Pelargonium belongs to perennial plants of the Geraniaceae family. Characterized by large bright flowers. Today it is quite popular as indoor culture. The plant is unpretentious in care, able to humidify and purify the air in the room, has many color options. Growing pelargonium from seeds indoors is not too difficult and even interesting.
What should be the seeds?
One way to grow geraniums indoors 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 can we expect that the flower will grow in the desired shade, be beautiful and durable.
When buying seeds, you should pay attention to the variety of the plant, since the procedure for caring for the flower depends on this, the frequency of watering, the necessarymicroclimate, as well as the color and size of the plant.
There are more than 250 varieties of this crop, so it's quite easy to find one 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 further.
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 the spring-summer period for planting, when there is as much sunlight as possible. If you propagate pelargonium from seeds at other times of the year, then you should artificially increase daylight hours. If you choose the beginning of spring for sowing, by mid-summer the plant will delight with its flowering. Geraniums will reach medium size within 3-5 months.
Seed preparation
Usually, seeds are not subjected to any pre-treatment before planting. The only rule is that they must be stored in a dry, dark place in an airtight container so that pests do not have access.
In exceptional cases, it can be treated with a special solution with a growth stimulator, then left in clean water for a couple of days. Thanks to this procedure, the seeds will germinate much more efficiently and faster.
Seeds obtained by yourself must be processed in a certain way. First you need to grind the top rough layer of seeds, then processgrowth stimulator and leave for a couple of days in water for soaking. But it should be understood that good seedlings are unlikely to turn out from domestic seeds, since with this type of reproduction, the modified types of pelargonium lose their maternal genes.
How to prepare soil
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 loosened soil. It should not be dense and clayey. Ready-made soil can be found on sale in specialized stores or you can cook it yourself.
To prepare the soil mixture, you need to choose one of the following proportions:
- One part peat, one part sand, two parts turf.
- One part sand and one part peat.
- One part perlite, one part peat.
The first soil option is the most suitable. It contains more nutrients, and the flower will be less demanding in the future.
Peat is widely used even in its pure form for growing indoor plants, and is actively used in agriculture, excellently retains moisture and lets air through. It is these qualities that have made it a leader among other soil mix bases.
For pelargoniums, the soil mixture with peat is well suited, subject to timely and proper fertilization and watering. If the soil is very dry, then the pot with the plant must be placed in a container of water so that the peat is saturated with moisture.
Sod land is the root-inhabited part of the soil. Its main drawback isthe need to clean up 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 to become airy and porous. Perlite gives the soil more friability and increases air circulation. It is also used in its pure form for growing seedlings.
River sand increases moisture permeability and prevents the soil from compacting. When preparing the soil mixture, it is important not to use sand more than the required rate. Otherwise, saturated with moisture, it will not pass air well.
It is important to choose quality ingredients 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 looseness of the earth, guaranteeing natural air ventilation;
- water permeability;
- ability to retain moisture;
- conductivity of nutrients;
- degree of acidity - pH.
Which pot to choose for pelargonium
When sowing pelargonium for seedlings, it is important to choose the right container. It is of two types: individual and general. Both options are considered acceptable, but there are some things to consider when landing.
Separate containers for each seed should be small, plastic cups are ideal. The advantage of this method is that when transplanting into a potplant roots are not injured.
When sown in a common container for growing seedlings, the seeds must be placed with an interval of about 5 cm. This is required so that the root system of the plants does not intertwine and is not further injured during transplantation.
You should not choose too small capacity for seedlings for growing pelargonium from seeds at home. At the bottom, it is necessary to make holes to drain excess moisture during irrigation 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 the container and lay the drainage layer, and then the soil.
- Lay the seeds 2-3 cm deep.
- Sprinkle some earth or sand on top.
- Spill the soil with water.
- Cover with polyethylene or glass on top, thus creating a greenhouse effect.
- Put the container in a well-lit place.
It is important that the microclimate is warm, the air temperature level is about 23 °C.
How many days do pelargonium seeds germinate?
In order to speed up the germination of the collected seeds, experienced flower growers scarify them (the seeds are rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper to remove the integumentary scales from them). Seeds prepared in this way for planting begin to germinate in about 7-10 days. If pre-sowing treatment is not carried out, their germination will not be very good.friendly and can last up to a month or even more. On sale, the seeds are already offered peeled from the integumentary scales, so they germinate in about 2-3 weeks.
Conditions and seedling care
When growing pelargonium from seeds, the soil should be watered periodically so that it does not have time to dry out. Containers with planted plants should be systematically ventilated for several minutes by opening polyethylene or glass. If you take care of all the rules, then after a month the first shoots will appear.
Seedling Care Tips
When growing pelargonium from seeds in a room, you need to follow some care rules. When the first sprouts break through, 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. Scattered sunlight is important for sprouts, it is he who contributes to the growth of the plant. Frequent and abundant 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 droplets remain on the stalks, black dots may form on them, which indicates a seedling disease. Having noticed these manifestations, you need to process the shoots with weakpotassium permanganate solution. Such a procedure will save the flower, and nothing will threaten the plant.
The microclimate should be cool, you need to follow this. Required air temperature between +16 °C and +20 °C.
If the air temperature is lower, the plants will overcool and die.
If the care is taken correctly, the first leaf will appear after 14 days. Further development depends entirely on the microclimate of the room, the quality of the soil, the pelargonium variety and the shelf life of the seeds.
Subsequent transplantation of seedlings
As soon as the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, the pelargonium should be transplanted into a separate pot. The plant will not fit a very spacious container, a container with a diameter of approximately 10 cm will suffice.
Over time, another transplant into larger pots may be required. Planting containers are better to choose those made from natural materials, clay is ideal. 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 for a longer time, therefore, pelargonium will not need frequent watering.
When transplanting, the transshipment method is used - they move the flower from one container to another without destroying the earthen ball and roots. This is the safest method.
How to feed seedlings of pelargonium grown from seeds? When transplanting, it is recommended to use a dose of long-acting fertilizer in order for the geranium to take root well in a new place.
Not worth itapply fresh organic fertilizer to fertilize the plant with micronutrients. For this, synthetic substances are better suited, the content of which is saturated with potassium, phosphate, nitrogen and other various components: boron, magnesium, iron, copper. Fertilizer will promote intensive and lush flowering.
Replanted geraniums should not be watered very abundantly. When the warm season comes, the flower can be moved to the balcony or garden.
If desired, it is permissible to transplant pelargonium into open ground for the summer period, but not at the flowering stage. The composition of the soil on the site should be similar to soil in a 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. At the beginning of autumn, the 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, and preferably more often.
Summing up the above information, we can say that in room conditions it is not difficult to get pelargonium from seeds, you just need to put in quite a bit of effort and time. The flower will delight with its appearance and delicate aroma.
How to grow pelargonium ivy from seeds?
Ivy pelargonium can be grown on the street, in the apartment, and on the balcony. This flower looks great absolutely anywhere. We discussed the rules for planting seeds and caring for seedlings above. In 2 weeksyoung plants can be fed with universal fertilizers. Further care is like an adult flower.
