Is Geranium Suitable for Keeping at Home?
Today, let's delve into the experience of whether geranium is suitable for keeping at home, for the netizens to understand.
Is Geranium Suitable for Keeping at Home?
Geranium prefers well-draining soil, and the soil mixture can be made of garden soil, compost soil, dung, and river sand, mixed in the ratio of 4:3:1:2. Geranium grows vigorously in spring and autumn, and early autumn is also the flowering period of geranium, which requires a higher demand for fertilizer, ensuring sufficient fertilization. Geranium has a certain drought resistance and dislikes waterlogging, so be careful not to overwater when watering.
Can Geranium Be Kept at Home?
Geranium has a beautiful plant shape and can be appreciated, so it can be kept indoors.
Additionally, geranium is non-toxic, and everyone can raise it at home with confidence. However, for people with allergic体质, its pollen can easily cause allergic reactions in sensitive skin, so avoid placing geranium indoors.
However, geranium is a plant that loves light very much and is not suitable for long-term maintenance in indoor environments lacking in light and ventilation.
We can place it in the living room during the flowering period for a short time but not for an extended period.
How to Care for Geranium at Home
1. Soil MixtureGeranium prefers well-draining soil, and the soil mixture can be made of garden soil, compost soil, dung, and river sand, mixed in the ratio of 4:3:1:2. Of course, you can also use soil-free substrates like coconut bran, mixed with garden soil and humus soil.
No matter what soil matrix is used, ensure good drainage. Soil with too much clay is not suitable for growing geranium as it can easily cause waterlogging and root rot.
2. Geranium FertilizationGeranium grows vigorously in spring and autumn, and early autumn is also the flowering period, which requires a higher demand for fertilizer, so ensure sufficient fertilization.
Generally, apply a thin liquid fertilizer every 7-10 days. The fertilizer can be decomposed organic fertilizer or cake fertilizer water, soybean water, etc., or a compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When using compound fertilizer, pay attention to the concentration, which should not be too high.
In the hot summer weather, geranium grows weakly and is in a semi-dormant state, so fertilization should be stopped in summer. In the late autumn, after moving indoors, it's also not necessary to overdo it, generally just scatter some compound fertilizer around the pot edge before winter.
3. Geranium WateringGeranium has a certain drought resistance and dislikes waterlogging, so be careful not to overwater when watering. You can follow the general principle of watering when the topsoil is dry and water thoroughly when you do.
Also, the amount of watering should be determined by the climate and seasonal changes.
In spring, after moving out of the room, with the temperature rising, geranium enters a vigorous growth period, and the water demand also gradually increases, so the amount of watering should also be increased accordingly.
In summer, the temperature is high, and the demand for water is high, but be careful not to overwater in summer, as geranium is in a semi-dormant state in the hot summer weather and does not require much water. The main consumption of water in summer is through leaf transpiration.
Summer watering should ensure that there is no lack of water, and at the same time, it should not be in a waterlogged state for long.
In autumn, when the weather cools down, geranium enters the second growth peak, and watering should be sufficient, and as the temperature gradually decreases, the amount of watering should also be reduced accordingly.
Additionally, in rainy seasons, such as the plum rain season in the south, and in summer, geranium kept outdoors should be kept away from rain and排水 promptly.
4. Geranium Lighting and Temperature ManagementGeranium is native to the south, loving sunny and well-ventilated growing conditions. Insufficient light can lead to sparse flowering or even no flowering.
In spring and early summer, when the sun is not too strong, you can place geranium in a sunny place for maintenance.
In the height of summer, when the sun is too strong, you should shade it properly, placing geranium under the tree shade or using a shade net to avoid sunburn on the leaves.
The optimal growing temperature for geranium is between 15-20 degrees Celsius. When the temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius in summer, geranium will enter a semi-dormant state, so it is necessary to cool down properly in summer.
Also, geranium is not cold resistant, and the leaves will be frostbitten when the temperature is below 5 degrees Celsius in winter. When the weather turns cool in winter, it is necessary to move indoors for warmth.
5. Geranium PruningWith sufficient water and fertilizer, geranium grows quickly and needs to be pruned regularly, otherwise, the branches will be disordered, not only affecting the ornamental value but also the dense branches will affect ventilation and light, which is not good for the growth of geranium.
Geranium pruning is generally done after flowering. Cut off the dense branches inside the plant, cut directly from the base, leaving 3-5 main branches, which should be distributed in different directions without overlapping or obstructing each other.
External branches can be moderately shortened to ensure a compact plant shape and a full, short, and strong plant.
Geranium has poor germination ability, so pruning should not be too severe, and attention should be paid to leaving bud points to ensure the next germination.
After pruning, control watering to keep the potting soil half-dry and be careful not to get water on the cut when watering. To recover the plant vigor, you can supplement with some fertilizer after pruning.
6. Geranium Flowering ManagementThe flowering period of geranium is from October to the next June. Proper maintenance can result in multiple flowering, with April to June being the peak flowering period.
During the flowering period, ensure sufficient watering but not too much, and avoid waterlogging. In terms of fertilization, in addition to maintaining the usual fertilizing rhythm, you can use potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution as a foliar spray before the flowering period to promote flowering.
During flowering, maintain a certain temperature, as both high and low temperatures can affect flowering. If there is a sudden drop in temperature, immediate warming is necessary.
The above introduction on whether geranium is suitable for keeping at home may provide a little help for your life!