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among relatives royalGeranium is distinguished by the size and brightness of flowers, as well as demanding care and a somewhat capricious disposition. But the latter circumstance does not stop flower growers, and more and more fans of ornamental crops are trying to tame the obstinate beauty.
Royal Geranium: Features and Possible Difficulties
The species name Pelargonium grandiflorum or Pelargonium regal fully meets not only the character, but also the appearance of the indoor flower. Indeed, the flowering of this variety of pelargonium is very different from the usual shy on the balconies and window sills. But looking at the photo of the royal geranium with the names of varieties and a description of the characteristics of the plants, growers should know that the slightest violation of the conditions of detention or lack of care threatens that the “royal person” refuses to flower or very quickly discards the buds.
And these are not all the “pitfalls” that will have to be circumvented by a grower who wishes to decorate the collection with royal representatives of the genus Pelargonium:
- Even full adherence to farming practices and care for the nursery cannot extend the flowering less than the common geraniums.
- Plants are more difficult to acclimatize if in summertime you take them out to the veranda or garden.
- Reproduction of royal geranium cuttings, and especially seeds, requires more attention and time.
If a lover of indoor plants copes with the character of a bright beauty, he will be rewarded with large simple or double flowers of all shades from white to thick burgundy. In this case, wavy, even or jagged petals of the corolla of the royal pelargonium sometimes decorate stripes, spots, specks or streaks of contrasting tones. Often the richer, bright coloring of the upper petals is combined with the delicate tones of the lower part of the flower, and the corollas themselves are collected in small umbrellas.
The foliage of royal geraniums has a smooth green color, but there are variegated varieties. On average, flowering plants lasts about 3-4 months. But this culture requires regular watering, feeding, pruning and the creation of favorable conditions for growth.
Conditions for growing royal geraniums
Usually garden and indoor geraniums are obvious contenders for the title of the most unpretentious and low-demand indoor plant. But their royal relatives love attention and care. If the grower is tormented by the question: “Why does the royal geranium not bloom, being next to the lush hats of bright zonal varieties?”, It’s not the plant that is to be blamed, but yourself. Obviously, the culture is not quite satisfied:
- lighting;
- selected watering mode;
- room temperature;
- availability of a draft;
- how to trim;
- soil quality or pot size.
For home care of royal geraniums, it is important to create conditions in which the plant would be comfortable throughout the year. This variety of pelargonium:
- does not tolerate desiccation of the earthy coma;
- feels unwell in an overly wet dense substrate;
- is quickly drawn out and loses its decorativeness without the proper amount of light, but it is also uncomfortable under the direct rays of the stare.
Without additional shading on the south window, geranium leaves and flowers are threatened with burns and rapid fading. The optimum location of the royal geranium is east or west. But even here in winter it is better to lighten the plants with phytolamps, extending their daylight hours to 12-14 hours. This measure will allow, without deep pruning, to maintain the compact form of the bush.
The well-chosen and healthy flowering of the geranium is favored by the right temperature:
- During the summer months and in spring, when the vegetation is active, the flowers of the royal geranium contain at a temperature of 22 to 25 ° C.
- In winter, development slows down somewhat, so the plants need cooler air. In order for royal geraniums to lay their buds and prepare for the next season, they need a temperature of 12–16 ° C.
The plants react badly to the heat. In an overly warm room, the green pet slows growth, and some varieties stop growing and refuse to form flower buds.
Care for royal geraniums at home
In the warm season, all plants, including royal geraniums, require more frequent and abundant watering than in winter and autumn. Water should not be allowed to accumulate in the tray under the pot, if this happens, the moisture is immediately drained. Irrigation water used at home for the care of royal geraniums should be soft and warm enough.
Soil mix for geranium is used universal. There is no difference, the usual zone copy or “royal person” is planted. For the substrate take in equal parts sand, humus, peat and garden soil. Be sure to make drainage at the bottom of the pot, otherwise stagnant moisture and damage to peripheral roots cannot be avoided.
As all geraniums do not transfer the transplant too easily, as part of caring for royal geraniums, as in the photo, at home, plants are transferred to a new pot only if the old one is too small, and the measles system has filled all of its volume.
While the roots are wrapped around the soil, and the plant feels good, the transplant can be replaced by adding fresh substrate directly under the shrub. The procedure is carried out in the spring, combining with dressings and watering.
The flowering of royal geraniums begins earlier than that of related species, it is important to do everything related to transplant or pruning in the first half of February, otherwise flower buds will not have time to form on the bush.
The answer to the question: “Why does not royal geranium bloom?” May be an illiterate selection of flower containers. Choosing a pot for geraniums, they prefer small volumes. Transfer to a spacious container threatens that the plant will refuse to bloom in favor of increasing the green mass.
For rapid growth and friendly flowering plants should receive a comprehensive feeding. It is easier to do this with the help of liquid ready products, in which the amount of nitrogen is minimal.
Royal geraniums are fed twice a month during the entire period of spring-summer growing season. Young seedlings for the first time receive feeding at the age of 6-9 months after rooting.
Reproduction of royal geraniums by cuttings
The top of the shoots obtained after pruning with several leaves can be used for propagation of royal geraniums by cuttings. That's just rooting such planting material is needed not in the water, but in a light substrate or in a peat tablet. Before this, the cutting of the cutting is treated with crushed charcoal and dried for a couple of hours, and then 2-3 cm deep into the mixture of peat with sand or perlite.
It is better if each stalk receives its own container with the ground. Such a method of growing or using peat tablets will avoid the mass death of sprouts due to the spread of fungal infection or decay.
After 1–2 months of keeping at a temperature of 19–23 ° C and ambient lighting, planting material takes root, and young royal geraniums can be seated in small separate pots.
Royal Geranium pruning for lush flowering
The benefits of pruning royal geraniums and in the lush flowering of plants, and in the formation of an attractive compact form of the bush. To achieve this result, the work must begin after the completion of mass flowering. In most varieties, this occurs at the end of the summer or in the first week of September. Then, in order to less traumatize the plant, in 1–1.5 months they spend the second wave of pruning.
The autumn procedure is most favorable and desirable, since after it the royal geranium is readily covered with new shoots. They, in turn, also pinch, as soon as 3-5 large leaves will open on the stems.
If you prune correctly and on time, the geranium will bloom in due time, but by delaying the procedure or carrying out it irregularly, you can completely remain without inflorescences.
Although even in winter conditions, if there is additional lighting and other requirements for the care of royal geraniums at home, you can spend up to four nips and get a luxuriantly blooming specimen by spring. If pruning is done under conditions of lack of light, the stems can stretch out, so instead of the last January pinch, you will need pruning of unsightly shoots.
