Geranium - home care

The main advantage of pelargonium is its ability to bloom almost all year round. There are more than 250 varieties of this plant - there is plenty to choose from. For decorating rooms, the most suitable type is the crossed one, which produces bright large flowers; it is called domestic pelargonium.

The room will be successfully decorated with such types of pelargonium as curly, fragrant, capitate, ivy. Each of them has its own unique shape of flowers and leaves, different in color and texture. Colors range from classic red, familiar soft pink, to bright purple, deep violet, formal white or even mixed variegated shades.

The ease of caring for geraniums at home does not mean that you don’t have to take care of the plant at all. There are a number of easy requirements that pelargonium places on its environment and living conditions. Following them will allow you to admire a healthy, lushly flowering plant throughout almost the entire year.

In order for the shape of the crown to be even and beautiful, you should not allow it to grow too much. Shoots should not be allowed to grow more than 10 leaves. To do this, they are pinched at a certain level so that the bush retains its correct shape. Shoots that grow out of place, for example, from the axils of the upper leaves of a bush, are also removed.

We moisturize wisely

The frequency and amount of watering depend on the external environment. In summer, when the house is quite hot and humid, you should water the plant generously and regularly. Be sure to let the soil dry out between waterings to prevent the formation of excess moisture. It can cause rotting of the root system and the appearance of harmful insects.

In winter, the air is drier due to artificial heating of the room, so you need to moisten the soil more thoroughly. It is important not to overdo it here: the soil should remain slightly moist through regular moderate watering, and not rare heavy watering.

Proper lighting

Geranium is a light-loving flower, so care should be based on good and proper lighting at home. A lot of light will ensure regular flowering of pelargonium, but you should not expose the pot to direct sunlight for the whole day.

It is advisable to choose a window sill on the east or north side so that the light is dosed throughout the day. In winter, it would not hurt to use a fluorescent lamp to make up for the lack of solar energy due to short daylight hours.