Geranium belongs to the favorite plants of many lovers of potted flowers, it is distinguished by an abundance of varieties, as well as all kinds of color shades. The plant is often grown by cuttings, but often it becomes necessary to cultivate the plant in a more laborious way, by germinating seeds. From this article you will learn in detail how and when to plant geranium for seedlings and what is needed for this.
Botanical description of the plant
Geranium is a perennial herb belonging to the Geranium family of the same name. The birthplace of this flower is considered to be South America, therefore it is often used only as an indoor decorative plant for landscaping. Today the family has about 300 representatives, so often geranium is found not only in a variety of colors, but also in shape.
The plant consists of a grassy branchy stem, so often an adult plant resembles a small ornamental bush. The average flower height is in the range of 40-60 cm. The root system of representatives of the species of fibrous type is branched. At the end of large stems, small thickenings are formed that store nutrients and water, thereby saving the bush from death during an unfavorable period.
Did you know? Geranium is world famous thanks to the botanist and traveler Paul Krampel. In 1900, he began secretly propagating the flower and two years later he created a whole plantation, the simultaneous flowering of which caused real excitement among the population of France, and later other countries.
Depending on the variety, the structure of the sheet can have a variety of variations. The leaf blade can be either solid or heavily cut, with a curled edge. Each leaf is located on an elongated petiole. The color of the leaves can be varied, there are varieties with green, blue, gray and even red, there are also varieties with all kinds of colored blotches on the sheet and small villi.
The flowering of geraniums is observed from mid-April to the second half of August, but under optimal conditions, this phase can be extended through the second half of September. During this period, small peduncles with 2-3 flowers form on the plant. The flowers are often large, with 5 petals, their color is diverse. There are varieties with white, blue, purple, red shades and tones. After flowering, elongated bolls are formed on the bush, similar in shape to the beak of the crane.
Growing a flower at home
Despite the fact that almost everyone loves geraniums, only a few know how to plant correctly and when to plant this elegant flower. Often the procedure is carried out by rooting the cuttings, but not everyone knows that seed germination is no less simple method. In addition, it makes it possible to obtain several seedlings at once, so that you can select the most decorative specimen.
Optimal time for sowing seeds
When growing this species by plant growers, optimal conditions are often created for its favorable growth and development. Therefore, it is often not important for sprouts what time of year to grow and develop, in summer or winter. The main thing is to provide the seedlings with a sufficient amount of intense solar radiation, and daylight hours of at least 10-12 hours. However, the best seeds are germinated when planting from the second half of November to April.
Did you know? Geranium got its modern look thanks to the Englishman George Tradescan, in the 17th century. The breeder not only adapted the bush to a colder climate, but also concentrated the most acceptable decorative properties in the flower.
Soil and seed preparation
Before sowing seeds, it is necessary to prepare containers for planting and soil. Sow the seeds in any garden pots or common containers, with a functional drainage hole. In this case, substrates with a light fertile soil are considered the most suitable conditions for growth.
Mixtures are best suited for this, based on:
- turf land, peat and sand (2: 1: 1);
- peat and perlite (1: 1);
- peat and sand (1: 1).
Before sowing, the soil must be sterilized, this makes it possible to protect the sprouts from infectious lesions and the development of various parasites.
Sterilize in the following ways:
- steaming in the microwave, 5-10 minutes;
- roasting in the oven, at +125 ... + 145 ° С, for 20-30 minutes;
- freezing at –20 ...– 25 ° С for 3-4 days;
- by wetting with a 2% solution of potassium permanganate.
Seeds must also be prepared. The first thing to do is to sterilize the seed. For this, seeds are dipped for 15–20 minutes in a 2% potassium permanganate solution or for 5–10 minutes in a 70% alcohol solution. To accelerate the appearance of full-fledged sprouts, seeds need to be sprouted. To do this, they are wrapped in natural cloth, moistened with water and transferred to a warm place for 2-3 days, at a temperature of +23 ... + 26 ° С. As the tissue dries, it is well moisturized.
Important! After sterilization, the soil must be kept at room temperature for 7-10 days. This allows the substrate to restore its structure and healthy microflora.
Features of sowing geranium seeds
Geranium is sown in a row and hole way. To do this, indentations are created over the entire surface of the containers, allowing each plant to be placed at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other and the edges of the vessel. At the same time, the depth of each seed should not exceed 0.5 cm, only in this case a good germination of the seed is achieved. Seeds are not tightly wrapped in soil, seeds should be located in the ground freely. Therefore, the soil is filled with cavities in bulk, avoiding mechanical compaction. After this, the pots are well moistened with clean and settled water at room temperature.
Further plant care
Sown containers must be covered with a dome made of polyethylene or glass. It creates a greenhouse effect in the seedling growth zone, which best affects their active growth and weight gain. They remove it only before picking the sprouts into a separate container, not earlier than in the phase of 2-3 real leaflets. Until this time, plants are kept in a well-lit place, with diffused light, at a temperature of at least + 25 ° C. As drying, the soil in the dome is well moistened.
After the seedlings are fully formed, then they need to be planted in a separate container, since soon they will enter the struggle for competition for the free space of the soil. Often, from the time of sowing to picking, it takes about 1-2 months. The procedure is carried out by transshipment, while the new container in diameter should not be more than 10 cm, otherwise an excess of the substrate will inhibit the growth of geranium.Young plants are created standard conditions for maintenance:
- temperature conditions within +18 ... + 23 ° С in the summer and +14 ... + 17 ° С in the winter;
- moderate but regular watering, the soil should be moist, while stagnation of water is undesirable. Vases are moistened every 2 days, in small portions; in summer, the watering rate is doubled;
- a well-lit place, with diffused light, protected from drafts and sudden changes in temperature;
- In spring and summer, regular feeding with all kinds of organic fertilizers (every 14 days).
Important! Geranium is propagated by seeds only with simple (not double) flowers. The remaining varieties are difficult to reproduce by this method, especially in temperate and northern climates.
Useful tips gardeners
Growing geranium from seeds is not difficult, but often, especially novice gardeners, undergo serious mistakes. They often lead to a decrease in decorative value, wilting and death of the flower.
To avoid them, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- in the cold season, the bush is winterized (at + 15 ° C), this helps to improve the activity of bud formation;
- pinching the top of the seedling in the phase of 6-7 leaves will help to form a small compact bush;
- adding zircon or Kornevin growth stimulants to water (2-3 drops per 1 liter) will help accelerate seed activation during soaking;
- water the flower only with water warmed to room temperature, otherwise it can seriously become sick;
- they fertilize geraniums only after heavy watering, otherwise the root system will be burned;
- iodine top dressing will help to improve the flowering of the bush (1 drop of iodine alcohol solution should be taken per 1 liter of pure water).