manipulation of zonal pelargoniums. For this type of plant, autumn pruning is also preferable. It is also aimed at removing a third of the volume of the plant, removing branches directed towards the center.

Variegated geraniums are very difficult to tolerate any interference, so it would be better to leave them alone. Moreover, unlike zonal varieties, they do not stretch much. The bush remains compact for a long time . Still mini-pelargoniums almost do not need to form a bush. Whether it is necessary to cut this geranium for the winter is decided according to the circumstances.

Dacha, plants, cooking, health, do it yourself

As a rule, manipulations associated with changing the shape of a plant, removing extra parts, are carried out after the plant has overwintered or before this period. Geranium pruned late autumn, in early spring or in winter. Yes, that's right, winter pruning of the flower is also carried out. The important thing here is simply to know when to prune geraniums in winter so as not to harm them.

For pelargonium, the winter period is a period of rest, but under certain conditions (microclimate in the house, care conditions), preventive pruning is carried out already at the end of February. However, it will be better if you do this before December or early spring. Before wintering, the shoots are shortened by a third. Don't be afraid - proper care and the content of the flower will ensure the development of new shoots. Pruning before the dormant period is mandatory, but it is important to take care of the pelargonium in early spring. It is not necessary to shorten the stems so radically, but you should not hesitate with this either. Removing old parts of the plant will inevitably harden new buds.

How to properly prune geraniums, you will be prompted in a gardening store. But nothing difficult this process no. Follow the following guidelines and everything will go smoothly. Pruning geraniums at home requires certain preparations. First, disinfect the instrument.

Choose any method: ignite, boil, treat with alcohol. The tool (usually a knife) must be sharp. To avoid the possibility of infection, it is important to wear gloves, wash your hands well with soap and water. If the plant long time was on fresh air, he will need some time to acclimatize in the room in which he will spend the winter. After two weeks, pelargonium can be cut off.

Pruning geraniums for the winter must be carried out after the plant has completely faded. This measure will help pelargonium save vitality and nutrients for the development of young shoots. First, inflorescences and stems that have faded and wilted are removed. Dried, diseased and beginning to wither leaves are also removed. In parallel, you can shape the crown to your liking.

Inspect the pelargonium and cut off the parts that need to be corrected. Remove any stems that are too long from the lower node. In the event that you want new shoots to appear from the place, cut off above the node. New shoots will very soon hide the void near the stem. As noted earlier, in autumn the stems are cut by a third, but since homemade pelargonium continues to grow in winter, after the appearance of the fifth bud, the plant should be pinched.

Be sure to note that not all varieties of pelargonium need autumn pruning. Amphipelous or zonal varieties can wait until spring, unless you want to correct the shape. Variegated varieties are generally not recommended to be cut, so as not to provoke prolonged stress in the plant. Miniature pelargoniums require only a little intervention, but royal geraniums are trimmed quite boldly. Sections heal quickly and give new young shoots.

Pruning a geranium in the spring may be necessary if you haven't taken care of the flower in the fall, or if the plant has grown too big over the winter. Qualitatively conducted spring pruning- the key to the emergence of new healthy shoots and the formation of peduncles. Of course, pruning a flower will delay the flowering process, but will contribute to an increase in its intensity. The color should be cut in early March.

It is not recommended to prune a large plant much: it takes not so little time for the growth to recover. You can cut off the extra, in your opinion, branches so unsuccessfully that the pelargonium will not bloom at all. Limit yourself to removing too long, damaged, diseased shoots. Bush small size form as desired, while leaving at least two buds on the stem. Don't forget to inspect stems cut in the fall.

If the cuts are blackened, they should be updated.

Do not rush to throw away cut shoots. Use them to breed a flower: healthy shoots will make excellent cuttings. In addition, geranium leaves are often used to make folk remedies. It is useful to prepare decoctions and infusions that help with headaches and joint pains, problems with the digestive system.

After pruning, geraniums should be placed in a cool room. The cut surface is treated with cinnamon powder or finely ground charcoal. special care plant is not required. It is important to reduce the number of waterings so as not to harm the flower. In order for the flower to quickly acquire young dense shoots, the flower needs to be fed with fertilizers containing nitrogen. It is important to take care of good diffused lighting.

Regular trimming of pelargonium is necessary not only for aesthetic reasons. When excess, dry and diseased shoots are removed, free space is formed. A thinned bush is well ventilated, the risk of infection with fungal diseases is significantly reduced. The shape of the plant becomes more neat, orderly and attractive. The mass of shoots becomes smaller, but the number of inflorescences and their quality increase.

This video will show you when is the best time to prune geraniums.

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When is the best time to prune a geranium for lush flowering?

One of the most important techniques for caring for geraniums is crown pruning. Shaping the plant by removing excess shoots not only helps to heal the bushes, but also makes them look neater. In addition, without constant pruning of the shoots, it is impossible to achieve beautiful and lush flowering.
After cutting off the elongated tops, numerous lateral buds wake up on the stems, leaves grow on them and many peduncles form.

The best time to prune geraniums at home

There are many opinions about when to prune geraniums, what time of the year is most suitable for this? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously, since it all depends on many factors: the variety, the condition of the plant, its age, the purpose of pruning. In general, flower growers and gardeners believe that bushes should be formed regularly, as needed. It occurs especially sharply when the shoots begin to stretch too much, lose foliage and, accordingly, external attractiveness. Basically, these are cosmetic pinchings of the apical parts.

Deeper pruning should be done once or twice a year, depending on how fast the flower grows. This raises a logical question, when is it better to prune geraniums: in autumn or spring, if cardinal regulation of its growth is planned? Most right time for this procedure - autumn. See an article about propagating geraniums using cuttings, leaves and seeds.

They reduce the temperature to + 5- + 12 ° С, reduce watering, stop feeding the plant, but keep it in a well-lit room. If the plant still tries to bloom in winter, then the inflorescences are immediately removed. Such a little trick allows you to get in the spring beautiful flowers. The fact is that cutting geraniums in the fall means ridding them of almost half of the shoots that have grown strongly over the summer. She is given a great opportunity to take a break from summer flowering and gain strength without spending them on “feeding” extra stems. In addition, this procedure will allow the plant to lay large quantity kidneys, of which in the spring summer period healthy leaves and flowers will form. Knowing this fact, it is no longer necessary to figure out when to prune geraniums so that they bloom in summer, looking for this information on flower growing sites and forums.

Regarding when to prune geraniums and in what month, the answer is quite simple - immediately after flowering. Different varieties cease to please with flowers in various terms. Therefore, at what time to cut geraniums in the fall, the flower itself can tell, ceasing to throw out inflorescences. But, as a rule, this period lasts from late August to early autumn.

In autumn, geraniums are subjected to significant pruning. Before cutting geraniums at home, old, dried stems, inflorescences and leaves are removed. Shoots "looking inside" are cut out so that they do not spoil the shape of the flower and do not obscure its basal part. Then healthy branches are cut off by about a third. The minimum number of leaves that should remain on the shoot after cutting is 2 pcs. But it is better if there are about five or seven of them. You should not be zealous in picking off the leaves, as they supply the root system with a lot necessary elements. Only completely dried, wilted, yellowed or deformed foliage is removed.

The autumn period is the best answer to the question: when to cut geraniums for seedlings, since seedlings planted for the winter will not only have time to take root well during the snowy period, but also branch out. Thus, autumn is the best time when cutting geraniums into cuttings is doubly beneficial: with the advent of spring, young plants will immediately bloom, and the remaining cuttings after spring, re-pruning can be used to further obtain new indoor flowers.

Geraniums are pruned in autumn, greatly elongated over the summer. Before you properly cut the stretched geranium, you need to carefully examine the plant and choose from two options: either remove too long shoots completely, or leave a small part of them at the root. The first option is suitable if the layering is sufficient for further flower formation. Then the elongated stem is cut completely near the lower node. If there are too few stems, and new shoots are needed that will begin to grow in place of the cut one, then the elongated geraniums are cut just above the very first node from the ground.

Before cutting geraniums for the winter, it must be borne in mind that it is easily exposed to putrefactive processes. To avoid infection on freshly cut parts, pruning is carried out either with clean gardening gloves or thoroughly washed hands. The tool must also be processed. Secateurs or scissors are pre-drenched in boiling water or wiped with alcohol. The cut is made at an angle of 90 °, at a distance of at least 0.5 cm from the internode.

After pruning, the shoots are treated with ground charcoal or activated charcoal.

There is a lot of controversy about whether geraniums should be pruned in the spring. But the controversy boils down to the following: to decide when to prune geraniums in the spring, and whether it is worth doing it at all, each grower should individually for a particular flower. During the winter period, the plant could grow strongly, especially if the conditions necessary for "rest" were not met.

If this happens, then the plant needs spring pruning. True, after it, flowering will begin later, but will not be inferior in quality. For experienced florist It is not a big secret when to prune geraniums in the spring - the timing is suitable for this operation - last days February - the first two weeks of March. This is the period when it is time to cut the geraniums into cuttings in the spring, since it is not recommended to carry out activities for pruning the shoots later.

Pruning in spring is not as drastic as pruning in autumn. Basically, overgrown shoots are pinched so that the plant spends its strength on laying lateral buds, from which new stems and peduncles will grow in the future.

If all necessary requirements to ensure winter rest were observed, then deep autumn pruning is quite enough. In the spring, the plant will wake up from its winter sleep and begin to actively recruit buds. All the rules for spring pruning completely coincide with the methods of plant formation in autumn.

The pruning technology described above is suitable for most varieties of unpretentious zonal geraniums. But there are flower varieties that are more demanding in care, including pruning. These include grandiflora or royal geranium. It blooms unusually beautiful, and most importantly big flowers, therefore it is often called large-flowered geranium. One flower in diameter can reach from 5 to 7 cm. But their decorative effect does not end there, as often the petals are corrugated, and the colors simply amaze with their diversity. You will not find monochromatic flowers on this type of plant. They are always decorated with some spots, rims, stripes. Outwardly, they strongly resemble petunias.

But such beauty is not without flaws. The main ones are demanding care and a short flowering period. If ordinary, zonal geraniums can bloom almost all year round, then grandiflora will please with its inflorescences only 3-4 months per season. This will only happen if it is properly taken care of. Knowing her capricious character, the owners of the flower are interested in how to prune the royal geranium, so that in the spring the wayward beauty will fully demonstrate all the varietal qualities inherent in it. The first step is to decide when to transplant and prune large-flowered geraniums - in autumn or spring. In this case, only the autumn period is suitable for pruning. Two problems are solved at once - the bush is preparing for wintering and material is being collected for further breeding of the variety - cuttings.

The procedure for pruning geraniums

Before cutting the geranium so that it blooms, it is necessary to disinfect the tool with which the stems will be cut. Scissors, pruning shears or pruners should be sharp to get a clean cut. Next, all obsolete parts of the plant and leaves are cut off. Leafless shoots are removed at the root, in front of the very first node from the ground. The same should be done with too elongated shoots. Then proceed to pruning the main shoot. It is cut by a third, since it is possible to cut a geranium for abundant and lush flowering only by sacrificing just such a part of the stems and leaves.

In winter, it is desirable to provide peace to the grandiflora. In no case is it recommended to carry out pruning in the period December-January. But sometimes it grows in winter. Faced with this problem, flower growers solve a dilemma: is it possible to prune a geranium in February if it has begun to outgrow? In rare cases, you can cut geraniums in February, but this can hardly be called a full-fledged pruning. Only one overgrown shoot is removed, which spoils the appearance of the flower too much. It is better to pinch the elongated stems, rather than cut them off completely. And the last month of winter - deadline, when the royal indoor geranium is cut, since in April it already releases the first inflorescences. Therefore, starting from the second half of March, pinching and pruning should be stopped for a while.

You can determine exactly when to prune geraniums after winter by looking at the flower. As already noted, grandiflora blooms for a shorter period of time than ordinary varieties. As soon as it fades in summer, further formation of the bush can begin.

Ampel or ivy geranium is distinguished by its unusual type of growth. It belongs to the "creeping" plants, and if it is planted in hanging pot, then the shoots will hang freely from the container, forming a beautiful bindweed with small leaves, shaped like ivy foliage, and beautiful inflorescences falling on the sides of the container. But to achieve a highly decorative flower, you will have to work hard, as it also needs constant pruning and pinching of its climbing stems. The principles of how to properly prune ivy geraniums largely coincide with the rules for pruning simple, zonal varieties.

For her, autumn pruning is also the most useful. It also involves cutting the third part of the plant, cutting out dried, withered and growing shoots inside. In addition, shoots sprouted from the axils of the leaf are cut off. Healthy stems that grow from the root are not cut off.

In the spring, she needs to form the correct crown if the bush has grown and extra layering has appeared. They are cut off, leaving a few buds. Throughout the spring season, the crown is maintained in order by pinching the stem after the fifth leaf. Such a haircut makes the plant more accurate, makes it possible to grow new shoots and peduncles. Often the subject of discussion is the question, is it possible to prune flowering ampelous geraniums in spring and summer?
The answer is simple: only those inflorescences that have already faded and have lost their visual appeal should be cut. The plant does not need any other interventions during flowering.

If you want to get a cutting from a flowering geranium, then you can do this, but only from one shoot. At the same time, one should not forget that both sections must be treated with charcoal or activated charcoal (sometimes ground cinnamon can also help out). The cutting should be cut off the inflorescence, as it will interfere with rooting. The cut shoot is planted in the ground, without preliminary germination in water.

pruning flowering plant, one cannot ignore the fact that at this time he is injured, and his beauty and splendor are also lost. Therefore, it is not recommended to cut more than 1-2 shoots. It is better to wait in general for the moment when it completely fades, carry out a planned pruning and at the same time get a large number of petioles for further reproduction. See the article: Why geraniums do not bloom at home and in the garden: how to fix it?

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Autumn and spring pruning of geraniums for lush flowering

Geranium (pelargonium) for many grows both at home in pots and outdoors in containers or in the ground. Care for each has its own subtleties and secrets. One of these secrets is correct pruning geraniums for lush blooms and a healthy looking flower. Pruning is carried out both in autumn and spring, depending on the goals pursued by the gardener or his capabilities.

My mother told me that in her childhood, geraniums were cut in the fall and placed under the beds. It was a long time ago, because now my mother is already over 80 years old. The beds were fitted with lace valances covering flower pots. There the plants remained until February without watering. So this kind of flower care has rather deep agrotechnical roots.

In winter, geraniums find it difficult to maintain their beauty. For a beautiful full bloom in the winter on the windowsill, they simply do not have enough light. And if they are not illuminated with special lamps, then they will turn into long bare stems with stunted leaves at the top and one or two flowers. I have no lamps, just as there is no place for winter garden, so I will agree with my great-grandmothers and give the flowers a rest.

In order for the plant to have a beautifully formed lush bush and bloom profusely, it must rest.

The meaning of autumn pruning is in preparation for winter holidays. In winter, geraniums will rest from flowering, gain strength and give growth to dormant buds.

What are these dormant buds? Here is the trunk, there is a leaf on it, it grows from a leaf node. When the leaf dries and falls off, a scar will remain in its place.

Just above this scar is the sinus of the sleeping kidney, it is from there that the kidney will hatch under certain conditions.

A young shoot will form from the bud, capable of providing lush flowering of geraniums by May June.

The soil before pruning should not be wet. The plant is left without foliage and will have nothing to evaporate moisture. Wet soil will create good conditions for rot, and the flower can be lost.

1. How and what to cut
2. How high to cut geraniums

Proper pruning is done with a sharp tool - a knife, blade, sharp disposable cutter, secateurs. This is important, since a dull blade of scissors or secateurs flattens the stem a little, and it tightens worse.

The cut surface should be even and perpendicular to the trunk, then a film is easily formed on it, which will tighten and dry the cut surface.

The cut should be made 5-10 mm above the sleeping kidney.

They are cut either under the "stump", leaving 2-3 dormant buds, or to a height of 10-15 cm. In the second case, you can get more shoots for spring rooting. So it's more of a matter of reproduction. And geraniums, cut “under the foam, are more often used in the future as an independent updated lush bush.

And so: Autumn pruning is done before being brought into the cold (basement, veranda). They get it in January - the buds wake up and begin to grow, give material for cuttings, cuttings are planted in February. During autumn pruning, geraniums are also cut into pots, in which case they will bloom earlier.

Pots of cut geraniums are stored until January or February in cool places, severely limiting watering or not watering at all.

Why until January or February. December is the month when the light lengths of day and night are compared, this is the time of astronomical winter. geraniums natural light in such a short period is not enough and they sleep. After the winter equinox, daylight hours begin to increase. By January, there will be enough daylight hours to awaken dormant buds. Therefore, the pots are taken out into the light and into heat and begin to slowly water. Water moderately, remembering that while there are no large leaves, the plant will not be able to evaporate moisture.

• In a dark cold basement at a temperature of 0-10 degrees, without watering
• On the cold veranda without watering
• In the room, on the cold windowsill. In this case, you need to water a little, because the air in the room is very dry. Once a month is enough.

Cropped cuttings can be rooted in pots, simply put in water to take root (you won’t believe it, but this method works, by spring many cuttings will have excellent roots), or put at home in vases for beauty, especially since pruning takes place on still flowering plants.

In January, when the day lengthens, the pots are brought into the heat and begin to be watered, having previously pierced a clod of earth in several places.

This geranium was brought from the basement in January

Shoots of such an overwintered geranium (it is called a mother plant) are used as cuttings for propagation or left to bloom on their root.

Preparing ground, balcony and room geraniums for pruning

Now it's Indian summer, and geraniums are in full bloom, blooming so much that you don't even want to think about pruning. Such a beauty.

Geraniums that have grown in the ground are usually dug up and transferred to pots or containers. Before pruning, she is given a week, another to get used to a new place. As a rule, only those plants are transplanted whose variety or color the gardener wants to keep for the next year. The rest bloom like annuals.

If the geranium grew on an open balcony or terrace in containers

Geraniums from the balcony in the same way can be transferred into one large container, or individual pots can be brought in, if there is a place.

Homemade, indoor geraniums do not need to be transshipped anywhere. You need to prepare for pruning those specimens that you want to rejuvenate.

Any fall pruning will result in new strong young shoots for lush flowering in late spring and summer.

In the spring, you can plant the resulting shoots in pots or leave them on the mother plant, correcting the shape of the bush, with spring pruning.

Alla Sivak has an excellent video of cardinal pruning of geraniums for lush flowering under a stump and what to do after pruning. In winter, her flowers stand at home in the light, in warmth.

The video is not long, but if you need to quickly, then there is such an opportunity. In the right bottom corner The video has a wheel icon. Click on the wheel, in the drop-down menu, find the word "speed". You can select speed 2 and watch videos twice as fast.

My way to keep balcony geraniums indoors in winter

Every year before the onset of cold weather, and we have it in October or November, I bring my geraniums into the house. This is not easy, because I have about 40 bushes. Therefore, I bring them not for flowering, but for wintering.

They overwinter in a compact form. I roll over a few bushes in a couple of three large pots so that they do not take up much space and put them "in the far corner." Before the far corner was wide window sill behind the curtain. And now it is a large shelf in the corner of the insulated balcony. It's not very bright and not very warm.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a cold dark basement and no wide illuminated window sills. And I don’t want to put it under the beds, as my great-grandmother did, and the beds themselves have changed a lot since then J.

Since there are a lot of flowers, I do not bring all of them, but only those that I definitely want to leave as a mother plant to get planting material by spring. And from the rest I take cut cuttings and distribute them to my neighbors, or simply put them in jars of water. It sounds rather strange to leave the shoots in the water until spring, but it works for me. By spring, some of the shoots are growing big roots, and I plant ready-made cuttings with roots.

In the "far corner" I water the plants once a month. And so on until January. I start watering once a week in January. Young shoots become plump, I use them as cuttings for seedlings, later they will give a good lush flowering. And also I divide the entire long stem into cuttings and root them too. Read more about this in the article Propagation of geraniums.

Basically, I apply spring pruning of geraniums.

Pruning geraniums in spring has three options

• Form indoor plant, stretched out after the winter from lack of light
• Cut cuttings from a plant that has overwintered in the house.
• Cut cuttings from the mother plant, rested in the dark in the cold.

Due to the lack of light, any geranium will lose its appearance by spring. Cosmetic pruning of elongated stems will help shape the bush. Pruning should be carried out in the same way as autumn pruning, above the leaf bud, only cut off the upper stems.

Friends, do not forget that the video can be watched in accelerated mode. Click on the wheel icon in the bottom right corner of the video and select a speed.

Geranium Stem and Root Pruning Method - Refrigerator Storage - Review:

And so: Spring pruning of geraniums is done to cut cuttings from the mother plant for propagation. For the formation of a beautiful bush after the winter torment of plants in warmth without light, to stimulate the growth of side shoots.

Friends, pruning geraniums for lush flowering is a creative process. This was decisively proved by Natalya with her extraordinary reading of an English book on gardening. You can equally get excellent results by pruning geraniums in the fall, storing them in the refrigerator, in the basement or on a cool windowsill, or leaving them in the "far corner" to cut cuttings from warmly overwintered unpruned geraniums.

Guided by common sense, taking into account the length of daylight hours, given that stems without leaves do not evaporate moisture, which means they do not require watering, and knowing what a leaf node and a dormant bud are, pruning geraniums for lush flowering will become a simple and understandable process.

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Geranium (pelargonium) is a plant with a wide range of virtues. Regardless of the species, the flower has medicinal properties and repel pests. Geranium can be grown both on the windowsill and in open ground. It is important to maintain pelargonium in proper form, in particular, to cut it in a timely and correct manner.

Why geranium haircut

Every spring we can watch how bushes and trees are trimmed on the central streets of the city, giving them the correct shape. But few people realize that this haircut is not only decorative. Plants are pruned for health and rejuvenation of the crown. The same applies to indoor specimens prone to intensive growth, such as pelargonium (geranium).

Purpose and benefits of pruning

The main purpose of pruning any plant is to thin out the crown to improve air exchange, lighting, and leaf nutrition. Without this event, the geranium will have a neglected and unhealthy appearance, stop blooming, turn into a shapeless and untidy bush.

Benefits of pruning geraniums:

• the flowering period is extended;
• metabolism is accelerated and its quality is improved;
• more side branches and young shoots are formed;
• easier wintering.

The flowering time of geranium depends on the variety and proceeds from early spring until late autumn, and in some varieties even in winter. In order for there to be a lot of inflorescences on the plant, it is necessary to cut the bush, but do it correctly and in a timely manner, according to the characteristics of the variety.

To form a beautiful bush and lush color, geraniums need regular pruning.

Autumn pruning is a more logical procedure than spring pruning. From November to February, geraniums begin a dormant period. The plant often slows down its development, while continuing to feed. In this state, it is very difficult to maintain a lush crown, but a haircut greatly facilitates wintering. Cardinal pruning allows the pelargonium to refresh the crown and re-form the bush.

If your pelargonium blooms all year round, then you can cut it at any time.

In winter, geraniums can be trimmed only if there are conditions for keeping a cut flower, at least two lower leaves are left. After the crown of the plant is rejuvenated due to cardinal pruning, it can be formed into a bush during the winter by pinching and decorative pruning. Zonal pelargonium has the feature of quick budding and early bud formation, so she will only be happy with a haircut;

• ivy pelargonium can be cut both in spring and autumn. If during the winter the bush is too long, it is cut in late February - early March;
• flower growers cut the ampelous geranium at their discretion, if the plant does not need pruning, then it is not touched until spring;
• the variegated species does not tolerate autumn pruning; it is easier for them to go through such stress in the spring;
• mini geranium varieties are not sheared at all. The crown of these tiny pelargoniums is adjusted only for reasons of beauty and decorativeness of the bush;
• royal pelargonium is cut off "under the stump" and placed in a cool place. But such a cardinal haircut is not made regularly, but if necessary, because the plant does not develop as intensively as, for example, zonal geranium.

Photo gallery: geranium varieties

Ivy pelargonium can be cut in spring and autumn Mini varieties can do without pruning Variegated pelargonium tolerates spring shearing easier Ampelous pelargonium can be left alone until spring

Video: geranium crown formation in winter

How to form pelargonium in autumn

You can’t just take and cut the plants. In addition to a certain algorithm of actions, there are rules that are important to follow for the successful outcome of the event.

Step-by-step instruction

Video: the process of cardinal pruning for rejuvenation

Table: the right conditions after autumn pruning

Video: two-month-old geraniums after cardinal pruning

How to prune pelargonium in spring

Pruning geraniums in spring is different from pruning in autumn. It is simpler, more careful, but requires more attention, since the plant restarts its life processes in the spring, and at this moment it is easy to harm it.

The purpose and benefits of a spring haircut

Spring pruning is necessary to remove weakened and stretched stems. It promotes lush flowering, building up fresh green mass and is not produced as deeply as autumn. It is worth cutting neatly, superficially, otherwise you can delay the flowering of pelargonium for a long time.

Even pruned shoots, rooted in the spring, bloom faster than a radically pruned mother bush.

During the winter, geraniums stretch out strongly and often shed their leaves.

Classical pelargonium (zonal) during the winter can turn into a tall half-naked bush. In this, it differs from its dwarf counterparts, which almost never stretch during the rest period.

Winter pruning of zonal geraniums will only harm her, but spring shearing will provoke a massive laying of new buds or awakening of the sleeping ones.

Step-by-step instructions for spring pruning

Video: how to prune flowering geraniums

Table: geranium care after spring pruning

How to form a fluffy pelargonium bush

Pinching the top of a plant stops the growth of the main stem, but does not stop its development altogether. This is a great opportunity, by limiting the vertical growth of the flower, to get a luxurious crown.

The essence of pinching

The essence of pinching geraniums is the elementary removal of the growth point, that is, the top of the plant. The flower loses its ability to form shoots from the center of the bush and begins to produce side branches. Thus, the plant becomes more magnificent, bushier, takes a spherical shape.

Young plants are formed by pinching, and the most favorable time for this is late winter and early spring.

Pinching the top of the royal geranium stops the growth of the central shoot and stimulates the development of lateral

In the case when the geranium was grown from a cutting, pinching is done after the ninth or tenth leaf, and if the pelargonium grew from a seed, after the seventh. Leave those shoots that grow from the axils of the upper pair of leaves.

Pinching leads to active growth young shoots

Mini geraniums or very young, only rooted plants can be pinched off already at the initial stage of growth if you want to get a low and round bush.

If you pinch a geranium in young age, it will turn into a small spherical bush

You need to pinch the plant with clean hands so as not to cause infection and not ruin the bush. To process the shoot, you can use ash or talc.

Video: how to pinch geraniums in spring

How not to harm flowers

Pruning geraniums is a simple procedure, especially if you follow the correct sequence and remember the elementary needs of the plant, including seasonal ones. Nevertheless, there are cases when the bush dies due to rash actions.

The most common pruning mistakes

The grower needs to know three common mistakes that pelargonium lovers make when pruning:

Geranium is undoubtedly a living decoration of the house or garden. This flower attracts with its absolute unpretentiousness and aristocratic beauty. Having learned how to care for the geranium crown, you can admire the lush color and symmetrical crown of pelargonium from year to year.