Geranium - care

Geranium is one of the most popular types of indoor plants due to its unpretentious care and healing qualities. In folk medicine, geranium was used to treat nervous disorders, digestive tract diseases, kidney stones. Initially, geranium was known as a wild plant, but a few centuries ago the flower won popularity among rich people. Bushes of geraniums began to grow in greenhouses and gardens, but after the selection of geraniums began in 1863, many varieties appeared, and geranium became an indoor plant. To date, there are more than 100 species of geraniums. Now, in almost every house, a roomy geranium grows, which blooms almost the whole year and, according to popular beliefs, protects the family from evil forces.

The leaves of geranium are covered with small capsules that contain essential oils that are healthy. If you rub the leaf, you immediately feel a specific flavor. Geranium oil is used as an antiseptic external agent, it is useful to add a few drops to the aroma lamp, to calm nerves and improve sleep.

Choose the most suitable plant variety, you can view various photos of geraniums. You should know that different varieties differ in their properties.

1. Geranium Royal is famous for its large brightly colored flowers.
2. Geranium fragrant can have the aroma of rose, apple, lemon, nutmeg, mint. Suitable for those who do not like the flavor of the usual geranium.
3. Geranium ampelia has ivy leaves, a variety of flowers, and is grown in hanging baskets. Garnet garden is characterized by the presence of rims on the leaves, most often brown or red hue.
4. Meadow geranium can be found on the banks of rivers, meadows and forest glades. As a rule, it is used in folk medicine.

Care for geraniums

For indoor growing the most popular white, red, ampel, royal and fragrant geranium. In addition, the flowers of geraniums can be of a variety of colors.

Geranium has many varieties, but the basic rules of care are often the same:

• room geranium likes fresh air and sunlight. In winter, the temperature changes well - enough +8 C;
• For an ampel geranium, a higher temperature of + 12 C is required;
• The most suitable soil for room geranium is drained, loose, acidic or neutral. The mixture can be purchased in a specialized store or prepared independently, mixing sand, sod soil, humus. Grow a plant better in small pots, pruning the tops, so that the plant grew bush, and you could admire the large number of flowers of geranium. Dry leaves of geranium must be removed;
• Care for geraniums requires good soil fertilization in the summer. Once a week, treat the soil with mineral fertilizers.
• watering during flowering is necessary more often, but moderately, so that the soil is not too wet. The leaves of geraniums are not sprayed, except for cases of plant disease. In winter, light soil moisture is maintained;
• Reproduction of geranium occurs in a vegetative manner and seeds. Cuttings can be prepared in the fall, and planted in the spring. Seeds of geraniums are best sown in the spring, but it is possible before frosts, then with warming they will germinate at the right time.

Diseases of geraniums

With proper care for geranium the disease is easily preventable, and with viral, fungal and bacterial infections, in time having provided the necessary help, the plant is easy to save. Symptoms of the disease can be the following manifestations: geranium turns yellow, becomes covered with a brown or black coating, the leaves of geranium dry up, curl or white, stump decay is observed. To prevent the spread of the disease, it is necessary to inspect the plant, remove damaged leaves, apply special antifungal and antibacterial drugs. The main part of geranium diseases is a consequence of improper care - high humidity, insufficient lighting and ventilation. But there are also viruses that can get into other plants or through the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to sterilize the soil during transplantation, and when buying to inspect the plant for damage. The most dangerous for geraniums are nematodes, since when a nematode is injured the plant dies. Characteristic features are the formation of large knots on the roots. With this disease, the soil becomes unsuitable for the cultivation of any other plants.

With good care geranium lives from 15 to 30 years. Having placed flowers in your bedroom, in a children's room or a rest room, you can admire flowers of geranium almost all year round with great health benefits.