Why geraniums do not bloom - fertilizers for geraniums
Content:
Houseplants decorate the house, even in the apartment you can grow different types. Lovers need to know why geranium does not bloom and how to fix it. Often this happens due to the wrong conditions of detention.
Main reasons
Geranium belongs to unpretentious plants, so it can be started by novice growers. Over the years of selection, hundreds of varieties have been bred, which differ not only in color, but also in the shape of the flower. This variety quickly made geraniums popular.
Instances without flowers look unattractive
The plant is correctly called pelargonium, but such a name did not take root. Some varieties can be grown in the garden. Zonal species bloom almost all year round. Their peculiarity is that the flowers have several shades.
Compact geranium with an unobtrusive aroma is Scented. The most beautiful is Royal Pelargonium. Flowers can reach 15 cm in diameter, with a dark speck on each petal.
Correct pinching
Timely pruning of weak and elongated branches saves the strength of the plant. Pinching allows you to stimulate the appearance of lateral shoots, which can also bloom.
You need to prune in early spring. For this, the upper part of the stem is removed. It can be rooted and germinated separately. Young plants (up to two years old) are pruned every 3-4 months, since at this stage it is important to achieve the correct formation of the crown.
Pinching is carried out with a clerical clean knife or scissors. If the branches were able to stretch out strongly, then they can be pruned a little more. It is better to put the pot with the plant in a sunny place, as the light will allow it to recover faster.
Without pinching, geranium looks ugly, since the stems can be very stretched
Incorrect cropping
Many people want to achieve a violent flowering of geraniums and for this they use various tricks. Any pruning must be done according to the rules, otherwise it will harm the plant.
The shoot is cut off only 1/3 and the uppermost part is removed. It is this technique that helps to awaken the lateral buds. Sometimes a person can overdo it and remove most of the stem. In this case, the geranium may stop growing for a while.
It is impossible to correct the wrong pruning, you just have to wait for it to grow the stems. In this case, you can find out how to fertilize geraniums, since top dressing stimulates growth.
Cramped pot
Timely transplantation of geraniums allows the root system to develop correctly. With a lack of soil, there is a deficiency of nutrients and the geranium does not have enough strength to form buds.
Too large a pot will also hurt, since then the plant will begin to actively grow the root mass, and not the peduncles. Determining the size of a normal container is simple - it should be 1-2 cm larger than the earthen coma.
You can visually determine the tightness of the pot. The roots will be visible above the ground, and they can also grow through drainage holes.
Temperature violations
Making geraniums bloom is not so easy, since the formation of buds occurs only when special conditions are created.
A dormant period is required to stimulate flowering.
In spring, summer and autumn, the temperature should be kept at 23-25 ° C, and in winter it should be lowered to 16 ° C. Such changes will allow the plant to expend less energy and accumulate nutrients in the stems and leaves.
During the dormant period, geraniums are rarely watered, they are illuminated for at least 5 hours a day.
The appearance of the plant can tell about the correctness of the regime. Red foliage indicates that the geranium is freezing and should be placed in a warm place.
Stimulation methods
Experienced growers know how to achieve flowering in different species. There are similar tricks with geraniums. There are many ways to make it bloom.
Special conditions
Correct content is 95% of success. The formation of buds depends on this. In order for pelargonium to bloom, you need to adhere to the following rules:
- Geranium loves bright diffused lighting. Therefore, it is better to place the pot with the plant on the east or south window. In a dark place, the stems will ugly stretch upward.
- Abundant watering, but it is important not to overmoisten the soil. In summer, the plant is watered every day, in autumn and spring in 1-2 days.
- Comfortable temperature is about 23 ° C. Only during the rest period is it lowered, after which it is gradually increased in the spring.
Summer allows you to create comfortable lighting conditions. Do not expose to direct sunlight, as they can cause burns. Pruning at the right time also helps geraniums bloom.
Expert advice
Experienced florists recommend paying attention to creating optimal conditions. It depends on this how indoor pelargoniums will grow. A common tip for producing abundant blooms is to choose a slightly cramped pot. It should be 1 cm larger than the earthy coma.
As soon as the geranium can pick up the buds, it does not need to be rearranged and transferred from place to place once again. In this state, she is very sensitive to changing conditions.
Withering inflorescences are immediately broken or cut off, so the plant will not waste energy on it.
Soil additives
It is difficult for a novice florist to determine how to feed geraniums. To do this, you need to use nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus - these are component complex mineral fertilizers.
You can use monofertilizers, but then you need to maintain a balance
An overabundance of minerals is harmful, as is a deficiency. Fertilize geraniums from early spring to late summer. Do not use organic additives as they cause burns.
A flower grower may face a problem with how to feed geraniums for abundant flowering at home. On sale you can find universal preparations for flowering plants.
The composition of the soil also matters. Sometimes a person does not understand why pelargonium does not bloom. The whole point may be in the wrong soil. The optimal composition is sod, leafy soil, peat, heather soil.
You can find ready-made mixes for geraniums in the store. In addition to this soil, river sand or vermiculite is added - these components improve the drainage properties of the soil. They are added in the ratio of 10 parts of the finished soil and 1 part of the impurity.
At home, make a flower soil mixture yourself.To do this, you need to take 8 parts of turf, 2 parts of leafy land, 1 part of peat and the same amount of heather land. All components are mixed and used for transplantation.
Fertilizers
In indoor conditions, the plant quickly depletes the soil. Therefore, pelargoniums need special feeding. Someone prefers to buy ready-made products, while others follow folk recipes. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is better for a florist to try different options for drugs and products.
Pharmacy medicines
Simple and affordable means are no worse than expensive horticultural preparations, which do not always have a good effect. Iodine is used to stimulate growth. To prepare the solution, take 1-2 drops per 1 liter of water.
The resulting mixture is watered with geraniums once a week. It strengthens the root system, disinfects the soil and prevents the appearance of certain diseases.
Hydrogen peroxide also has a beneficial effect on geraniums. The drug is easy to buy, cheap and best mixed with iodine. To do this, take 1 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 0.6 ml of iodine for 1 liter of water. All components are mixed and the resulting solution must be watered.
Vitamin feeding
Not everyone will understand why geranium does not bloom and what to do with it. Sometimes this is due to the poor soil. In this case, you need to use special tools.
It is enough to buy B vitamins in ampoules at the pharmacy
The medicine can only be used in June. For this, one ampoule is diluted in 2 liters of water. The mixture is used for watering pelargonium. Some growers recommend changing them every three weeks - they start with B1-B6, and then add B 12.
Organic feeding
Improving conditions of detention and eliminating problem points does not always help. Geraniums may refuse to bloom and it is difficult to stimulate them in this case.
In such cases, you can try making an organic geranium fertilizer. It is used every three years and is used very carefully, as it can harm pelargoniums.
For preparation, they take thoroughly sour bird droppings and dilute it in a ratio of 1 liter of the product to 2 liters of clean water. Cow manure is taken only rotted and bred in a 1: 1 ratio.
Top dressing is applied in small portions since March. The volume is increased gradually, since otherwise you can get an excess of nutrients in the soil, which will lead to the death of the plant.
Changes in the state of pelargonium may indicate the presence of diseases or pests.
Before making fertilizing for geraniums and for flowering, you need to study the condition of the plant. Rotten or black areas of the stem may indicate excess moisture or fungal infection.
A sick geranium will not bloom or grow. Therefore, all damaged parts are immediately removed, and the plant is treated with special means. If the leaves began to turn yellow and the buds are not forming, then this indicates high humidity and elevated temperature.
If the foliage drops sharply in geranium, then this is the effect of dry air and a draft. In this case, you need to rearrange the pot to another place. The plant may stretch up unnaturally if there is insufficient light. In winter, it is recommended to artificially illuminate geraniums.
Shock therapy
There are non-standard techniques for improving the flowering of pelargoniums, but they come with a certain risk. Using them can destroy the plant.
Strong pruning for 2/3 of the length is carried out in weakened and elongated geraniums. In this case, 2-3 buds are left on the stem, the rest is cut off. They do this in early March. It is imperative to inspect the roots and cut off all damaged parts.
After strong pruning, geraniums are planted in a new pot and begin to emerge from the dormant period. Sometimes pelargoniums are planted in open ground. This can be done only after the spring temperature drops have passed.
It is not always easy to find the reason for the lack of flowering of pelargoniums. It is necessary to carefully study the conditions of detention, conduct an inspection for pests and diseases. Then you can try different methods of plant rehabilitation.
It is advisable to use a set of measures, as this will increase the chances of flowering.
