Miracle on your windowsill - pink geranium

For the first time, a subgroup of varietal geraniums became known at the end of the 19th century, while flower growers managed to get a plant with amazing buds that looked very much like small roses. The plant has attracted many, and since then breeders have been diligently working on the development of new varieties of geranium. Some species of this subgroup delight with their lush flowering throughout the summer, while others are able to bloom until autumn.

Pink geranium is included in the group of zonal pelargonium. To date, many varieties have been developed that unite the terry type of flower. Due to the large number of petals, this species resembles rosebuds.

Botanical Description and History

The first mention of the subgroup was published in an article in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1876. Although you can find information that in 1652, interested botanists who were interested in botanical trips discovered geraniums off the southwestern coast, they were later taken to Europe. Initially, they were grown in the greenhouses of Holland, and then in England.

It is believed that a flower has healing power. It is used as an anthelmintic and a remedy for dysentery and diarrhea.

The genus geranium has a rather ancient pedigree and it is impossible to determine the exact homeland of a plant; the fact is known that most of the flower varieties are usually attributed to Africa.

Appearance

In appearance, the flowers are pinkish (or, as gardeners call it, pink) geraniums are identical to small roses. They have a delicate pink and reddish color.

The leaves are small, bright green in color.

Popular varieties of pink pelargonium

Popular varieties of this group include Bornholmpelargon. Its inflorescences look like miniature bouquets of roses. Bornholm has a red color and smooth texture of the petals. It dissolves the buds rather slowly, but in the future, this is offset by prolonged flowering. The main difference from other red flowers of this species is the leaves, they are covered with a pattern that visually represents a thin mesh. There is very little information about this type of geranium.

A well-known variety of geraniums - RosebudRed (RosebudRed), it attracts attention with large terry "rosettes" of scarlet color, with a relatively compact size of the plant itself, a very harmonious structure of the bush, practically does not require formation.

Very beautiful geranium "Rosita" (PAC Viva Rosita). This is a fairly new variety that appeared in 2011 and is distinguished by large and bright flowers resembling red roses.

Another popular species is royal geranium.. Initially, it was brought to Europe at the end of the eighteenth century from South Africa. Geranium has taken root not only in our gardens, but also in a pot on the window. It is a small bush with rich dark green stems down.

At home, the plant usually reaches a height of 60-80 cm. Among this species, mainly geraniums with double flowers, with an incredibly saturated color, are found, their buds reach sizes of about 20-25 cm. The color of the double flowers varies from light pink to saturated peach.

Photo

Below you can find photos of rosaceous geraniums of red, pink and other shades.
RosebudRed

Rosita (PAC Viva Rosita)

Bornholmpelargon

King geranium

Landing tips

Geranium blooming with roses, refers to perennials, but in the middle lane it is subjected to freezing.

Lighting and location

The main thing is that the plant should not be in a place where the air temperature is below 10 degrees. This type of geranium is preferable to plant in shaded areas or choose partial shade. Preferably, for the growth and development of the plant, an air temperature of 15 degrees.

Soil requirements

In order for the plant to please the flowering throughout the summer season, it is necessary to provide acceptable conditions for this. The soil is selected with a neutral slightly oxidized reaction.. It is preferable to choose shop soil with ph 5.5-6.5. The soil should be light, slightly loosened, and the presence of peat and sand in it will positively affect the plant. In the autumn, do not forget to dig up the soil and add mineral fertilizers and humus.

Home Care

Unfortunately, geranium is susceptible to a number of diseases and pests, the most popular of which are the following:

1. Flower mold. Due to the fact that geranium has a magnificent cap of flowers, this jeopardizes the occurrence of gray mold on it. To prevent the death of the flower, it is necessary to immediately remove the flowers covered with mold until it reaches the stem of the plant.
2. Edema. Excessive watering or high humidity leads to the fact that the leaves of the plant begin to look swollen and deformed with a predominance of growths on the underside of the leaf.
3. Leaf spotting. The most common problem of spotting a geranium leaf is fungus and bacterial infections, which can lead to blackening of the stem. Often occurs due to waterlogging of the soil. Moderate watering and good air circulation will help to solve or prevent the problem.
4. Slugs and snails. Snails create damage to the plant by feeding leaves and stems. Gravel scattered around the planted flowers can save your plant.
5. Rust. A specific disease, often unique to geraniums, often endangering the plant. With profuse lesions, it fundamentally undermines the plant's health and violates the attractiveness of flowering. It is a brown-yellow formation, mainly located on the back of the leaves. To treat a plant, first of all, it is necessary to remove already damaged parts of geranium and treat the plant with a solution of fungicide.
6. Caterpillars. In the summer months, when the caterpillar is especially active, pollinate the plant with a systemic insecticide solution. This will save the original appearance and prevent the unpleasant appearance of gnawed leaves.
7. Viruses. The virus that infects geraniums is a curly leaf, it is transferred to plants with infected soil. There is only one solution to the problem; all plants exposed to the virus must be destroyed.
8. Blackleg. This disease is localized mainly in the field of cuttings and on young plants. The blackening of the stem originates from ground level, the leaves begin to dry and wither. The result leads to the death of the plant. In order to avoid such an outcome, it is necessary to monitor the soil and take cuttings exclusively from healthy parents.

Despite this, the flower can be called unpretentious. A plant of this type has a fairly stable immunity, but it is still better to prevent a disease that can adversely affect geraniums.

The mixture for feeding geraniums should consist of a ratio of 4: 2: 2: 1: 1 (turf land, peat, humus, coarse sand and perlite).

There is information that when watering, moisture must be avoided on the stems of the flower, because of this they lose their attractive appearance and can rot. According to gardeners, this is a fallacy. Do not forget that the plant dies from dust, so in any case, do not avoid contact with moisture on the stems and petals. Everyone wants their plant to look full of life and delight with its beauty, so you should not blindly believe unjustified myths that can prettyly spoil the quality of your pet.

In winter, pink geraniums should be protected as much as possible from watering and fertilizers, keep it in a sleeping form at a temperature of +10 to +15 degrees. It has an unattractive appearance at this time of year, absolutely no flowering, the stem is bare, and the leaves are yellow.

Propagation Features

All geranium without exception is propagated in two ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

The best option is cuttings. The optimal time period for rooting is the beginning of spring or the end of summer. Partially lignified stalk, which contains from 3 to 5 internodes, is cut from the main plant.

The soil for cuttings should include impurities to peat soil with a coconut substrate and a neutral reaction ph. Before planting, the cuttings should dry well, usually 1-2 hours is enough. Cuttings are planted in the ground, delving into the ground at one internode.

In the first week after planting, you need to water the plant as carefully as possible. Any watering slightly more than normal can lead to instant rotting, and insufficient watering creates a risk of overdrying the plant.

As a rule, during the first two weeks the stalk begins to acquire roots.

This is a delightful plant that blooms with roses, will revive and perfectly fit into any landscape design of your garden, and will also delight owners with a long contrast against others. Not all cultures have such a long duration of flowering, and this is a huge plus, pushing for the undoubted acquisition of this variety of plants. Perfectly fits into the apartment, decorates the veranda, terrace and balcony.

Watch the video: The Many Fragrances of Scented Geraniums (October 2024).