Why doesn't geranium bloom and what to do about it?
Geranium lives in almost every home. She received recognition from flower growers thanks to its lush and long flowering. Geranium blooms for most of the year, and some varieties are able to bloom almost without interruption. This is an amazing sight - multi-colored balls rise above the rounded green leaves, depending on the type of flower, the inflorescences can be small or large.
However, it often happens that geranium looks healthy outwardly, the bush even actively grows young shoots and leaves, but the buds are not tied. Why this happens and how to help the plant, experienced flower growers know.
Reasons for the lack of flowering
Most often, geraniums do not bloom as a result of mistakes made during planting or caring for it, namely:
- the soil is incorrectly selected;
- the plant is planted in an oversized pot;
- the flower is not fertilized;
- geranium is not suitable air temperature;
- flower trimming is not carried out on time;
- violation of the irrigation regime.
To resume flowering geranium, it is necessary to eliminate the existing shortcomings and establish adequate care.
What kind of pot do geraniums need?
When planting a young plant, you should not immediately buy a large flowerpot. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the size of the root system - the smaller it is, the less volume the pot should have.
Geranium will not bloom until the roots completely fill the flowerpot.
Whenever possible, it is better to use clay pots, the so-called "breathing". In them, the soil dries out faster, but flowers in plastic vases need to be monitored more carefully, because such dishes retain moisture longer, as a result of which root rot is possible.
The ideal pot diameter for one small bush is no more than 14 cm, and the height is no more than 15 cm.
How often should geraniums be watered?
Pelargonium watering late for a couple of days tolerates better than regular overflows. If the earthen lump dries up, the flower will wilt a little, but will quickly restore its previous appearance with the next watering.
However, if you water the flower from time to time, it will also stop blooming.
But abundant flooding with water can lead to decay of the roots, which is why the geranium will not only stop blooming, but may even die. In the summer, geraniums should be watered 3 times a week, if the room is too hot, you may need to do this daily. In winter, once a week is enough.
When to feed a flower?
With the arrival of spring, geraniums need additional feeding. Complex mineral fertilizers in liquid form, which must be added to the irrigation solution, have proven themselves well. The composition of dressings must necessarily contain phosphorus and potassium - they stimulate the laying of buds, and prolong flowering.
With the arrival of winter, it is advisable to stop feeding.
What temperature and soil does geranium like?
The room temperature in winter should not drop below 12 degrees Celsius. In summer it is recommended to take the flower outside.
As for the substrate, geranium loves loose and nutritious soil. You can buy ready-made mixes at the store or mix garden soil, sand and a little peat.
How to prune a bush correctly?
To ensure annual flowering, geraniums need to be rejuvenated in early spring. To do this, remove the old leaves and cut off the side shoots, leaving no more than 5 buds.If spring pruning was skipped for some reason, you can do it in September, but not later.