Pelargonium or geranium is a beautifully flowering home plant that requires frequent transplantation. In the cold season, it is grown in the home, and in the warm - it is moved to the open ground. So that plants can fully develop and quickly take root in a new place, you need to follow the rules of agricultural technology and provide them with full care after transplantation.

When can I transfer geraniums?

Transplantation can be planned and unscheduled. In the first case, it is held in May and September. According to the lunar calendar, a transplant is necessary when the growing moon passes into the sign of Dev.

An unplanned transplant is carried out not depending on the lunar phase and time of the year, but if necessary:

• soil depletion - causes dropping buds, weak formation of ovaries;
• when the roots braided the whole earthen lump;
• when root rot appears as a result of waterlogging;
• 4 weeks after buying a new plant.

Important! Geranium transplantation is not carried out during flowering and in winter. If the plant was purchased in winter, it is transplanted not in a month, but in the spring, when it leaves the dormant stage.

Necessary conditions for transplantation and further cultivation

An outdoor transplant will be successful at an average daily temperature of +18 ... + 25 ° C, when the earth is warmed up to +10 ... + 12 ° C. At home, transplantation is carried out at room temperature. If the plant grower does not plan to move the geranium to the open ground in spring, you can not transplant the plants, but add nutritious soil to the pot.

Geraniums need a lot of light, so it is better to place it in the house on the southeast window sills, in open ground - on the eastern side of the site, next to trees and shrubs. Plants do not tolerate drafts, but are demanding on ventilation. Geraniums need moderate humidity in the range of 50-60%.

How to start a transplant

Having bought a new plant, it must be transplanted. Do it a month later to give the opportunity to adapt to the new climate. You need to start the transplant with the selection of the capacity of the correct volume and the preparation of nutrient soil.

All the time before the transplant, the new geranium is kept separately from other representatives of the flora in the house, in order to reduce the risk of the spread of fungus and pests.

Capacity selection

When choosing a tank, you need to pay attention to:

• material;
• the size.

It is best to plant geranium in ceramic pots. This material is completely safe for plants, maintains an optimal microclimate for the root system at any time of the year. The size of the pot is selected taking into account the dimensions of the rhizome. It should not be too wide and deep.

In wide containers, plants will not bloom, since all forces are directed to the development of rhizomes. In deep containers, the lower layers of the soil dry for a long time after watering, which is fraught with the appearance of root rot. The optimal diameter and depth of the pot should exceed the diameter and length of the root in combination with an earthen lump by 3-5 cm.

Important! A plastic container does not fit geraniums, since the material does not retain heat well and allows cold to pass through. Another disadvantage of plastic is the retention of moisture, which leads to decay of the root system.

Soil requirements

There are no special soil requirements for growing pelargonium. The earth should be sufficiently loose and well drained.

Optimal options:

• a mixture of universal substrate with perlite, vermiculite, sand in a ratio of 1: 0.5: 0.5: 0.5;
• garden land from under bushes or trees;
• sod-leaf soil in combination with sand and humus in a ratio of 1: 1: 0.5.

A prerequisite is the disinfection of the soil. This can be done by frying it in the oven or spilling it with a hot ash solution (200 g / 5 l of water). The second option allows not only to disinfect the soil, but also to enrich it with nitrogen, which is necessary for plants at the stage of adaptation.

How to transplant geranium

To reduce the risk of trauma to the root system, 2 hours before transplantation, moisten the earthen lump. After moistening, the soil should not stick to the hands. All manipulations must be carried out with gloves. If it is necessary to remove leaves or damaged roots, use a sharp knife or scissors disinfected with alcohol.

Landing in open ground requires prior preparation. During the autumn preparation of the site, you need to dig the earth, add 10 kg of humus and 20-30 g of superphosphate per m², then dig again. In spring, you need to disinfect the soil with a solution of copper sulfate, after 3 days dig the soil and make fertilizers in a similar way.

In another pot

Step-by-step instructions for transplanting pelargonium into another pot:

1. Prepare the plants and the soil.
2. Disinfect the pot with 1% solution of copper sulphate and dry.
3. Fill the container 1/4 with expanded clay or crushed foam.
4. Lay a layer of soil.
5. Carefully transfer the plant to a new pot.
6. Align on the basal neck.
7. Sprinkle with soil and pour with warm, settled water.
8. Remove the plants in partial shade for a week.

If root rot was found during transplantation, you need to eliminate the earthen lump and remove the damage. Then the roots should be washed under running water and immersed for an hour in a solution of manganese. Having dried the roots, the plants dive into a new pot. After 3 days, the phytoerm treatment is carried out according to the instructions.

In open ground

The sequence of operations when transplanting into open ground:

• 2 weeks before planting, begin hardening of plants, taking them out into the open air for 1-2 hours a day, gradually increasing the time interval to 24 hours;
• acidify the soil on the plot with ferrous sulfate at the rate of 10 g per 10 liters of water, dig it up;
• after 2 weeks, make a marking for the planting pits, so that between the plants there is a distance of 20-30 cm (the size of the pit should exceed the size of the roots together with the earthen lump by 5-7 cm);
• at the bottom of the pit lay a layer of sand mixed with expanded clay, then a layer of peat and a layer of nutrient soil;
• transship the plants into planting pits, fill the gaps with nutrient soil and water;
• for the first 5-7 days, create high-quality shading for the plants.

Video: Geranium transplantation in open ground

From the street to the pot

In autumn, in September-October, depending on the climate of the region, plants begin to be transplanted back into the pots and transferred to the house.

Do this as follows:

• prepare tanks and soil in advance;
• pour warm soil in a couple of hours before transplanting;
• place expanded clay on the bottom of the pot, then make a sand cushion;
• dig up plants, brush off the soil, check the root system for damage;
• carefully distribute the rhizome over the container, lay the pieces of foam in a circle;
• level the plant so that the stem is in the soil at the same level as in the open ground;
• cover the roots with soil and water;
• the first 2-3 days you can hold the pot in an open area in the shade;
• on the 4th – 5th day, transfer the containers to the house to a permanent place;
• trim by shortening the shoots to 20 cm.

Did you know? Geranium can be used as an insecticidal plant, planted next to cherry trees. Its smell repels aphids and cherry flies.

Aftercare after transplantation

The first 7 days after transplanting the plants can not be disturbed. As soon as geranium adapts to new conditions, it needs to create a comfortable microclimate and provide sufficient nutrition.

Watering and feeding

During the first 2 months after transplanting, the plants have enough nutrients in the ground. Watering is carried out every 2-3 days after the drying of the top layer of soil. The water temperature must be at least +20 ° C. Spraying pelargonium is contraindicated.

After transplanting from open ground, top dressing is not made during the winter. Watering is carried out once every 7 days. After transplanting into open ground or when changing the tank to a large one, top dressing begins to be applied after 2 months. Plants need potassium and phosphorus.

These elements provide abundant flowering. You need to make them once a month. Potassium monophosphate is suitable. 10 g of fertilizer is diluted in 10 l of water and fed flowers after the main watering, after 30 minutes, introducing 200-300 ml per flower.

Pruning

Formative pruning is done in early spring. In total, 5 growth points are left on the plant. When transplanting in the autumn, sanitary pruning is carried out - damaged shoots and leaves are removed.

Breeding methods

Geranium breeds in several ways:

• cuttings;
• seeds.

Cuttings are cut from the mother plant in the summer. The shoots with a length of at least 10 cm are selected and separated with a sharp scalpel. The slice should extend between 2 sheets. After separation, the lower 2 leaves from the stalk must be removed. The cutlery is left to dry for 2 hours. Then it is placed in a pre-prepared, moist earth mix for adult plants.

The processes are deepened by 2-3 cm, after which the soil around the stem is slightly compacted and watered with a syringe. To cuttings quickly rooted, the ambient temperature should not fall below +23 ... + 25 ° C, and humidity - below 60%. Rooting takes an average of 2-3 weeks.

Seeds are planted in February, so that by summer the plant has already bloomed. For germination use peat mixed with perlite in a ratio of 1: 0.5. Seeds are immediately sown in this soil. It is better to plant the seeds immediately in separate containers. Planting material is placed in the center of the tank and sprinkled with soil, then moistened with a spray gun and covered with polyethylene. The first sprouts appear after 10-14 days.

Possible transplant and growing problems

Transplanting is stressful for the plant, so for 2-3 weeks, growers may encounter the following difficulties:

• yellowing and drying of the edges of the leaves occurs as a result of moisture deficiency - daily watering from a syringe device will help to solve the problem;
• leaf loss in density and rotting is provoked by an excess of moisture - you need to adjust the irrigation regime, reducing its intensity, and remove the affected leaves;
• bare stem caused by a lack of light - organize additional illumination with phytolamps or change the location of the tank;
• withering flowers causes excessive lighting - organize quality shading.

Did you know? The leaves and flowers of some varieties of geraniums are placed in the soup, replacing them with parsley.

Subject to all the rules of transplantation and subsequent care, geranium develops well and blooms wildly at home and in the open ground.