Garden geranium is truly a real highlight of any garden! These gorgeous perennial and cold-resistant flowers are completely unpretentious in care and can reproduce on their own...
A bright carpet of saturated colors begins to cover the street flower beds of cities and summer cottages by mid-summer. Small flowers of fancy colors bloom quickly and do not fade for a long time. Thanks to its hardiness, beauty and ease of care, garden geranium has gained well-deserved popularity among gardeners and landscape designers around the world.
History of a flower
The beautiful geranium, which has become a common houseplant for Europe and Russia, has an unusual origin. At the beginning of the 16th century, ships leaving the seaports of the Old World began to land on the shores of South Africa. Among the navigators were botanists and scientists interested in the flora and fauna of the regions being discovered. These people, having arrived in unfamiliar lands, saw the incredible diversity of the flora of the southern African continent. This diversity was formed under the influence of different types of climate - from temperate to subtropical. Noticeable small flowers literally covered the lands of the Cape of Good Hope with a carpet.
One of the first geraniums was sent to Europe to decorate the gardens of aristocrats. Geranium was brought to Russia in the 18th century, where it spread freely even in the wild. Geranium, which became domestic and did not require special care, was called pelargonium.
Monetary loosestrife
Perhaps loosestrife is not the most obvious choice for an artificial pond on the site, because essentially it cannot be classified as an aquatic plant. However, this groundcover perennial loves moist areas, so it is perfect for planting along the coast.
Long creeping shoots with round coins of rich green leaves create a pleasant contrast against the background of dark, wet stones. And during flowering, the green mat is covered with bright yellow flowers.
Monetary loosestrife is completely unpretentious: you can plant it and virtually forget about its existence! It is frost-resistant and does well near water.
By the way, this plant is edible. Herbal tea was made from it. A natural yellow dye was also obtained from the leaves.
origin of name
Observant Europeans noted the similarity of the fruits of the exotic plant with the beak of a crane, and gave it the name Geranion or Geranios, which means “crane.” The name crane bird has taken root among the people of Russia, and in Germany the plant is called “stork nose”, in England – crane beak. And the fruits of pelargonium were associated with the beak of a heron, which is where the interesting name for domestic geranium came from - heron.
Trimming
For this process, you must use a knife with a sharp and long blade. They need to cut off the wilted and yellowed leaves so that the petiole remains on the geranium. You need to start pruning geraniums, leaving shoots with several nodes in the fall. All cut areas must be lubricated with pre-ground activated carbon.
But when pruning geraniums, you need to take into account the fact that after such a painful operation for the plant, it will not bloom soon. So you need to be patient and continue caring for your favorite plant.
Garden perennial geranium: plant description
The homeland of perennial garden geranium is Great Britain, where breeders bred this species specifically for planting in open ground. Their goal was to create a plant that could easily be used in landscape design - bright, easy to care for, and resistant to external influences. More than 400 species of plants are known, scattered throughout the world.
Garden geranium bushes grow densely and compactly, the leaves become lacy. The flowers of the garden beauty are 2.5-4.5 cm in diameter and grow into five large, wide-open petals. The leaves of most species are soft-haired. Flowers bloom at the end of July and bloom for up to 40 days. The plant reproduces by seeds or division of rhizomes.
Some types of garden geraniums, in a short period of time, cover with their beauty a significant area of the estate, garden or park. Its strong and tenacious rhizomes contribute to the landscaping of sloping areas.
Features of reproduction
To propagate geraniums use:
- rhizome;
- seeds;
- cuttings.
Rhizome
The dug up rhizomes of an adult plant are divided into parts and immediately planted in the ground, or they can be stored until spring in a container with sand in a cool place.
Seeds
Garden geraniums are rarely propagated by seeds. This is considered to be a method for experienced gardeners. But the main reason is that seedlings grown from seeds bloom only the next year.
Types of geranium varieties
In total, more than 400 varieties have been bred by breeders around the world. They differ in the diameter and color of flowers, bush height, winter hardiness and many other parameters. Perennial varieties are widespread in Russia, where plants are classified according to the size of an adult bush.
Tall varieties of geranium
- Swamp geranium forms a tall compact bush up to 70 cm with branched stems that blooms in summer. The variety is decorated with large purple flowers and propagates by self-sowing.
- Georgian is one of the most unpretentious and life-loving varieties, resistant to diseases. The flowers are large, purple with veins.
- Magnificent - a hybrid drought-resistant species that grows very quickly. A peculiarity of the species is the change in color of the petals from light purple to brown.
- Red-brown, shade-loving, decorated with unusual bluish leaves and noble purple flowers that decorate the bush for 45 days.
Low-growing varieties of geraniums
- Pyrenean geranium is a green, dense bush thirty centimeters in diameter, which grows very quickly and aggressively coexists with other plantings. Small pink-purple flowers crown this variety of geranium.
- Meadow geranium blooms in June-July. Its petals are purple in color interspersed with blue, red or light blue.
- Endris geranium grows up to 50 cm in height and has large pink flowers. This variety also includes “Betty Catchpole” and “Beholder`s Eye”, which have a pink flower with narrow petals.
- The Balkan variety has a very strong scent and blooms in June. A peculiarity of this species is its growth into thickets up to 30 cm high. Beautiful purple-red flowers crown the bushes.
- Large-flowered (Himalayan) geranium, native to alpine meadows, grows as a small bush with round leaves and very large purple flowers with red veins.
- Dalmatian geranium, 10 cm high, densely covers the soil with bright pink flowers of small size 3.5 cm, blooms from June to September. Loves the sun and does not require frequent watering.
- Ash pelargonium, a variety of which is the variety Ballerina (Ballerina). It grows all summer, mainly in the shade, and is 30 cm in height. The flowers are pure white.
Highlander
This plant has changed its name many times throughout its existence and is now classified as Polygonum. Also sometimes called Persicaria. The most common species is the snake knotweed. It can be found in wet places in the Moscow region. It is a perennial plant whose growth can reach 1 m. It has pink cylindrical inflorescences. Snake knotweed begins to bloom in June. Grows well in both sun and shade on moist soils.
Another equally popular species among flower growers is the related knotweed. This is a bud cover plant that has beautiful dark pink inflorescences. It blooms for 3 months starting in June.
Planting pelargonium
Pelargonium is usually grown by flower lovers at home in pots. Perennial varieties of geranium are suitable for growing in open ground. When the right conditions are created, the bush can bloom all summer.
The soil for planting should be neutral or slightly acidic and contain peat or river sand. This composition will have a beneficial effect on flowering. While digging up the ground, you can add moss or humus to it. Green cuttings are planted in prepared soil and placed in a place with good lighting. The soil should also be well-drained, since the roots of the plant do not like excess moisture. Plants should be planted at a distance of 25-30cm. from each other to give them the opportunity to grow in breadth without shading their neighbor. A large distance between the bushes will also allow the flower to survive for a long time without transplanting, which this plant does not particularly like.
Geraniums are planted in holes, the size of which should be twice the size of the pot from which the plant is removed . Geranium stems should not be covered with soil, otherwise the flower may rot.
Plant propagation
Garden geraniums are propagated in two ways: using seeds and vegetatively, separating part of the bush from the plant. Dividing the bush is simpler. This method will take just a few minutes: you need to use a hoe to separate the flower with its roots and transfer it to previously prepared soil. Vegetative propagation does not require additional care and avoids crossing varieties. The best time for planting is spring, when night frosts stop.
Propagation by seeds is a very labor-intensive process and does not always preserve the required varieties of geranium. It is worth noting that not all varieties of geranium contain seeds, and some, on the contrary, reproduce by self-sowing. When collecting the “harvest,” you may encounter difficulties; the seed pods easily burst and the seeds scatter in the wind. When propagating by seeds, only fresh seeds should be used.
The soil
The soil for geraniums should be rich and nutritious, but not light. It is advisable to add a little clay base and sand to the soil.
To mix the components yourself, you need to take part of the humus (leaf or turf), the same amount of peat, sand and the same amount of clay soil from the river bank.
Such soil retains moisture quite well, and therefore the soil does not lend itself to acidification. In addition, it is recommended to regularly loosen the soil under the geranium for better health of the flower.
Caring for garden geraniums
The plant is extremely unpretentious in care and does not require honed skills and extensive experience from the gardener. The main condition is that the soil is suitable and rich in nutrients.
Geranium is dry-resistant, but the gardener must be very careful about the condition of the soil, checking it for moisture. If the soil is dry or slightly damp, it will desperately need additional watering. If, however, some stems have dried out and turned brown, you need to remove them. Frequent inspection of the flower allows you to see the wilted parts in time and remove them. A fungus often appears on dead parts of the plant, quickly attacking healthy stems.
Attention! It is not recommended to process the plant in extreme heat due to the large amount of essential oil contained in the leaves, which can cause itching and rashes on the skin.
Geranium loves the sun, but it is better not to plant it in open ground. A semi-sunny or shaded side will be optimal. When carrying out care, the gardener should add fertilizer, which has a positive effect on the flowering of geraniums. In the spring, most varieties are fed first with nitrogenous fertilizers, and then with complex fertilizers.
Care is very simple. The bushes do not need replanting or rejuvenation for more than 10 years. There will also be no problems with weeding - as the plant grows to the sides, it covers the soil so that there is no room or sun left for weeds. Loosening will only be required at the planting stage.
Most varieties of geranium are winter-green, that is, they overwinter without pruning. If desired, after flowering has ended, you can cut off the leaves.
How to care for flowers in open ground?
Growth and development depend on how correctly the growing conditions are created. Caring for garden geraniums involves performing a number of activities. They include watering, fertilizing, pruning, etc. Let's look at each of these elements.
Watering and optimal temperature conditions for geraniums
Watering is necessary moderate and systematic. The soil should not be allowed to dry out. But excessive moisture will not be beneficial; it will lead to rotting of the root zone. If the foliage begins to turn yellow and become covered with brown spots, this is a clear sign of overwatering. It is useful to spray the flower. In summer they irrigate more abundantly.
Indoor varieties are more heat-loving than garden varieties. It is better to choose sunny places for them. Garden varieties feel better in partial shade. Although some varieties are planted in the sun. The optimal temperature is no higher than +20 degrees in the warm season. In winter, you need to provide warmth of +15 degrees.
Feeding and regular pruning of the plant
In order for the crop to bloom long and abundantly, it needs to be fed twice a month. To do this, use special fertilizers for indoor plants. Universal type mixtures are also suitable. They are applied once every 2-4 weeks.
Geraniums are pruned regularly, but this only applies to adult plants. It is made to give a neat and attractive appearance. After pruning, 10 new shoots are formed. Thus, the bush looks more magnificent. In autumn, at the first frost, the stems of street geraniums are cut down to 5 centimeters. You can read more about pruning geraniums here.
Areas of application of geranium
Garden geranium is most widely and successfully used in landscape design. Long and lush flowering makes the cranebird popular both among specialists and among those who like to decorate plots. Geraniums decorate alpine hills, lawns, flower beds, and are planted along paths. Often, bushes are placed in temporarily empty areas of the garden to fill unfinished areas with bright spots. In herbaceous mixborders, flowers allow for a smooth transition from one plant to another.
Due to its chemical composition, geranium has medicinal properties and is widely used in folk medicine and households. Pelargonium has a powerful antimicrobial effect, which makes it possible to use it in the treatment of wounds and cuts. The flowers of the plant are soaked in boiling water and alcohol tinctures are made. Followers of traditional medicine instill juice from the stems for a runny nose and sinusitis, as well as for ear diseases. The plant’s ability to fight depression and lift one’s spirits is well known. Geranium is credited with diuretic, hemostatic, decongestant and bactericidal effects. Used in the form of tea, pelargonium relieves insomnia.
This magnificent and chic flower will be a wonderful decoration for any garden or estate!
Diseases and pests
With proper care, garden pelargonium acquires natural resistance to infectious diseases and pests. However, it can be affected by:
- Rot is a bacterial infection that is a consequence of violations of agricultural practices. Signs: the appearance of vague dark spots on leaf blades and shoots. Remedy: cut off all damaged elements of the bush and treat with complex fungicides.
- Tomato wilt, which is characterized by the appearance of spots that look like rings. In case of minor infection, the diseased elements are removed and burned, and the bush is sprayed with chemicals. In case of severe damage, the bush is removed from the flowerbed and burned, and the soil is watered with fungicides.
Of the possible pests, aphids, whiteflies and caterpillars most often settle on geraniums. The first two troubles are removed by spraying with an insecticide. To combat the caterpillar, it is advisable to use a mechanical method - to collect it manually.
