Royal Pelargonium: care and propagation at home by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush, and also in what soil it is better to root the plant

In this article, we will consider in detail the methods of reproduction of the beautiful royal pelargonium. What will allow you to create a collection, various in paints and beauty.

The main difference between the royal pelargonium from the familiar room geranium is the shape of the plant. Pelargonium is a wide bush, its peduncles are not elongated, but are on the same level as the shoots.

And the flowers themselves are large, up to 10-15 cm in diameter. In appearance, they are more likely reminiscent of Pansies, because there are dark spots on the upper larger petals of the pelargonium.

During flowering, the bush of pelargonium is densely dotted with open buds and looks like a magnificent bright ball. Let's talk in detail about caring for the royal pelargonium.

How to propagate a plant?

Best time

Most the favorable period for breeding royal geraniums depends on the method chosen. So, it is better to deal with cuttings in August - September, and plan seed planting in the spring.

Consider each of the breeding species of the royal pelargonium separately and in more detail.

Ways

Cuttings

The best way to propagate this type of pelargonium is cuttings. The favorable period for this is August-September. Take the apical stalk of the royal pelargonium plant with 2-3 internodes. Only the bottom sheet on the cut is cut off, and the rest is kept.

The rooting of cuttings is carried out in the spring or the shoots obtained by pruning in August are planted. It is important that the air temperature is not higher than +25 ° C.

How can rooting cuttings? There are 2 ways to do this:

Place prepared cuttings in a container of water. In order for the royal pelargonium to give more root shoots, experts advise adding a few drops of the root growth stimulator, in a dosage specified by the manufacturer. Caring for the shoots of the case of rooting in the water is a little easier.
Another way to get quality planting material:
- dry the cuttings for 2.5 hours;
- plant in a substrate consisting of peat and sand or special soil for geraniums and pelargonium.
At the planting stage, do not moisten the soil. A pot with an earthen mixture and cuttings do not need to be covered on top with a glass jar or bag. Then a rare watering regime is established. After 3 weeks, when rooting is completed, it is necessary to pinch the central bud of a young plant, this will ensure its branching.
Feeding can begin after another 2 weeks. Then you can transplant the plant to a permanent place.

Further, a visual video about the cuttings of the Royal Pelargonium:

Bush division

This is the least troublesome way for those who own a large adult royal pelargonium. This method is advisable to apply for a planned transplant. Small parts with a sufficient root system are separated from the adult plant and compressed into a separate container.

Seeds

To obtain from seeds at home, it is necessary to mechanically pollinate the flower. Seeds grow capsules, which is a pointed pod. When it ripens, it bursts.

To collect seed material on the mother plant during the flowering period, the most beautiful and powerful buds are left. It is better to cut off the rest so that the plant does not expend energy.
After the seeds are completely dry, you need to select the largest.
Then it is necessary to leave the collected material in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 4 hours or to damage the thick skin by hand, and then sow it in a shallow container filled with a light moist substrate.

Next, a visual video about planting the Royal Pelargonium seeds:

Landing at a permanent place

After you receive the seed in one of the above ways, it is important to prepare correctly directly for the landing procedure.

First, select the pot. Remember that the royal pelargonium does not like large spaces, because of the spaciousness, it begins to gain root system and lateral shoots, which leads to a long period without flowering (about why the royal pelargonium does not bloom, read here). Therefore, opt for a small pot. It is more important to check for drainage holes at the bottom.
Secondly, the degree of its beauty and attractiveness depends on what soil the royal pelargonium will grow in. King geranium loves neutral or slightly alkaline soil.
Reference! The soil should be structural, it is best to take a mixture of peat and sand, adding a little bit of ash. A drainage layer is necessarily laid at the bottom, it can be brick chips, pieces of polystyrene foam or expanded clay.

Follow-up care

In order for new plants to please you as well as mother plants for their brightness and beauty, it is necessary to observe several conditions for the care. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Shine

Royal Pelargonium loves sunny places. If you put the pot close to a source of natural light, then you will enjoy its long and plentiful flowering. You can even put it on the windowsill on the south side, you just need to make sure that the leaves do not form burns on the leaves from the sun.

In winter, the plant needs to be highlighted additionally, since due to a lack of light, the stems stretch too much.

Temperature

In summer, the temperature in the room should not be higher than 24 degrees. In the winter months of the royal pelargonium, it is necessary to ensure a period of rest, for this the temperature should fluctuate in the range of 12-15 degrees.

If it is not observed, the plant will not bloom. The same thing can happen when overheating or if you put the pot in a draft.

Watering

Watering should be abundant and frequent.because royal pelargonium is a chowder. However, the flower should not be filled either. Between watering, let the topsoil dry a little.

Attention! Based on experience, experts also advise pouring water not into the pot itself, but into its pan. Do not use water directly from the tap, the water should be well settled.

Humidity

Pelargonium is not one of those flowers that requires constant irrigation of leaves. She does not like water falling on leaves and inflorescences.

Fertilizers

Top dressing should be carried out in spring and summer during the flowering period. It is best to use fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus, then flowering can be extended for several weeks. They should be made once every fourteen days.

Main conclusions

Thus, having examined the variety of ways of propagating the royal pelargonium, we were convinced that everyone can find a suitable one for themselves. Recall some key recommendations:

When grafting or dividing from the bush before planting in a permanent place, it is necessary to achieve the appearance of the first roots. When sowing seeds before digging, it is necessary to damage the hard shell for the faster emergence of the first sprouts.
Choose a small pot relative to the plant. We make drainage holes in the bottom.
An important point is the choice of soil. Royal Pelargonium prefers loose soil, consisting of deoxidized peat, sand and a sufficient amount of mineral fertilizers.
Pay attention not in all cases there is a need to create a greenhouse effect. When rooting cuttings in the ground, do not cover the planting with a glass jar. But when sowing royal pelargonium seeds, the situation is quite the opposite.
To expedite the first shoots, it is worth covering the tray with a lid or a plastic bag. Here you need to periodically ventilate the soil.

Observance of the conditions for the proper selection of soil, pot and further care will allow you to grow a beautiful flower that will decorate the windowsill of a city apartment or country house.