Pruning Geranium

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

If you want to ensure lush and long-lasting flowering of geraniums, you need to know the intricacies of care. Let's talk about the timing and rules of pruning and how to form a standard geranium

How to prune geraniums

Geranium is popular and loved. It is grown at home and in open flower beds and is often referred to as pelargonium. The plant is resistant to diseases and is considered undemanding to soil, lighting and watering. There are about 40 types on sale, available to everyone. In most species, geranium flowers are collected in an umbrella, depending on the variety, they have a different structure, shade and size.

An important point in caring for geraniums is pruning. It depends on the type of plant: annual or perennial. On an annual geranium, a haircut is done to maintain its shape at any time, and perennial and indoor varieties are trimmed twice (spring, autumn). This technique is used not only to remove dead buds and wilted foliage, it promotes the activation of dormant buds, the laying of new inflorescences, which will be larger and flowering will be longer.

Any pruning is aimed at thinning the crown and stimulating the formation of side shoots. Removing old twigs promotes the redistribution of nutrients, enhances growth, improves nutrition, light perception and moisture distribution. As a result, the plant acquires an attractive, healthy appearance and regular shape.

During the cutting process, the stems are always removed, directed towards the middle of the plant and layering on top of each other. The outer branches remain intact. It is important to take into account the natural form, that is, a tall, erect species or prone to overgrowth in width.

Before cutting, you need to prepare a sharp knife (scissors, pruning shears). Before work, it is advisable to disinfect the blade with alcohol, any similar means, or scald it with boiling water. Cutting off the stem is done at the leaf nodule. All large cuts should be sprinkled with cinnamon powder or crushed charcoal. After the end of the "operation", feed with a nitrogen-containing fertilizer. This will strengthen, give strength, stimulate growth.

Autumn pruning

After the summer bloom, which ends in September, you can start pruning. For ease of use, first remove wilted inflorescences and leaves, as well as stems prone to wilting. Now examine the plant, evaluate its appearance and select those stems that are "knocked out" from the crown.

The bare, overly elongated stems are cut off completely, under the lower internode. If you want to preserve the growth zone and allow the formation of new shoots, leave a small stump above the node, a young growth will form here. This will close the voids in the crown and make the plant thick. If you live in a warm climate and leave geraniums to winter in the ground, then it is recommended to cut all the main stems in half.

On a room geranium, you can trim all the stems, leaving the lower leaves / internodes (2-3 per branch). In winter, after the growth of the shoots, a bush will form. Indoor species grow faster and bloom for a long time. They respond well to haircuts throughout the year. If the indoor geranium bush looks compact and does not have bare, elongated stems, then pruning can be omitted and transferred to the spring.

Spring pruning

At the end of winter, pruning is necessary for the formation of young greenery, and the procedure also stimulates the laying of peduncles in greater numbers. It is important to remember that in this case, the flowering time will be postponed and come later. Therefore, this event should not be postponed until the end of spring. The ideal time for cupping will be March, or rather the first half.

A spring haircut should not be radical; it can be called sparingly corrective. Weak, bare, too elongated, improperly growing shoots are removed. On small bushes, only the desired shape is given and buds should always remain on the shoots, at least two.

Formation of standard geranium

Lovers of unusual shapes can make a standard plant out of geranium. To do this, you need to choose a tall species with good flowering. For the base on the bush, select the central shoot and remove all side branches. The selected trunk is tied to the support and not undercut. The shoots that appear on it are cut off, and five branches are left at the top.

After reaching the target height, the tip is pinched (upper kidney). This contributes to the active growth of the remaining parts. New shoots also need to be pinched after the 4th bud. As a result, the top of the geranium takes on a spherical appearance. Thanks to your efforts, an original plant is obtained. After the end of formation, flowering will come a year later.