Pelargonium belongs to perennial plants of the Geraniev family. It is characterized by large bright flowers. Today it is quite popular as a room culture. The plant is unpretentious in care, is able to moisturize and purify indoor air, has many color options. Growing pelargonium from seeds at room conditions is not too difficult and even interesting.
What should be the seeds?
One way to grow geraniums at room conditions is to plant seeds. They should be brown, dense, oblong in shape. It is better to purchase seed in specialized stores for the garden. Only in this case, it can be expected that the flower will grow the desired shade, will be beautiful and durable.
When buying seeds, you should pay attention to the variety of the plant, since the order of caring for the flower, the frequency of watering, the necessary microclimate, as well as the color and size of the plant, depend on this.
There are more than 250 varieties of this culture, so it is quite easy to choose what you like. Pelargonium is of two types: blooming and smelling. For indoor cultivation, white, red and fragrant geraniums are more often chosen . How to grow pelargonium from seeds? This will be discussed later.
When to sow?
When to sow pelargonium seeds? There are no specific instructions regarding this issue, because the plant grows well at any time of the year. Experts recommend choosing a spring-summer period for planting, when there is a lot of sunlight. If you propagate pelargonium from seeds at another time of the year, then you should artificially increase daylight hours. If you choose the beginning of spring for sowing, by the middle of summer the plant will delight with its flowering. Within 3-5 months, geraniums will reach medium size.
Seed preparation
Usually, seeds are not pretreated before planting. The only rule is to store them in a dry, dark place in an airtight container so that pests do not have access.
In exceptional cases, you can treat it with a special solution with a growth stimulant, then leave it in clean water for a couple of days. Thanks to this procedure, the seeds will germinate much more efficiently and faster.
Seeds obtained independently should be processed in a certain way. First you need to grind the upper coarse layer of seeds, then treat with a growth stimulant and leave for a couple of days in water to soak. But it should be understood that home seedlings are unlikely to produce good seedlings, since with this type of reproduction, modified species of pelargonium lose their maternal genes.
How to prepare the ground
When growing pelargonium from seeds at home, you need to properly prepare the soil. Due to the fact that the seeds are quite dry, they should be planted in loose soil. It should not be dense and clay. Ready soil can be found on sale in specialized stores or cook it yourself.
To prepare the soil mixture, you need to choose one of the following proportions:
- One part of peat, one part of sand, two parts of turf.
- One part of sand and one part of peat.
- One part perlite, one part peat.
The first version of the soil is the most suitable. It contains more nutrients, and the flower will subsequently be less demanding in care.
Peat is widely used even in its pure form for growing indoor plants, and is actively used in agriculture, excellently retains moisture and allows air to pass through. It was these qualities that made him a leader among the rest of the foundations for soil mixtures.
For pelargonium, a soil mixture with peat is well suited, provided timely and proper fertilizer and watering. If the soil is very dry, then the pot with the plant must be placed in a container with water so that the peat is saturated with moisture.
Sod land is the root part of the soil. Its main drawback is the need for cleaning from the remains of other plants with mandatory steaming to get rid of all kinds of microorganisms.
Perlite is a volcanic glass that is further processed and it becomes airy and porous. Perlite gives the soil greater friability and increases air circulation. It is also used in pure form for growing seedlings.
River sand increases the permeability of moisture and prevents the soil from being compacted. It is important when preparing the soil mixture not to use sand more than the required norm. Otherwise, saturated with moisture, it will not allow air to pass through well.
It is important to choose high-quality components for the soil so that the seeds do not deteriorate. But for some varieties, the composition of the soil is not so important.
What qualities should the soil have?
The main qualities are:
- airiness and friability of the earth, guaranteeing natural ventilation of air;
- ability to pass water;
- ability to retain moisture;
- conductivity of nutrients;
- degree of acidity - pH.
How to choose a pot for pelargonium
When sowing pelargonium for seedlings, it is important to choose the right capacity. It can be of two types: separate and general. Both options are considered acceptable, but there are some points to consider when landing.
Separate containers for each seed should be chosen small, plastic cups are ideal. The advantage of this method is that when transplanting into the pot, the roots of the plant are not injured.
When sowing seeds in a total capacity for growing seedlings, seeds must be placed with an interval of about 5 cm. This is necessary so that the root system of plants is not interwoven and is not further injured during transplantation.
You should not choose too small a capacity for seedlings for growing pelargonium from seeds at home. At the bottom, it is necessary to make holes for excess moisture to drain during watering and lay a drainage layer, for example, consisting of small stones or screenings. Seedlings are placed on a stand to collect excess moisture.
Sowing seeds
The order of sowing pelargonium for seedlings is as follows:
- Pick up containers and lay down the drainage layer, and then the soil.
- Lay the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm.
- Sprinkle on top with earth or sand.
- To spill soil with water.
- Cover with polyethylene or glass from above, thus creating a greenhouse effect.
- Put the container in a well-lit place.
It is important that the microclimate is warm, the level of air temperature is about 23 ° C.
After how many days do pelargonium seeds emerge?
In order to accelerate the germination of the collected seeds, experienced gardeners make their scarification (using fine-grained emery paper, grind the seeds to remove integumentary scales from them). Thus prepared for planting seeds begin to germinate after about 7-10 days. If you do not carry out pre-sowing treatment, their germination will not be very friendly and can last up to a month or more. On sale, seeds are already offered cleared of integumentary scales, so they germinate after about 2-3 weeks.
Seedling conditions and care
When growing pelargonium from seeds, the soil should be periodically watered so that it does not have time to dry out. Tanks with planted plants should be systematically ventilated for several minutes, revealing polyethylene or glass. If you look after all the rules, then a month later the first shoots will appear.
Seedling recommendations
When growing pelargonium from seeds in a room, you need to follow some care rules. When the first shoots make their way, the mini-greenhouse is removed. The shoots that have appeared are still quite sensitive and weak, therefore, they require careful care. Seedlings should stand in a place protected from drafts and cold air. For sprouts, diffused sunlight is important, it is it that contributes to the growth of the plant. Frequent and plentiful watering is still necessary, but it is important to ensure that moisture does not stagnate.
It is better to water the sprouts little by little, but every day. Experts recommend dosing water with an ordinary pipette. In summer, of course, watering is carried out more abundantly than in winter.
If the droplets remain on the stems, black dots may form on them, which indicates a seedling disease. Having noticed these manifestations, you need to process the shoots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Such a procedure will save the flower, and nothing will threaten the plant.
The microclimate should be cool, it is necessary to monitor this. The required air temperature is between +16 ° C and +20 ° C.
If the air temperature is lower, the plants will cool down and die.
If you carry out the care correctly, then the first leaflet will appear after 14 days. Further development depends entirely on the microclimate of the room, the quality of the soil, the type of pelargonium and the shelf life of the seeds.
Subsequent transplanting of seedlings
As soon as 2-3 seedlings are on the seedlings, pelargonium should be transplanted into a separate pot. A very spacious container is not suitable for the plant, containers with a diameter of about 10 cm are quite enough.
Over time, you may need another transplant into larger pots. Landing containers are better to choose those that are made from natural materials, the ideal option is clay. Such pots pass air well, which will allow the root system to be better saturated with oxygen. They also protect the plant from excessive overheating and will retain moisture longer, therefore, pelargonium will not need frequent watering.
When transplanting, a transshipment method is used - they move the flower from one container to another without destroying the earthen lump and roots. This is the safest method.
How to feed pelargonium seedlings grown from seeds? During transplantation, it is recommended to use a portion of long-acting fertilizers so that the geranium well takes root in a new place.
Do not use fresh organic dressings to fertilize the plant with micronutrients. For this, synthetic substances are best suited, the content of which is saturated with potassium, phosphate, nitrogen and other various components: boron, magnesium, iron, copper. Fertilizer will contribute to intense and lush flowering.
Transplanted geraniums should not be watered very abundantly. When the warm season comes, the flower can be moved to the balcony or to the garden.
If desired, for the summer, pelargonium can be transplanted into the open ground, but not at the flowering stage. The soil composition on the site should be similar to the soil in the pot.
Such a transplant will have a beneficial effect on the plant, because sunlight is very important for pelargonium, under the influence of which more leaves and flowers are formed. In early autumn, pelargonium is transplanted again into a container and placed in a room. Experienced growers are advised to renew the flower bud at least once a year, or better often.
Summing up the above information, we can say that in the room environment it is not difficult to get pelargonium from seeds, you just have to make a little effort and time. The flower will delight with its appearance and delicate aroma.
How to grow ivy pelargonium from seeds?
Pelargonium pelargonium can be grown on the street, in the apartment, and on the balcony. This flower looks great absolutely anywhere. The rules for planting seeds and seedling care we reviewed above. After 2 weeks, young plants can be fed with universal fertilizers. Further care is like an adult flower.