How to grow geranium:

1. Soil: Geraniums are suitable for living in sandy soil. The potting soil can be leaf humus mixed with an appropriate amount of sand and rice husk ash, and a small amount of bone meal. The pot should be changed once a year, and new culture soil should be replaced to facilitate growth and flowering.

2. Water: Geraniums should not be watered too much, as it will cause root rot. Watering frequency should be controlled to once every three or two days. Each time watering should be large and thorough. Do not water too much in winter, water when the soil is dry and wet.

3. Light: Geraniums need plenty of sunlight during their growth period, so they must be placed in a sunny place in winter. Insufficient light will cause the stems and leaves to grow too long, the pedicels to be thin and soft, and the inflorescence to be underdeveloped. The flower buds under weak light often fail to bloom and wither prematurely.

4. Temperature: The most suitable temperature for geranium is 10-20 degrees Celsius, which is the most suitable in spring and autumn. It is too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Therefore, it must be kept away from sunlight in summer and placed in a cool place. In winter, the indoor temperature should not be lower than 0℃.

5. Fertilization: Geraniums do not like heavy fertilizers. Too much fertilizer will make them grow too vigorously and not conducive to flowering. In order to make the flowers bloom luxuriantly, water them with thin fertilizer water (decomposed bean cake water) once every 1 to 2 weeks. Watering with 800 times potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution every 7 to 10 days can promote normal flowering.

6. Pest and disease control: Geraniums are poorly ventilated and too humid, which are prone to leaf spot and flower wilt. Once discovered, attention should be paid to ventilation, and sick flowers and leaves should be removed immediately to prevent infection, and sprayed with equal amounts of Bordeaux liquid for prevention and control. The main pests are red spiders and whiteflies that harm leaves and branches, which can be killed by spraying 1000 times diluted 40% omethoate emulsion.

7. Pruning: To encourage geraniums with many branches to bloom more, the plants should be topped several times to promote the increase of branches and bud formation. After the flowers fade, the remaining flowers should be cut off in time, and the overly dense and weak branches should be cut off to avoid excessive consumption of nutrients. However, it is not suitable for heavy pruning in winter because it is cold.

Geranium likes warm, humid and sunny environment. It has poor cold resistance and is afraid of waterlogging and high temperature. The suitable temperature for growth is 13-19℃ from March to September, and the temperature in winter is 10-12℃. It is semi-dormant from June to July, and watering should be strictly controlled. Fertile, loose and well-drained sandy loam is preferred. The winter temperature is not lower than 10℃, and it can withstand low temperatures of 5℃ for a short time. So, what should we pay attention to during the breeding process?

Geranium cultivation precautions:

When growing geraniums, you should pay attention to pest control to prevent the plants from growing unhealthily due to pests. Also, avoid exposure to sunlight, especially in summer. Water should be applied appropriately, and do not pour too much water at one time, as this may drown the plants.

High temperatures, direct sunlight, and water accumulation in the pot after rain will affect the dormancy of geraniums, and may even cause root rot and death. Therefore, during the dormant period, they should be placed on a shady balcony, windowsill, or a place in the courtyard that is protected from light and rain. Geraniums have a long flowering period, strong adaptability to the environment, and a plant size that is suitable for home potted plants. They are easy to propagate and are very popular. They are one of the common potted flowers in homes and are also commonly used flowers in flower beds in warm winter regions. Geraniums have small flowers clustered together, and the large inflorescences are shaped like hydrangeas and have bright colors. So, how are geraniums classified?

Horseshoe Pelargonium: Plant height 30-140 cm. It is named for the obvious dark brown horseshoe pattern on the inner edge of the leaves. The petals are the same color, dark red to white, the upper two petals are very short, and the petals are narrow and wedge-shaped. This species has bred many varieties with colorful leaves.

Geranium: Also known as butterfly geranium, foreign butterfly. The whole plant is covered with soft hairs. There are no hoof marks on the leaves, and the teeth on the leaf margins are sharp and uneven. The flowers are large and the colors are white, light red, light purple, etc. It is named because there are two red or purple spots on its petals.

‌ Shield-leaf geranium: Also called vine geranium, ivy-leaf geranium. The stem is semi-climbing, and the plant is in a climbing or climbing shape. The leaves are shield-shaped and slightly shiny. The flowers are small, 4 to 8 in clusters, and the flowers are white, pink, red, purple and peach red. The flowering period is winter and spring.

Scented geranium: Also known as scented geranium and round-leaved geranium. The stem is thin and creeping, and new branches and leaves often grow in clusters at the top of the stem. The inflorescence is umbel, the flowers are small, white, and the upper two petals have red and purple spots. Touch the leaves with your hands. It will emit an attractive fragrance.

Pelargonium: Also known as Momoxiang. Semi-shrub. Leaves are palmate, 5-7 deeply lobed, and the lobes are pinnately lobed. Flowers are pink or light red, with purple-red spots in the center, and the upper two petals are larger. Flowering period is summer.

Geranium: Stems are hairy. Leaves are deeply palmately lobed, and the lobes are further divided into linear shapes. The whole plant is covered with white powder. Flowers are rose red with purple spots and stripes. Flowering period is summer.

Geraniums are native to southern Africa and are widely cultivated around the world. Young plants are fleshy herbs, while older plants are semi-woody. In the West, they are very good flowers for decorating windowsills, and are particularly common in continental Europe, such as Germany and Austria. So, what are the functions and propagation methods of geraniums?

      The role of geranium

　　Psychological effects

　　Geranium is a tonic for the nervous system, calming anxiety, depression, and boosting mood. It restores psychological balance, and because it also affects the adrenal cortex, it can relieve stress.

　　Physiological effects

　　Geranium essential oil has the function of stimulating the lymphatic system and diuresis, and the two functions can enhance each other and help the body to quickly and effectively eliminate excess body fluids. It can be used to treat cellulitis, fluid stagnation and ankle edema; it can help the liver and kidneys detoxify; it can treat jaundice, kidney stones and various urinary tract infections; it can also help many women relieve the symptoms of premenstrual fluid retention.

　　Beauty value

　　Geranium is suitable for all skin conditions because it can balance sebum production and plump the skin. It may be beneficial for eczema, burns, shingles, herpes, ringworm and chilblains. It is also good for loose, clogged and oily skin, making it a comprehensive cleansing oil. Because geranium can improve blood circulation, it can make pale skin more rosy and vibrant. Use it in a diffuser or as a face washcloth to stimulate the lymphatic system and strengthen the circulatory system.

　　How to propagate geraniums

　　Seed propagation

　　It can be done in spring or autumn, but it is better to sow indoors in spring. The optimum temperature for germination is 20-25℃. Geranium seeds are not big, so it is not advisable to cover them too deeply after sowing. Germination will take about 2-5 days. Sowing in autumn will bloom in the summer of the second year. Seedlings propagated by sowing can be selected to produce excellent intermediate varieties.

　　Cutting propagation

　　Except for June and July when the plant is in a semi-dormant state, cuttings can be used for cuttings. Spring and autumn are preferred. In the summer, the temperature is high and the cuttings are prone to blackening and rotting. Choose cuttings that are 10 cm long, with the top being the best, with vigorous growth and fast rooting. After cutting the cuttings, let the incision dry for several days, and then insert them into a sand bed or a mixed matrix of expanded perlite and peat after a film is formed. Be careful not to damage the stem bark of the cuttings, otherwise the wound will rot easily. After inserting, place it in a semi-shaded place and keep the room temperature at 13-18℃. It will take 14-21 days for roots to grow after cutting, and can be potted when the roots are 3-4 cm long. During the cutting process, soak the base of the cuttings for 2 seconds with 0.01% indolebutyric acid solution to increase the survival rate and rooting rate of the cuttings. Generally, cutting seedlings bloom after 6 months of cultivation, that is, cuttings in January and flowering in June; cuttings in October and flowering in February-March of the following year.

　　Greenhouse propagation

　　Geraniums are highly adaptable, have bright colors, and a long flowering period, making them suitable for indoor placement and flower bed arrangement. The greenhouse breeding technology is introduced below.

　　Tissue culture

　　Geranium can also be propagated by tissue culture. Using MS medium as the basic medium, add 0.001% indoleacetic acid and kinetin to promote the explants to produce callus and adventitious buds, and use 0.01% indoleacetic acid to promote rooting. Tissue culture provides a new way for breeding improved varieties of geranium and iterative breeding of new varieties.

　　The above is the information the editor has introduced to you about how to grow geraniums and precautions, how to reproduce, and their uses. I hope it can help you better understand geraniums.

00