Bright geranium, decorating the house with its lush flowering for a long time, is considered an unpretentious flower. But, despite the undemanding to the soil, temperature and watering, pruning geraniums for lush flowering is of great importance. Neglect of this component of care can lead to a reduction in the amount of inflorescence in a very short time, and subsequently to a complete loss of decorativeness.

Why pruning geraniums?

The species diversity of geraniums is represented by dwarf, ampelous or tall forms, for example, royal geranium, popular in indoor floriculture. Each species requires care with its own nuances. But at the same time, the basic rule of trimming applies to all forms and varieties without exception: the length and growth of the shoots must be constantly monitored, and pruning is carried out systematically.

The regularity of the procedure will ensure:

  • branching and ejection of new peduncles;
  • compactness of the plant shape;
  • splendor, duration and stability of flowering;
  • obtaining high-quality cuttings for breeding.

Important! A specific characteristic of geraniums is the inability of the plant to give lateral shoots without human intervention in the presence of sleeping buds in each internode. Pruning stimulates the awakening of the buds, forming a new shoot with a flower bud.

Conducting technique for magnificent blossoming

On how well pruning is performed, the splendor of flowering and the general condition of the flower depend.

For this:

  • The slice is performed over the leaf internode, which is directed to the outer side of the bush in order to prevent strong neglect and hinder the growth of new shoots.
  • Slicing sites are treated with an antiseptic agent in the form of activated charcoal or charcoal to prevent the possibility of infection of the plant with harmful organisms.
  • After the procedure, the plant is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which allows to accelerate the process of building green mass.

Advice! At home, as a disinfectant, you can use a natural antiseptic - cinnamon.

Necessary tools

To carry out high-quality trimming, you need a sharp, disinfected tool:

  1. The blade is the most suitable tool.
  2. A stationery or kitchen knife with a thin blade - similar tools are used in the absence of the first.

Advice! The use of scissors should be discarded: they squeeze the stem, violating the tissue structure at the site of the cut.

Types of flower pruning

There are three methods for pruning geraniums, depending on the purpose of the procedure:

  • The main - pruning is carried out to form a beautiful bush and obtain lush flowering.
  • Pinching - the procedure is performed as necessary.
  • Autumn or spring - pruning is sanitary.

Geraniums can stretch very much in winter: lack of lighting in winter can cause a strong stretching of the stem, which negatively affects flowering and general decorativeness. However, before the end of winter, one should wait for a shortened shoots. The earliest time when you can cut the shoot to ⅔ length is the last decade of February.

Advice! To prevent stretching of the central shoot during the dormant period, it is worthwhile to provide additional artificial lighting with a fluorescent lamp.

How to cut geraniums in autumn, spring?

After the end of the peduncle ejection phase with a gradual withering of existing inflorescences, the time for autumn pruning begins, the purpose of which is not only to form a bush, but also to improve the whole plant.

For this:

  1. Wilted inflorescences, dried or injured shoots that weaken the plant, preventing new branches from developing, are removed.
  2. Then ⅓ shoots that are extended, weakened and left without leaves are cut, which reduce the decorative qualities of the flower.

Cutting of geraniums in autumn can be carried out until December, after which the flower is left alone: ​​in the period with a short daylight hours, the crop is most vulnerable, and any external influence is stressful for it.

With the advent of spring, geranium is pruned not as dramatically as during the procedure in the autumn. Only weakened and strongly elongated shoots are shortened so that at least two buds remain on them.

Advice! It should not be too tight with the timing of spring pruning, since the beginning of the flowering phase depends on how early it will be carried out.

Pinching a plant

The formation of geraniums from the beginning of development by pinching demonstrates excellent results, the main one of which is to create a beautiful bush with minimal interference.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

  1. 2-3 weeks after transplanting a new plant, the apical bud is pinched.
  2. As the lateral shoots are pulled out - after the formation of the fourth leaf - another pinching is carried out.
  3. After the plant acquires the desired shape or bushiness, the pinch stops.

Attention! The procedure delays the onset of flowering due to the consumption of nutrients for the restoration and formation of new shoots.

How is crown formation carried out?

It is required to begin the formation of the crown almost immediately after planting a new plant. The main manipulations to obtain a beautiful bush with high decorative qualities are pruning carried out in autumn and spring, as well as pinching, which can only be done in spring.

To properly form a geranium bush, you should adhere to the following rules:

  • All actions with the flower are carried out exclusively by processed tools and well-washed hands.
  • First, shoots are cut off or pinched, the growth of which is directed inside the bush: this will avoid thickening.
  • In the case of a large interval between leaf pairs, a cut of the stem is performed immediately above the leaves with a maximum indent of 5 mm.
  • Then injured or diseased shoots are cut off with a capture of 5 cm of the healthy part.

How to cut geraniums to get a standard plant?

Before trimming geraniums and forming a miniature standard tree from a flower:

  • A stem is selected that will perform the function of the trunk.
  • A strong support is installed next to the future stem.
  • All unnecessary side shoots are removed from the bush.
  • The left stalk is tied to the support in several areas.

Then, until the abandoned shoot reaches the support level and does not exceed it a little, pruning of the future stem is not required. When the required height is reached, pinching is carried out, which stimulates the branching of the stem. Of the newly emerged shoots, a maximum of 7 pieces are left, which makes it possible to form a luxurious, even crown of a standard tree made of geranium.

As in the case of bush forms of culture, pinching of the skeletal branches of the crown is carried out after the appearance of every fourth leaf. Such actions after a short period of time make it possible to get an extraordinary decoration of an apartment or office interior. However, due to the intensity of pruning to which the standard plant is subjected, the first inflorescences will please the grower a year later - after the formation of a full crown. To bloom abundantly, it is worth stopping pruning and pinching 2-3 months before the onset of the phase: this will allow the plant to perform the function of laying flower buds.

Advice! Due to the fragility of the stems of geraniums, it is necessary to treat the issue of garter of the selected trunk with a reliable support very responsibly and with great care. The support should be selected so that it can easily withstand the weight of not only the stem, but also the growing green mass, which plays the role of a crown.

So, geranium, it is also called pelargonium, is a favorite of many flower growers due to its ability to delight the eyes with magnificent bloom almost all year round. At the same time, care for geraniums is not particularly difficult. If you follow the simple rules of trimming and pinching, you can get a luxurious bush with high decorativeness, which after such procedures will bloom even more abundantly.

 

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