Pelargonium thyroid: the best varieties and growing tips. Pelargonium thyroid Geranium thyroid pelargonium

Geranium thyroid- belongs to the geranium family. Homeland - coastal areas South Africa. Shield geranium is a plant characterized by drooping green shoots and wonderful pink and red inflorescences. Flowering period - summer-early autumn.

Geranium thyroid- Belongs to the Geranium family. Homeland - coastal regions of South Africa. Shield geranium is a plant characterized by drooping green shoots and wonderful pink and red inflorescences. Flowering period - summer-early autumn.

This plant is an excellent material for indoor use, as well as for vertical gardening of verandas, balconies, lobbies and windows. It propagates in spring by herbaceous cuttings. The desired shape can be given by trimming and pinching.

It grows and grows well on a mixture of humus, turf, leaf soil and sand (2:2:2:1). In winter it should be kept at a temperature of 15-17°C. If you want the plant to be large and showy, plant two or three rooted cuttings in one pot. Young plants must be replanted annually, in spring.

Geranium is fragrant. Its homeland is South Africa. A fairly unpretentious perennial plant, which is distinguished by a highly branched stem of light green color. The leaves are green, palmate-lobed, with wavy, uneven blades. A plant with slight pubescence. The flowers are small, lilac-pink, in umbellate inflorescences. The flowering is inconspicuous. The plant loves light. Its stems and leaves contain alkaloids, due to which it has a specific odor.

Geranium is zonal. Place of origin: South Africa. Bush with dense foliage, erect. The leaves are green, with a brownish-red rim along the edge, slightly wavy. Flowers, different in color and number of petals, are collected in hemispherical umbrellas on long peduncles. There are forms with variegated leaves suitable for flower beds. Almost throughout the year, geraniums are easily propagated by cuttings. The cut cuttings must be withered, and then planted in a dry state in the substrate, without spraying or watering.

The plant loves light. IN summer time you need to water it abundantly, and in winter keep it in a cool and dry place. In order to give the plant shape, you need to do pinching and pruning, but geraniums do not like strong and frequent pruning. Zonal geranium has phytoncidal properties. Its leaves have a very peculiar smell, which not every person will find pleasant. Old geranium can be rejuvenated by planting “on a stump,” but it is better to renew it by cutting off the apical shoot for rooting.

Zone geranium is currently propagated by seeds. Flowering plants can be obtained in just four months. Young geraniums need to be handled and replanted every year during the growth period. This is done in the spring. In order to grow geranium, a mixture of humus, clay leaf soil and sand is suitable. The pot should be small, otherwise the leaves will be thick, but the plant will not bloom. Grows well in hydroponics on ion exchange substrates.

The following varieties of zonal geranium are known:

Mr. Pollock is a large bush plant with inconspicuous flowers, but beautiful leaves with a white pattern;

Madame Solleri is a low, graceful bush with small white-variegated leaves, flowering is inconspicuous;

Ruby and Dresden are plants with semi-double flowers of a scarlet hue;

Erfold is a plant with dense foliage and double salmon-colored flowers;

Radio – geranium with semi-double scarlet flowers;

Meteor is a geranium with double bright red flowers.

If geranium is kept under fluorescent lamps, it blooms continuously, with the exception of the first months of winter. It is often used for indoor cultivation, outdoor landscaping and interior decoration.

Secrets of success:

Temperature: moderate, at night – lower, in winter period– not lower than 8-12°C.

Lighting: the plant loves light, needs direct sunlight.

Watering: abundant as the soil dries out. Overmoistening of the soil should be avoided. IN winter time Watering is reduced; outside of flowering time, the soil should be slightly moist.

Air humidity: geranium does not require spraying the leaves.

Reproduction: in spring, by stem cuttings.

) is perhaps one of the most common indoor plants. She is unpretentious, easy to care for, has a lot beneficial properties and with proper maintenance it pleases with lush flowering.

Indoor views

The most popular type is zonal geranium. It is characterized by dark circles on the leaves and simple or double flowers of various shades, collected in umbrellas. Zonal pelargonium grows as a bush, sometimes reaching up to half a meter in height, and blooms almost all year round, with the exception of the winter period.

The following types are also widely used in home floriculture:

Care

Geranium is an unpretentious and hardy plant, so caring for it at home is quite simple. It is important to remember that the soil for the flower is loose, with the addition of sand and peat, and the leaves need as much sunlight as possible, since a lack of lighting can lead to death.

In addition, you should not overdo it with watering; the soil should not be wet all the time. At different times of the year, caring for pelargonium is slightly different.

In the warm season

• Watering. Geranium tolerates drought better than excessive moisture. At the same time, if the flower is not watered for a long time, the plant will stop blooming. In warm weather, this should be done every day, but monitor the condition of the soil. If it is damp, you should water it every other day or two, little by little, so that the soil is not too wet.
• Air and lighting. Geranium loves fresh air and bright sun rays, so in summer it is recommended to place the flower on the balcony, but make sure that the leaves do not get burns from the bright sun.
• Top dressing. From mid-spring until autumn, the flower needs to be fed approximately twice a month. To do this, you should use liquid mineral fertilizer with a small nitrogen content, which can be bought at any flower shop.
• Pruning. In the spring, the stems of geraniums need to be cut to about a third of their entire length so that the plant can grow more by summer, and new shoots should also be pinched. Then the bush will be lush and attractive in shape.

During the winter season

• Watering. In winter, water rarely, make sure that the soil is not soggy. If the flower has wet soil all the time, it will die.
• Air and lighting. In winter, geranium loves coolness, but the air temperature should not be lower than 10-12 degrees. In addition, in cold weather the flower experiences a lack of sunlight, so special fluorescent lamps should be used for additional lighting.
• Top dressing. Winter is a stage of relative rest for pelargonium. During this period, there is no need to feed the plant.
• Pruning. Also, you should not cut off the branches of the plant in winter, otherwise it simply will not bloom or the flowers will appear later than usual.

Reproduction

Geranium is propagated in two ways: cuttings and seeds.

Diseases and pests

Although geranium is an unpretentious plant, if it is not cared for properly, it can get sick and even die. It is worth paying attention to the initial signs of ill health of pelargonium:

• no flowering– lack of light, too fertile soil or a spacious pot;
• yellow dry leaves– the plant does not have enough moisture, watering should be made more frequent;
• the lower leaves fall off– pelargonium has little light.

Main diseases of geranium

Common pests

Medicinal properties

Geranium is a unique plant with many beneficial properties. Pelargonium flowers and leaves are capable of releasing substances into the air that have a detrimental effect on harmful bacteria.

Flowers, leaves and roots of the plant are used for treatment. Particularly worth mentioning is essential oil geranium, which is widely used not only in cosmetology, but also in medicine.

For what diseases is geranium useful?

• the strong antimicrobial effect of geranium helps during colds and flu epidemics; the juice of the leaves can be instilled into the nose;
• essential oil treats migraines, normalizes metabolism and blood pressure, heals burns, increases physical activity;
• the leaves perfectly treat inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx and are indispensable for otitis media;
• flowers strengthen nervous system, have a beneficial effect on sleep;
• tincture of leaves helps with sore throat, stomach diseases, heart failure;
• geranium leaves are used for compresses for osteochondrosis, attacks of neuralgia, radiculitis;
• Dried and crushed leaves of the plant help with kidney stones.

Geranium is a true find among house plants. Previously, it was more popular, but now interest in this flower has increased. Graceful leaves and lush inflorescences of a wide variety of colors will delight you almost all year round. Geranium will become an indispensable assistant in the treatment of many diseases, and will not require special conditions on maintenance and care.

Pelargoniums, or geraniums, are among the favorite plants of many gardeners. They are unpretentious and are characterized by beautiful and abundant flowering.

IN indoor floriculture and for growing in flower beds, zonal pelargonium is mainly used. If you are interested in vertical gardening and carpeting, then ivy-leaved or thyroid pelargonium would be an excellent choice. It is odorless and looks great in wall planters and hanging baskets.

You can find various varieties of ivy-leaved pelargonium on sale, so you can always choose the optimal combination of shades. The most popular varieties include "Mustang" (dark red color) and "Pygmy" (pink and cherry shades).

Pelargonium ivy is an ampelous subshrub, the shoots of which grow up to 1 meter in length., but there are varieties even 30 cm. Its leaves are green, sometimes they may have veins or a border white. They look like ivy leaves, which is how the plant got its name. Flowers of various colors appear on long peduncles, shaped like stars. They are simple and terry with variegated colors. The usual diameter is 1.5-2.5 centimeters, but in some varieties it can reach 4 centimeters.

Pelargonium ivy came to us from South Africa in 1700. Over the past three centuries, breeders have developed a variety of plant varieties that grow well at home. The most common varieties: King of the Balcony, Queen Somon, Sibyl Holmes, Amethyst.

How to care for pelargonium

Caring for the plant is simple. This pelargonium is more thermophilic, but can easily survive significant cold snaps. But at the slightest frost it dies. Optimal temperature for her 15-27°. If you want to get abundant and continuous flowering, then choose a sunny place for your geranium. Flower care includes moderate watering. But spraying geraniums is contraindicated.

In spring summer period When the plant is actively growing, it needs weekly feeding. It is best to use a complex fertilizer. You can periodically water the plant with diluted milk: it will provide the pelargonium with calcium. Increased fertilizing with nitrogen will cause the formation of a huge number of large, fleshy leaves, but flowering will be weak.

Caring for the plant includes pruning bare shoots and pinching the tops, which will ensure tillering and give it a beautiful shape. Ampelous geranium tolerates planting well at any age.

Propagation of ivy pelargonium

At home, vegetative propagation is most often used - using a piece of stem. But you can grow young plants from seeds, especially if you want to get new varieties of pelargonium.

If you need to get a large number of young plants, it is better to propagate using seeds. In the store you can purchase mixtures of seeds of various varieties, which will allow you to grow plants with a variety of colors and flower shapes. Growing plants from seeds begins in winter (from December to April). The seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of 5 millimeters and covered with glass or a plastic bag, forming a mini-greenhouse. At a temperature of 22-24°C and the presence of lighting, they will germinate in 7-10 days. If you decide to propagate pelargonium from seeds, you must ensure proper watering: do not allow the soil to dry out or flood it. After three weeks, the seedlings are plucked. When it takes root, you can start feeding.

If growing by cuttings, then in spring or summer shoots are cut off from the strongest and most beautiful bushes and rooted in pots. It is best to use loose soil containing a lot of sand for rooting. The distance between seedlings should be 2 centimeters. The cuttings will take root in 3 weeks. They do not need to build a mini-greenhouse: due to high humidity, the cuttings will begin to rot.

The resulting seedlings are planted in narrow boxes in one row. The distance between plants is about 15 centimeters. If the box is wide (wider than 25 centimeters), then the geranium can be planted in two rows, placing the bushes in a checkerboard pattern. It is advisable to plant different varieties of pelargonium in one box, which will increase the attractiveness of the flower bed.

Wintering a flower

Winter care for pelargonium is slightly different from summer care. For the plant you need to choose a bright and cool place. If your apartment is not very hot, then a window sill would be an ideal option. In winter, it is necessary to maintain the temperature at 5-10 degrees Celsius. Watering should be rare, only when the soil noticeably dries out. When watering flowers, you need to make sure that water does not get on the leaves and stems. With increased watering, the roots begin to rot, the shoots become fragile, and the leaves become pale and small. In addition, plants in this state are highly susceptible to diseases.

If you don’t have a place to overwinter large plants, you can root several cuttings in pots in advance, which can be planted outside in the spring.

Pests and diseases

Pelargonium care also includes pest control. Plants are mainly damaged by spider mites and mealybugs. The infected bush must be isolated and sprayed with insecticides. The most dangerous disease is blackleg. It is very difficult to fight her. It is better to destroy diseased plants.

It is worth noting that in Western countries ivy pelargonium is used to decorate arched structures. If you give pelargonium, which does not require much time to grow, a little attention, it will reward you and delight you with lush flowering for 5-6 months.

By horoscope zodiac sign Aries (March 21 - April 21 ) correspond to the following plants: sparkling and striped echmea, fluffy-colored koleria, Indian and Japanese azalea (with red and pink flowers), royal begonia, reed gusmania, dwarf pomegranate and brilliant spurge, garden geranium (with red and dark pink flowers).

Generic name ( Pelargonium L.Herti) given for a peculiar feature: after pollination and the fall of the petals, the flower column grows and lengthens, resulting in the formation of a fruit similar to the beak of a crane (from the Greek “pelargos” means “crane”).

Pelargonium groups

Of the five large groups with specific biological properties (zonal, thyroid, large-flowered, succulent and fragrant) pelargoniums, perhaps only the first two groups are suitable for simultaneous outdoor and indoor cultivation.

Zonal (belt) pelargoniums- subshrubs with lignified, highly branched stems and originally colored leaves (they have a concentric pattern in the form of a stripe of a darker color, repeating the shape of the leaves). Large, brightly colored (simple, semi-double or double) flowers (10-140 each) are collected in dense or loose inflorescences - umbrellas. With skillful pruning, the plant is formed into a bush (and even a tree): its lifespan can exceed 20 years. These pelargoniums are very photophilous and can tolerate (but not constantly) strong sunlight. In the summer they are planted in flower beds, in garden vases, on balconies and window sills; Water regularly and abundantly, avoiding excess moisture in the soil. In winter they are kept at low temperature and moderate watering. In the spring, every year the soil (especially for perennials) is replaced, and elongated shoots are pruned (by 1/2-1/3). This procedure promotes the active growth of young stems, which produce brighter, lush inflorescences.

Group thyroid (ivy-leaved) pelargoniums got its name from the shape of its leaves. It is represented by ampelous forms with thin, flexible, smooth hanging or creeping stems. The leaves of plants of this group are fleshy, leathery, shiny (with a waxy coating) on ​​long petioles, reminiscent of the leaves of common ivy. Thanks to the strongly branching stems, these plants create entire cascades with numerous umbrella inflorescences located on long vertical peduncles (up to 15-18 cm long). Each inflorescence has 10-15 flowers of medium size and the widest range of colors. With good care, shield pelargoniums can bloom all year round. They are especially good in hanging vases and baskets, in wall and window boxes, and on balconies. But in open ground they are used less frequently than the previous group, since the shoots and leaves of thyroid pelargoniums are quite fragile and must be handled carefully. After warm weather sets in, the plants can be placed in open ground. If necessary, they can be forced to grow up a trellis or along a wall. Thyroid pelargonium is characterized by increased resistance to rust.

Heat-loving and drought-resistant zonal pelargonium is best placed on a window with a western or eastern orientation. For thyroid pelargonium, windows with southern exposure are preferable, but excessive exposure to direct sunlight must be avoided. Indoors they are kept in pots or boxes, which are placed on an open balcony or unglazed loggia in the summer.

Growing Pelargonium

Before the growing season begins in these containers the soil is partially renewed. The plant is carefully removed from the pot, trying not to damage the roots, the soil is shaken off from the periphery and returned to the same container or transferred to a larger container (do not forget about the drainage from the pebbles), adding fresh soil to the sides of the lump. The soil mixture is made up of turf and humus soil, sand and peat (2:2:1:2).

Ampelous forms of thyroid pelargoniums are tied to a support. In summer, plants are watered abundantly, avoiding excess moisture in the tray of the pot, and fed with a solution of complete fertilizers weekly. To stimulate the appearance of new flowers, the already faded ones are cut off with a razor, as they spoil appearance plants.

The climatic conditions of our zone allow us to grow pelargoniums in open ground only as an annual crop: at -10...-3°С they die . When the daytime temperature is above 18°C, plants are planted in open ground to decorate a personal plot, lawns and flower beds in parks. Pelargoniums of ampelous shapes look great near the facades of buildings. The planting site should be sufficiently illuminated by the sun (can be placed under tall trees).

For normal development, plants are selected well-drained, fertile soil. After landing them water abundantly, feed periodically. To prevent the top layer of soil from drying out, after watering it mulch with a thin layer of peat. Plants also do not tolerate prolonged rainy weather well. As frost approaches, containers with pelargoniums exposed to the open air are brought indoors, having first checked them for the presence of pests.

Wintering- on a bright window of a cool room with a northern orientation (8...12°C). When there is a lack of light, the stems become longer and the leaves become lighter. To reduce the negative impact of rising hot air flows on plants, a protective screen made of polyethylene film is installed on the radiators of the heating system.

Pelargonium does not have a clearly defined dormant period and Can bloom indoors all year round, but it wouldn’t hurt to take some time to rest. Low temperatures in December-February are favorable for the formation of flower buds of the plant (this is especially important for the thyroid group). In winter, pelargoniums are watered very moderately, avoiding water getting on the leaves. Elevated temperatures and high air humidity inhibit the normal development of this plant, contributing to its damage by various diseases.

Pelargoniums are pruned in March to form them into a bush; thin, weak shoots are removed, the rest are shortened.

Pelargonium propagation

Pelargonium is propagated mainly by vegetative means.. Seed propagation is impractical. And green cuttings are used all year round. Queen plants are well-developed, healthy 2-3-year-old plants, from which the middle part of young shoots is taken for rooting (the upper, juicy part with 3-4 internodes and the lowest, lignified part are cut off). The cuttings are cut 0.5 cm below the node (they are withered for one hour before planting): the lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are shortened by half, and the inflorescences are plucked out. Root in washed clean coarse sand (10 cm thick) or a layer of a mixture of peat and sand. Plant material is planted to a depth of 2-3 cm of moist and leveled substrate. Optimal temperature for rooting 18...22°C. The planted cuttings are watered abundantly. They are kept open, since excess moisture is detrimental to them, so in order to avoid rotting, they are watered carefully (it is better when the top layer of the substrate is slightly dry), and in sunny weather they must be shaded. The leaves are periodically sprayed with a spray bottle so that the water settles on the plates. Particular attention is paid to watering and spraying during rooting in the autumn-winter period, avoiding excess moisture. If during the rooting process the leaves of the cuttings turn yellow and dry out, they are gradually removed. It takes at least 3-4 weeks for the cuttings to root.

Pelargonium grows very quickly. To prevent the bushes from stretching, you should avoid shading them with each other - arrange the pots in a timely manner. In the summer (after spring cuttings), the mother plants are transplanted into open ground - in a bright place with well-prepared soil.

in autumn, cutting the cuttings again, plants are dug up until frost and brought into the room. It should be borne in mind that pelargonium undergoes transplantation painfully (the leaves turn yellow and fall off), so it is given time to recover.

Diseases and pests

If pelargoniums constantly “migrate” from the apartment to the street (and back), you need to monitor the appearance of diseases and especially pests. The greenhouse whitefly is considered the most harmful tobacco thrips, spider mite , greenhouse and pelargonium aphids. To combat these sucking insects, it is advisable to use repeated spraying of infested flower crops with solutions of plant insecticides (solutions of garlic, onions, tomato and potato tops, etc.) or chemicals - karbofos (0.3%) or actellik (0.1%) .

From fungal diseases the most dangerous are rust and spotting, of which viral- curling and ring mosaic of leaves. Fungal diseases are combated using Bordeaux mixture and other copper-containing preparations. Topaz (0.05%) is also effective against rust. Viruses are transmitted by harmful insects that feed on plant sap. It is impossible to cure plants from these diseases, so pelargonium infected with viruses is destroyed; New cuttings should only be taken from healthy queen cells.

Pelargonium as decoration

Pelargonium can be planted indoors in containers of various sizes. Portable containers are used and are easy to move from room to room. Large, wide concrete vases make wonderful decorations on staircase landings. Paired hanging containers with a lush cascade of blooming shield pelargonium decorate any entrance to the veranda or porch of a personal home, at the entrance gate of the site.

Pelargoniums have long decorated balconies and loggias., where they are arranged in 1-2 rows. Low-growing forms of zonal pelargonium and ampelous forms of thyroid pelargonium are suitable for this. If the balcony is large, the plants are planted in large boxes, with tall, upright varieties in the background and hanging varieties in the foreground. Plants are planted in groups, creating flower “carpets” or “pillows”. Containers with lush hanging plants are also hung outside the windows. As a result, even a single street window of an apartment comes alive with bright pelargonium inflorescences.

When placing pelargoniums in open ground, the gardener can plant them simply in the soil or in concrete rings, or in ceramic pots. You just need to take into account: zonal pelargonium does not like excessive light, and thyroid pelargonium does not want to be exposed to the cold street wind.

Small containers with hanging plants hanging on a lamppost or decorative pole look interesting. Pots of pelargonium look great on a green lawn, asphalt or tiled areas. Lawns along the paths are planted with low-growing varieties, followed by medium- and tall-growing ones. Flowerbeds are decorated with varieties taking into account creative imagination and personal taste. In open ground, zonal and shield pelargoniums are capable of producing a continuous abundance of flowers of various colors.

In order for outdoor plants to constantly please the gardener, they are regularly looked after all summer: they are watered in a timely manner, the soil is loosened, weeds are pulled out, they are fed with fertilizers, and dried leaves and inflorescences are removed that spoil the appearance of the compositions.

A. Lazarev, senior researcher at the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Protection

One of the most popular plants that are grown in country gardens, on balconies and apartments is pelargonium, or, as it is often called in everyday life, geranium.

Pelargonium ivy is native to South Africa. A semi-shrub perennial plant with creeping stems and fleshy leaves. This pelargonium has creeping stems up to 90 centimeters long with clusters of flowers of various colors and leaves similar to ivy leaves. Often grown as an ampel plant in hanging pots. Pelargonium grows quickly and blooms from spring to autumn.

Many varieties of thyroid pelargonium have been bred with all kinds of colors of delicate flowers - white, salmon, pink, red, crimson, lilac, as well as bicolor and with contrasting veins on the petals. Flowers are simple or double; usually they are 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter, in some large-flowered varieties up to 4 cm.

The ideal place for ivy-leaved pelargonium is in hanging baskets or window boxes where you can admire the long cascade of flowering shoots.

Lighting.
Loves bright light, even direct sunlight. Prefers south or west exposure. With a lack of light, the plant has few leaves and poor flowering. If the temperature is between 15 and 27°C, the plant can be kept in full sun. If the temperature exceeds 30°C, pelargonium is placed in partial shade.

Temperature.
Prefers a temperature of 20-25 degrees in summer and 13-15 degrees in winter, but not less than 12 degrees. Plants can withstand extreme cold, but cannot tolerate even the slightest frost. Therefore, pelargonium must be protected from frost - both spring and autumn.
In summer, temperature changes are necessary: ​​during the day - 18-24°C, at night - 13-16°C. It is thanks to temperature fluctuations during the day that flower buds are formed. In summer, the container with the plant can be taken out into the open air. Pelargonium is returned indoors before night temperatures drop below 10 °C, so as not to cause sudden yellowing of the leaves.

Watering and air humidity.
When growing pelargonium, certain requirements must be observed. Water abundantly in summer, but without excess moisture; the soil should have time to dry out slightly between waterings. In winter, the amount of watering is reduced, while at the same time preventing complete drying out. Excessive watering at low temperatures can cause stem rotting and death of the plant itself. One of the main problems for ivy-leaved pelargoniums is swelling, a physiological disorder caused by unstable levels of watering. The disease manifests itself with both excessive and insufficient watering of pelargoniums, which cause disturbances in cell development. As a result, on back side leaves appear scarred or corky spots of varying sizes.

Air humidity is not particularly important.

Fertilizers.
Sufficient and balanced nutrition of pelargoniums promotes good growth, as well as non-stop lush flowering. Excess nitrogen fertilizers contribute to the development of a large green mass, fewer flower stalks are formed on the shoots (or not at all) - the plants “fatten”. Pelargonium is fed during the growing season with fertilizers for flowering indoor plants, once every 10-14 days.

Rest period.
During winter, it is recommended to keep the plant in a cool, bright place with a temperature of 13-15°C. During winter holiday The flower should only be watered occasionally. But, even if hanging pelargoniums are kept cold in winter, most of the leaves still fall off, and by spring the plant looks unsightly and needs severe pruning. Excessive watering of wintering pelargoniums leads to rotting of the roots and the appearance of diseases. And the surviving plants grow - they form very thin fragile shoots with small pale leaves.

Transfer.
Young plants are replanted annually. This is done in the spring before growth begins. You need to take a container for the flower small size, otherwise the plant will only develop green mass, but will not bloom. For adult specimens, the soil is often replaced with a new one - without replacing the container.

The soil.
The soil should be loose, fertile, with a neutral pH. A mixture of turf, leaf, humus soil and sand (2:2:2:1) is suitable. Good drainage is necessary.

Formation.
Ivy-leaved pelargonium also needs to be rejuvenated! With the onset of autumn, you need to prune ivy-leaved pelargoniums, leaving 1-2 lower leaves, in the axils of which new shoots can be seen. If this is not done, then very soon the pelargoia trunk will be exposed, the shoots will become elongated and the plant will take on an unattractive appearance. With the onset of spring, pelargoniums should be trimmed only if they have become very elongated. With such drastic pruning, ivy-leaved pelargonium will delight you with its flowering only in summer.

Pruning bare shoots of pelargonium in the spring and pinching the tips of the shoots promotes tillering due to the formation of lateral shoots from dormant buds. Yellowed and drying leaves are cut off, leaving the bottom of the petiole. The abundance of flowering is promoted by the removal of faded inflorescences. You can maintain the neat appearance of pelargonium, as well as restrain its growth, by regularly pruning the stems. To have the most spectacular plants that grow in all directions, you should plant two or even three rooted cuttings in a pot.

In ivy-leaved pelargoniums older than 2 years, the stems become woody and begin to spoil the entire appearance. That is why it is necessary to renew ivy-leaved pelargonium every 2-3 years in spring or autumn, growing them again from cuttings. The only option for the longevity of ivy-leaved pelargonium is to grow it in the form of a standard tree.

Pelargonium is propagated by apical cuttings that remain from annual autumn and spring pruning. Pelargonium can also be grown from seeds.

Features of care:
The abundance of nitrogen in the soil contributes to the formation of many large leaves and is the cause of weak flowering.

The biggest dangers for pelargoniums are gray rot, black leg and leaf rust.
Pelargonium has a lot of advantages:
able to bloom continuously from May to October;
pelargonium bushes do not lose their decorative effect throughout the season;
this is one of the most unpretentious plants; practically not affected by diseases and pests;
it is an ideal plant for balcony boxes and hanging baskets as it easily tolerates lack of moisture;
If you move pelargonium indoors before the first serious autumn frosts, it will continue to bloom on the windowsill for at least another month.