Reanimation of old non-flowering geranium

I have been growing geranium (also known as pelargonium) for more than 5 years. My favorite plant pleases with flowers every year, and my flower beds with colorful bright inflorescences attract admiring glances from neighbors. Many summer residents throw out aged pelargonium as soon as it loses its attractive external data (it stretches, outgrows, blooms poorly).

I am not one of them, because I know several secrets with the help of which even an old plant can delight with lush flowering. Today I will share with you the features of caring for an elderly pelargonium.

First of all, uterine geranium needs proper care, which depends on the season. My flowers spend most of the year in flower beds in the garden – in the spring (in mid-April) I put them outside and bring them in only before the onset of the first frost. I bring it into a room where there will be no negative temperature, but strong heat should also be absent. I leave the plant for a couple of weeks, preferably without the sun (can be placed on the floor), so that it adapts.

For the winter, pelargonium must be lowered into the basement. Before sending it for the winter, I spill the earth well, I do not prune it. I lower the pots of geraniums into the cellar and leave them for the winter without any care in the dark. If the basement is not dark enough, the plants can be covered with paper bags.

At the end of March, I take out the pots of geraniums from the cellar. If the weather permits, I take it outside immediately, if not, a cool window sill or greenhouse will do. The first thing I do with pelargonium after wintering is pruning. All branches are cut shortly, leaving 1-2 cm above the ground. I resume watering. After that, the geranium will sprout new branches and bloom no worse than young plants.

Cutting is a great way to get some new ones out of old geraniums. For this method of rejuvenation, I use the tops of green stems 6-8 cm long. Cuttings should have at least 4-5 leaves.

First of all, I take charcoal or activated charcoal and process the cuts with it. I leave the branches alone for 5-6 hours, letting the wounds dry out. Only after that do I plant the cuttings in the ground. For geraniums, I prefer to use a ready-made universal substrate.

As soon as the cuttings grow, and the root system gets stronger (it will take about 2 months), geraniums can be planted in separate pots.

When I see that the geranium in the pot has aged (the stems are lignified, the leaves have begun to dry), be sure to transfer the plant to a new pot. Replacing soil and rejuvenating root and stem pruning will help give pelargonium years of life.

The geranium pot should not be much larger than the current one. The old container with the plant should enter a new one and there should be a distance of 1,5 – 2 cm between the walls. The new pot should have drainage holes (preferably large and in large quantities). If you use a container without them, then be sure to lay a drainage layer of pebbles, broken brick or pine bark on the bottom.

Before taking the pelargonium out of the pot, I cut it off. I remove all lignified branches and diseased leaves, leaving only healthy and young shoots. After that, I prune the roots – I take out the geraniums from the pot and cut off the earthen lump with roots with a sharp knife, leaving 5-7 cm on each side.

When the pruning is done, I plant the pelargonium in a new pot. The soil should cover the plant to the same level as in the previous container. I water it with a little water and send it to its usual place.

The most interesting way to rejuvenate pelargonium is by vaccination. It will not only allow you to bring an old plant back to life, but also make it unique. I use this method when I see that the geranium is very elongated, but I have no desire to wait for the next flowering for six months or longer. Any varieties of geraniums are suitable for grafting.

On the plant to which I will graft cuttings of other varieties, I choose several strong shoots. I clean them of excess leaves, cut off the tops by 10-15 cm at a right angle. The place of cut on the shoots must be split, and a wedge-shaped hole must be formed on it. I use a sharp knife for this.

I also process cuttings of other varieties. I remove the damaged leaves and prepare the cut site – I make it in the form of a wedge that will fit into the hole in the rootstock. When everything is ready, I place the scions in the holes at the rootstock cut and fix them with cling film. After 2 weeks, the plants will grow together and the film can be removed. After 3 months, pelargonium will bloom, and different unique flowers will grow on one bush.

Natural aging of geranium is not a reason to throw it away. Knowing a few tricks, you can give the plant new life and get lush inflorescences from it. Pelargonium rejuvenation is not a difficult process, and I am sure that any summer resident will cope with it.

You can bookmark this page

Anna Evans

Author-editor

View all posts by Anna Evans →