Unpretentious Himalayan geranium "plenum": how to properly care for it?

Varieties with names and photos

There are many types of geraniums, both garden and indoor. They differ in terms of flowering, growing conditions, height.

Types of geraniums by height:

1. Stunted. Plant height below 0.5 m. These include ash, Dalmatian, large-rhizome, Himalayan geraniums.
2. Tall. Plants in height from 0.5 m. These types include: magnificent, flat-leaved, forest, red-brown, meadow, Georgian.

Geraniums are divided into the following groups:

1. Royal.
2. Variegated.
3. Succulent.
4. Fragrant.
5. Ampel geranium.
6. Zonal.

Let's get acquainted with some types of plants in more detail.

Royal geranium

The royal variety is distinguished by its size and brightness of colors. In addition, this plant is very picky in care, which confirms its name. Flowers come in different shades, from white to purple. The flower feels comfortable in a room with high humidity, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.

The average height of the bush is 60-80 cm. It blooms quite beautifully, but not for long.

Geranium tulip

This variety got its name because of the similarity of its flowers to small tulips, and this is its main difference from other varieties of geraniums. The flower of this species does not exceed 1 cm in length. On 1 stem - 1 inflorescence of about 50 flowers. The color of the flowers is different: from light pink to burgundy. Usually the inside of the petals is darker than the outside. The leaves are shiny and hard to the touch. The height of the plant is different, 30-70 cm.

Geranium room

Indoor geranium is divided into types:

• ampelous (curly);
• bush (low).

The flower has a powerful stem, approximately 60 cm high, with dissected leaves. Inflorescences are located at the tops of the shoots and are characterized by an umbrella.

This variety is characterized by abundant flowering from early spring to mid-winter. The flowers of the plant come in different colors: red, yellow, white, etc.

Fragrant geranium

This variety is very unpretentious to care for and, as a result, is popular. This garden species has a well-developed rhizome. The leaves of the plant are covered with villi and have a scent that gives the plant its name. The flowers are small, collected in white-pink umbrellas.

Meadow geranium

This perennial plant grows in countries with a temperate climate in deciduous, coniferous forests, meadows, valleys of mountain rivers. This species has a short root, a tough, strong stem, five-part thick leaves and umbrella-shaped flowers. The species is known for its medicinal properties.

Geranium blood red

Red geranium has a fleshy and rather long root. The bush reaches a height of 10-50 cm, takes on an attractive lush shape up to 0.5 m wide. The stem is hard, densely leafy. With the arrival of autumn, the stems of the flower, as well as the leaves, become bright red, thereby justifying the name. Flowers consist of 5 petals, simple or semi-double. Flowers from light pink to red are found.

Garden geranium

This ornamental plant is characterized by delicate and very beautiful flowers. There are both annual and perennial varieties. Garden flowers are popular in different countries. Flowers come in a variety of shades besides orange and yellow.

Ivy geranium

This plant has a hanging shape. The plant got its name from the shape of the leaves that resemble ivy leaves. They are firm to the touch. The variety is characterized by long, hanging down branches. The bush can be up to 1 m long.

Geranium is gorgeous

This variety is a hybrid garden shrub, reaching a height of 50 cm. This plant begins to bloom at the beginning of summer. The flowers are lilac. In autumn, the flowers turn wine red, orange and yellow. This species does not bear seeds and reproduces in a strictly vegetative way.

Geranium rosebud

This species is distinguished by bright decorative leaves and flowers. A border runs along the edge of the leaves. This shrub reaches a height of 0.8 m. Rosebud geranium is grown both at home and in gardens. The plant blooms throughout the summer. In the fall, the plant is dug up, pruned and left in a cool place.

Where and how to plant it: rules, tips, instructions

In order to grow a bright geranium, you need to be very well prepared. It is necessary to correctly select a seedling and a place for planting.

You can grow a seedling for planting yourself using seeds or by dividing the root, and you can also buy an already grown plant in special stores. When buying such a plant, carefully examine the rhizome; it must be firm, without visible deformations. Before planting geraniums in the garden, store it in a cool place in a container with peat.

You can buy a flower with roots and shoots with leaves. Then it must be stored in a container with earth. You can buy a potted geranium, then there will be no problems with planting it in the garden.

To plant a plant in a flower bed or in a flower garden, it is best at the end of May. A few days before planting geraniums, the soil must be prepared. Then, in the prepared area, it is necessary to make holes for disembarkation. The depth of the hole should be 20 cm deeper than the length of the plant roots.

If several flowers are supposed to be planted, then the distance between the pits should be at least 25 cm. Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the hole so that the water does not stagnate at the rhizome during watering.

The drain can be broken bricks, small stones, or gravel. On the drain, you need to pour a slide of soil, which is mixed with peat and sand. Then, place the root of the flower and cover it thoroughly with sand.

After planting geraniums need to be watered well.

It is also important to loosen the soil after watering and mulch it near the flower, thereby keeping it from drying out. The mulch can be peat or wood sawdust

Lighting and location

Geranium "Planum" likes to grow in places where there is enough sunny color.

You need to choose a place based on the purchased geranium variety. High varieties are allowed to be planted together with other plants in flower beds and flower beds. Small plants, which are no more than 15 cm in height, are perfect for gazebos, tubs and for decorating paths.

Soil requirements

There are no special requirements for the soil, but in order to obtain a bright and numerous flowering, it is better to plant geraniums on fertile and nutritious soil. The main thing is that the soil is drained and there is a possibility of air and moisture access to the plant.

Before planting, the site needs to be dug well, approximately two bayonets of a shovel. In the process of preparation, you need to add peat and manure to the ground.

Rules for growing and caring for garden geraniums

Garden geranium is a beautiful plant that is back in fashion today. The flower has many names. In Russia, however, it is often confused with another plant, which is grown mainly in indoor conditions. The fact is that the geranium that was widely grown on windowsills twenty years ago is pelargonium. It can be planted on the site, but it will not survive the winter. But garden geranium is a completely different culture, which still belongs to the Pelargonium family. In England and America, it is called a crane, in Germany - a stork's nose, in Bulgaria - a health resort, since geranium also has medicinal properties.

There are about 300 species of garden geraniums in the world. And breeders are breeding new varieties and hybrids, so choosing the right one is not difficult at all. They differ in terms of flowering, bush height, flower shades.But in any case, this is a very hardy and unpretentious plant. The advantage of geranium is that it is winter-hardy, therefore, even in those years when there is little snow, it tolerates the cold well, and in the summer it pleases the owner of the garden with its flowering. Heat-loving geranium can also be grown as an annual. In any case, it will bloom for a long time and very beautifully.

Garden geraniums are difficult to describe. After all, its various types can be very different in appearance - and "growth", and the size of flowers, and their shades. The most popular types of geraniums include:

1. 1. Meadow - a variety that has been cultivated in culture since the 16th century. This is a perennial geranium that forms dense bushes up to 120 cm high. This species has beautiful leaves, divided into 5-7 lobes. This geranium blooms from mid-June to mid-July. Her flowers are lilac-blue, their petals are delicate, rounded. Meadow geranium goes well with bells and astrantia.
2. 2. Blood red is also considered an old species, as it has been grown in Europe for about four centuries. The height of the bushes is up to 60 cm. The species is distinguished by light green leaves, which turn bright red in autumn. This species blooms longer - from mid-June to late summer. The bush resembles a sphere in shape, covered with carmine-red flowers, quite large - up to 4 cm in diameter.
3. 3. Gorgeous. The height of the bush with proper agricultural technology is 60 cm. This species was obtained by crossing two more popular varieties - Georgian and flat-petaled. In nature, they grow in alpine meadows, which should be taken into account when choosing a place where this species will grow.
4. 4. Himalayan - a variety that is often called large-flowered. Indeed, the diameter of flowers with beautiful purple petals covered with red veins is up to 5 cm and more. This is a dwarf species, the Himalayan geranium rarely grows above 30 cm.It blooms for a long time, from late spring to almost September,

It should be noted that the Himalayan geranium belongs to the light-loving species, but the blood-red and meadow geranium is to the shade-tolerant ones. The most interesting leaf color is in the large-rhizome geranium. And all these types are widely used in landscape design.

Everything described above applies to species geraniums. But we should not forget that different plant varieties are also grown for each species. So, among the most popular are:

1. 1. Plenum. The variety has very beautiful openwork leaves and double flowers, most often of a purple hue. The height of the bush is about 35-40 cm. Therefore, the Plenum can be grown in any flower beds, ridges and mixborders. Its advantage is that it is practically not susceptible to disease.
2. 2. Alan Mayes. This variety forms a beautiful hemispherical bush with blue flowers (darker veins are visible on their petals). In the country, such a flower looks good both on a flower bed and on an alpine slide.
3. 3. Rosemor should be planted for those who love unusual varieties. The flowers of this variety are double-colored - lilac-blue with a pink throat.

There are other varieties (in the Himalayan geranium, this is the abundantly flowering Jonson's Blue). But the choice of a specific one depends on climatic conditions and the general landscape design project.

Varieties by height

Geranium varieties are widely used. In the old days, making homework, housewives covered them on top with leaves of this plant, protecting them from mold.

High varieties

In addition to room purple geranium - a bright elegant decoration of window sills - there are real giants belonging to this family.

Endressa Pink Geranium

It is a perennial plant native to the Iberian Peninsula. Now this flower is often grown in gardens in the middle zone and even more northern latitudes. Summer residents love it for its unpretentiousness and frost resistance, as well as its attractive appearance.

The average plant height is about 0.5 meters.It has rich pink flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm, collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence, as well as wide leaves pointed at the edges.

Delicate pink flowers of this geranium will help decorate the garden

Geranium Philip Vapell

The plant is characterized by an early flowering period and pale purple flowers with characteristic dark stripes on the petals. The stem height is 0.4 meters, the leaves are gray-green in color and slightly pubescent on both sides.

Himalayan geranium

It is a herbaceous perennial that prefers a mountainous alpine climate. It has a thick rhizome with pubescent leaves, reaches a height of 40-60 cm. It has dark round leaves, fragrant large flowers, collected in an inflorescence. The color is violet-blue, with characteristic red veins.

Note! Himalayan geranium blooms from the second half of May to the end of August, but in some regions flowering lasts no more than 30 days

Pelargonium varieties Brilliant and others

Not only cranes are tall, but also pelargoniums. For example, a name associated with the world of jewelry, Diamond is a unique variety. Differs in the following characteristics:

1. Light unobtrusive aroma. Slightly pineapple-like.
2. Bright crimson flowers.
3. Plant height - up to 1.5 meters.

Most often, high pelargoniums are planted in garden plots in landscape compositions and single plantings. Plants look great at home planted in pots. In this case, the height of the flower will be much less, and the flowering will not be so lush.

It's important to know! Other large varieties of pelargonium: Balkan, Siberian garden

Low views

Due to their high decorative qualities, they are actively used for growing in pots, as well as for decorating garden and summer cottages. Pelargoniums of small height look beautiful in hanging pots and pots. The most important thing is not to forget to protect them from the rays of the scorching sun and bring them into the house in the cold season.

Garden Geranium Ballerina

Unpretentious plant with long flowering and amazing flowers. The height of the geranium itself will not exceed 16 cm, the diameter of the flower is 2-3 cm. The color is from pale lilac to deep purple, the leaves are small, with openwork edges. It prefers to grow in light partial shade, so it is advisable to plant "Ballerina" next to shrubs with moderately dense growth.

The delicate color of the petals and their unusual shape can be used in landscape design

Ash geranium

It will become a real decoration of any flower bed due to the original color of its petals. A compact bush up to 15 cm in height, the root is a stem, delicate purple flowers - this is what this geranium looks like.

Note! It was this variety that breeders used to breed other varieties of garden plants. Features of ash geranium are as follows:

Features of ash geranium are as follows:

1. Prolonged profuse flowering from the first days of July to the second half of August.
2. Drought resistance.
3. Love for the light.
4. The need for moderate but regular watering.
5. If the plant is grown in a pot, it should be placed on a western or eastern windowsill. Excessive exposure to light can cause burns.

Miniature variety Jolie Juvel Lilak and others

Miniature varieties are very tiny in size, so they will become bright spots, allowing you to decorate any landscape composition. The height of the Jolie Juvel Lilak bush is no more than 13-15 cm, the flowers are purple, small, with white stripes and dark veins. Duration of flowering - July-August.

Additional Information! Both cultivation in pots and at home is allowed.

Using garden geraniums in natural style gardens

This style is on everyone's lips now. And geranium seems to be specially created for him, and just for the “wild” corners of the garden. Piercing paints are not needed here, preference is given to everything simple, dull and elegant.But the main requirements are unpretentiousness, endurance, the ability to recover and renew by self-sowing, the ability to resist weeds and remain attractive in any weather without any care.

In addition to the obvious candidates - wild meadow geranium, marsh (Geranium palustre) and forest (Geranium sylvaticum), which are abundant in the middle lane, red-brown or dark geranium (Geranium phaeum) meets these conditions. It blooms in late spring - early summer with small, but very numerous maroon flowers on rather high vertical stems. The Album variety has snow-white petals, slightly corrugated, and the flowers themselves are much larger than those of the species. Samobor and Springtime cultivars are distinguished by unusual foliage: the middle of the former is decorated with a dark brown spot, and the leaves of the latter, on the contrary, brighten towards the center. This geranium, although it does not have a creeping rhizome, is capable of filling large spaces in the garden, as it gives massive self-seeding. Geranium endressii is also popular with fans of the “natural” style. Its numerous hybrids with multi-colored geraniums belong to the species Oxford geranium (Geranium x oxonianun). In general terms, it looks like a more miniature version of dark geranium and blood-red geranium: it forms a bush in the shape of a regular hemisphere, and the leaves of some varieties are decorated with a beautiful pattern of brownish spots. There are a huge number of varieties, which in different sources refer to the Endress geranium, then to the Oxford geranium. The apotheosis of the "natural" style is the 'Sherwood' variety of Oxford geranium. Its petals are so narrow that the delicate pinkish flowers resemble tiny pointed stars. Geranium clarkei, which came to us from the Himalayas, is also interesting for naturgarten. She has beautiful carved leaves, collected in a basal rosette of the correct shape, and pale lilac-blue flowers.

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Planting and leaving

You can propagate garden geraniums by sowing seeds for seedlings or directly into the ground, dividing the bush. Hybrid geraniums are propagated only by dividing the bush.

Geranium seeds can be sown before winter (this applies to the most unpretentious varieties - meadow, forest), in November. In the school, the seedlings are kept for 2 years, after which they are planted.

Geranium seedlings are sown in April, in a greenhouse or under a simple film cover. The seedling school is placed in partial shade to protect delicate seedlings from the bright sun.

Auspicious days for planting and sowing seeds in 2020:

How to plant geranium seeds:

• For better germination of seeds, they are soaked in Epin's solution.
• Some gardeners arrange "shock germination", when soaked seeds are placed in the refrigerator for a day, and then returned to heat. This method activates the force of seed germination.

For seedlings, a loose and fertile soil is prepared. A mixture of peat, humus, sand and sod land is suitable. Crane seeds are sown according to the scheme 5 by 5 cm, to a depth of 4-8 mm.

Important! Do not allow the soil to dry out and form a crust on the surface. Geranium seeds germinate only at the proper level of humidity .. Seedling care is standard: watering, loosening, weeding

In the first winter, it is advisable to sprinkle the sprouts with sawdust or peat to protect them from the cold

Seedling care is standard: watering, loosening, weeding. In the first winter, it is advisable to sprinkle the sprouts with sawdust or peat to protect them from the cold.

Plant care

The division of the geranium bush is carried out in the spring, before the beginning of the active vegetation of the plant. Part of the bush is simply separated with a shovel and transferred to a new place. The planting site is generously fertilized with rotted manure or compost.

Caring for garden geraniums is simple and not cumbersome. It grows rapidly in humus-rich soil. The gardener's task is to provide her with regular watering (the soil should always remain slightly moist) and top dressing.

Geraniums are fed twice a season.In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied (they are mulched with planting compost or watered with a solution of urea), in the middle of summer, mineral fertilizers (any complex for flowering perennials).

Planting large-flowered pelargonium

Pelargonium large-flowered is very demanding in terms of care and conditions of detention. Therefore, novice growers need to take this into account. Failure to comply with the basic requirements of the culture can lead to the absence of buds throughout the season.

For a plant, it is necessary to select small pots with drainage holes, the volume of which will be 2 times the root system.

Large pots cannot be selected for the royal variety

Site selection and lighting

Royal Pelargonium needs good lighting. Therefore, it is recommended to place the flower pot on the lightest windowsill in the house with light shading from direct sunlight so that burns do not appear on the leaves.

In winter, for the full development of the bush, it is necessary to provide at least 10 hours of daylight. Therefore, phytolamps should be turned on in the evening.

Important! With a lack of light, the flower does not form buds, but its shoots are stretched

Priming

For the royal variety, you should purchase a substrate intended for growing pelargonium. It has good moisture and air permeability and a balanced composition. In the absence of such a soil in the store, you can prepare it yourself by connecting the following components:

• 1 part - turf;
• 1 part - humus;
• 1 part - sand;
• Part 1 - peat.

Before planting, expanded clay should be laid on the bottom of the pot with a layer of 1.0 cm. And then sprinkle it with a nutritious substrate. Place the flower in the center of the container without deepening the root collar and fill the resulting voids with soil.

After planting, water the plant abundantly and put it in a shaded place for 2-3 days.

Breeding features

The plenum can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, and by dividing the bush. This plant has the ability to self-propagate in the area due to scattering seeds. Such manipulation makes it not very attractive and well-groomed.

When propagating by seeds, the grower will need more time and effort. With this method, the plant often loses its external features, which are characteristic of this particular species. Seeds in obtaining a new plant are most used by breeders.

Attention! You need to sow freshly harvested seeds, because over time they lose their properties, and the chances of getting good shoots are reduced.

It is also important to collect the ripe seeds from the flower in time. The seed is placed in the soil at the end of summer.

The seed is placed in the soil at the end of summer.

If you buy seeds from a store, they are sown in mid-spring. But first, it is better to plant them in small containers at home, and only then move them into open ground.

Root division is considered the easiest and therefore the most popular method of propagation. This method is used not only to obtain new plants, but also to renew old ones. It is recommended to separate the roots in early spring or after flowering (around the end of August). The second option is less painful for geraniums.

To do this, the plant is removed from the soil and the root system is carefully examined Plenum

Particular attention is paid to the kidneys - they should not have rot and dryness.
The excess earth is shaken off.
And then with a well-sharpened knife, which must also be disinfected, the rhizomes are divided into two parts. Make sure that at least two living buds remain on each part obtained.
Place in the well in the usual way.

For propagation by cuttings, the florist cuts off the young top of the plant and places it in water. The container should be in a well-lit place. After 20-25 days, the cutting will take root, and then it can be planted as a separate plant.

Geranium is quite popular among flower growers due to its unpretentiousness and a huge number of species. You may be interested in learning about the cultivation of ivy, fragrant, royal, street, room, rosebud, as well as Max Fry, Angel and Roseanne varieties.

Geranium Plenum is often used by landscape designers, because thanks to this plant, you can get an excellent floral arrangement. In addition, the Plenum does not require special care and a lot of effort and time.