Geranium is loved by gardeners for its undemanding nature when it comes to watering and soil composition. The aroma of essential oil emanating from its leaves effectively repels insects. The only thing this flower needs for full development and maintenance of decorativeness is pruning. Without its implementation, the bare shoots are greatly elongated, and the number of inflorescences is significantly reduced - in this form the plant seems neglected and stunted.
Flower growers specializing in geraniums advise carrying out mandatory annual autumn pruning of the plant in order to stimulate the growth of lateral branches and abundant flowering in the next season.
Why prune geraniums?
Geranium (pelargonium) is a popular flower that can be grown both in open ground and at home. Many gardeners plant pelargonium in a flower bed for the summer, and dig it up and bring it indoors for the winter.
Thus, the culture continues to delight with its flowering throughout the year.
But even such a hardy and unpretentious plant needs rest and proper care. In order for pelargonium to bloom profusely, it is recommended to trim it regularly. The procedure is simple, but requires compliance with some features.
Despite how easy it is to care for, geranium also has its own requirements for growing conditions. With proper care, it pleases flower growers with abundant flowering and lush bushes.
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✔️ Important! Flowers and yellowed leaves must be removed in any case, regardless of the variety, while trimming the stem is individual for almost each variety, which differ in size.
So, the crop formed shoots and inflorescences throughout the summer, so pruning in the fall is necessary for the following results:
- the bush is rejuvenated. Young shoots are formed, which are less susceptible to diseases and delight with new buds;
- after pruning, the formed buds bloom for a longer period;
- pelargonium takes on a more well-groomed appearance, since during the growing season many leaves fall off and bare shoots begin to be visible;
- the bush is more lush as new shoots appear;
- Pelargonium tolerates winter more easily.
Pelargonium should be pruned in the fall, this way the pelargonium will have time to recover before winter.
Preparing ground, balcony and indoor geraniums for pruning
Now it’s Indian summer, and the geranium is blooming magnificently, blooming so much that you don’t even want to think about pruning. Such a beauty.
But in order to preserve beauty and youth, we women know for sure that without care and rejuvenation procedures, any beauty will fade quite quickly.
If the geranium grew in the soil in the garden
Geraniums that grew in the ground are usually dug up and transferred to pots or containers. Before pruning, she is given a week or two to get used to the new place. As a rule, only those plants whose variety or color the gardener wants to keep for next year are replanted. The rest flourish as annuals.
If the geranium grew on an open balcony or terrace in containers
Geraniums from the balcony can be transferred into one large container in the same way, or you can bring separate pots, if there is somewhere.
If the geranium is indoor
There is no need to transfer homemade, indoor geranium anywhere. You need to prepare for pruning those specimens that you want to rejuvenate.
The result of any autumn pruning will be the production of new strong young shoots for lush flowering in late spring and summer.
In the spring, you can plant the resulting shoots in pots or leave them on the mother plant, adjusting the shape of the bush by spring pruning.
Alla Sivak has an excellent video of radical pruning of geraniums for lush flowering under a stump and what to do after pruning. In winter, her flowers stand at home in the light, in the warmth.
The video is not long, but if you need it faster, then there is such an opportunity. There is a wheel icon in the bottom right corner of the video. Click on the wheel and find the word “speed” in the drop-down menu. You can select speed 2 and watch the video twice as fast.
When is it better to prune geraniums in spring or autumn?
Pelargonium at home should be pruned both in autumn and spring. In the fall, more thorough pruning is carried out. All damaged and non-flowering shoots are removed. It is important for the gardener to form a bush so that the crop does not lose its attractive appearance in the future.
In spring, the flower requires sanitary pruning. Only damaged shoots and those growing inside the bush need to be trimmed.
NOTE! There is no need to rush to throw away the cut cuttings. You can use them to get a new plant. To do this, the cuttings are placed in water, and when they take root, they are transplanted into the ground.
✅ Pruning geraniums in autumn for winter, step-by-step instructions
To prune in the fall to prepare for winter, you need to follow a step-by-step procedure:
- bring the pelargonium indoors (if it was outside in the summer) and water it generously with warm water;
- leave the pot with the culture for 2-3 days so that the geranium has time to adapt to home conditions;
- prepare tools. Most often a knife or scalpel is used. Instruments must be disinfected. For this, alcohol or any other antiseptic is used;
- carefully examine the bush and remove yellow and dried leaves;
- the next step will be to remove the shoots that grow inward, so that all pelargonium will receive the required amount of light in winter;
- the upper shoots are shortened above the leaf nodes;
- The side branches are pinched so that young shoots appear.
After the geranium has undergone the pruning procedure, you need to sprinkle the cut area with crushed coal. After pruning in the fall, the flower quickly recovers and pleases with abundant flowering throughout the winter.
Video: How to prune geraniums for the winter. Autumn pruning of pelargonium.
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Autumn formation of the bush
Summer is behind us with wildly blooming geraniums. It's time to rest and help the plant regain its strength. Removing excess shoots, pruning the main branches and pinching the tops will help give the plant the desired shape and normalize its further development.
The essence of circumcision
Pruning geraniums for the winter means freeing them from a third of the bush’s volume. Unnecessary shoots are mercilessly removed and all stems are shortened by a third. There's nothing wrong with that. Over the winter period, provided the plant is well cared for, the bush will grow a new lush crown.
Along with the cut branches, the need to spend energy on feeding them also goes away. The plant has the opportunity to regain its strength for the next season. This necessary operation will serve as the basis for laying the optimal volume of flower buds and guaranteeing healthy flowering bushes next spring.
What goals are being pursued?
After the pelargonium has faded, you can and should prune the bush. The procedure for shortening branches and cutting off excess shoots will allow you to:
- awaken the development of side shoots and the formation of future inflorescences;
- create the desired bush configuration;
- achieve abundant and long-lasting flowering;
- prepare excellent raw materials for breeding your favorite species.
It follows from this that autumn thinning is very beneficial: in the spring, young plants grown from cuttings are added to the mother bush.
Technique for proper crown design
There are many types of pelargonium. There are indoor and garden, bush and hanging, tall and dwarf. The formation of the crown for each of them has its own characteristics. But the main requirement for all varieties is their timely pruning. The good appearance and subsequent vigorous flowering of the plant depend on the quality of the work done.
Therefore, it is advisable to cut off unnecessary shoots and shorten the main branches with a clean and very sharp knife. A blade or utility knife is ideal. You should not do this with scissors, because there is a danger of injuring the epithelium on the cut.
The branches are shortened by about a third of the length or after every fourth node. To do this, find a dormant node bud located on the outside of the bush, and cut off the upper part of the branch at an angle of 90°, 0.5 cm away from the leaf node. Damaged or dried stems, dried flowers and leaves are also removed. To avoid covering the root zone, branches growing inside the bush are cut out.
After cutting, there should be from 2 to 7 leaves left on each shoot. In no case should you cut off all the leaves when pruning pelargonium in the fall, since these are the main participants in photosynthesis and without them, the roots of the plant simply will not receive the microelements necessary for life.
Young shoots can simply be pinched with your fingers. It is important that they are dry and clean. To avoid infection, cut branches are sprinkled with ground charcoal or cinnamon powder. Finally, the plant needs to be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer to speed up the forcing of new shoots and good tillering of the flower.
Activities for the autumn decoration of pelargonium bushes last throughout the autumn until the onset of winter. During this period, additional shortening or pinching of missed stems is allowed without harm to the bush. But with the onset of winter, work stops. Now until spring the flowers need rest. The temperature drops to 10-12 degrees, watering is reduced and fertilizing the plants completely stops. And the lighting remains at the same level. Pelargoniums need good lighting all year round to thrive.
How to prune different varieties and types of geraniums
Each type of geranium may have its own individual pruning requirements before winter that must be observed.
Pruning royal geraniums
Royal geranium is distinguished by its demanding care. It blooms at home for 2-3 months, after which it accumulates strength to re-form buds. In order for the royal geranium to be lush and healthy, it needs to be pruned only in the fall. The upper and lateral processes are pinched. Only shoots that grow inside the bush are removed.
Ampelous geranium
The peculiarity of this variety of pelargonium is that it grows quickly and hangs from the pot.
At home it is grown in hanging pots and during the flowering period it will decorate any room.
However, in order for the hanging geranium to have an attractive appearance, it should be pruned not only in the fall, but also in the spring. During the pruning process, all shoots are pinched and those that are dry and growing inward are cut out.
It is necessary to carry out the procedure in the fall only after the crop has completely faded.
Geranium zonal
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It is grown both in garden and at home. In order for pelargonium to bloom profusely, it must be pruned twice a year.
All damaged stems are removed. The upper and lateral ones are pinched so that lateral shoots appear.
How to carry out anti-aging pruning of geraniums
Anti-aging pruning in the fall at home is necessary so that pelargonium begins to form young shoots.
The bush is cut by 1/3. In the root zone on the woody shoots you need to make small vertical cuts. This way new shoots will appear.
If the pelargonium is already old, in addition to pruning, it must be replanted in new soil. During transplantation, the roots are carefully inspected and damaged areas are removed.
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Why am I doing it?
Firstly, by getting rid of excess shoots, I manage to form the desired shape of the bush. Secondly, after thinning, its air exchange and lighting improve. As a result, the cut flower quite quickly sprouts new shoots with young leaves and inflorescences. Also, thanks to pruning, the plant’s immunity increases, and it remains vital for several seasons.
Geranium.
Pruning geraniums to form a crown
Lush bushes look much more attractive than bare stems, so it is very important to form the crown correctly.
Experts recommend shaping immediately after planting the cuttings. However, if the moment has been missed, you can form a crown in the fall before winter.
For this purpose, sanitary pruning is carried out. All damaged shoots are removed. The top ones need to be pinched.
The lateral processes are also pinched. Thus, a small herbaceous tree is formed. Gradually, the pelargonium will release side shoots and a lush bush will form.
Caring for geraniums after pruning
Pruning in the fall and preparation for winter should be carried out in a timely manner, even at home. It is also important in the fall that after pruning the plant, proper care is taken. Features of home care include:
- watering. Geraniums should be watered at home in winter once every 6-7 days. For irrigation, warm water is used, which has previously settled;
- feeding After pruning in the fall, fertilizing should only be done every other week. Complex fertilizers for flowering plants are used as nutrients;
- spraying with water once every 2 weeks.
In addition, you need to place the flower pot on a well-lit windowsill. Preference should be given to the south side.
NOTE! After pruning in the fall, it is highly not recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers. The amount of nitrogen fertilizers in winter is reduced to a minimum amount. Otherwise, the plant will not be able to go into a dormant state.
