Why doesn't geranium bloom and what to do?

The presence of domestic plants has not surprised anyone for a long time, but their healthy appearance and constant flowering are not often met. Flowers that are grown on the windowsill must fulfill certain functions assigned to them, and one of them is to decorate the room through a combination of greenery and bright colors. In the event that it is not possible to achieve flowering, it is worth figuring out what the problem is. Geranium is one of the most popular and desired home flowers, and it is a shame if it does not bloom for a long time.

Geranium plants that can be found in nature belong to the dicotyledonous family, which can be divided into 7 tribes:

• Geranium;
• Pelargonium;
• Acidic;
• Embalmed;
• Limnanthes;
• Vmanieae;
• Wendtii.

Geranium was first found in South Africa, and it is this area that is considered its homeland. Due to its attractive appearance, it was brought to Europe in the 16th century, and to Russia in the 18th century. A long flowering period is considered a virtue of this plant and maintains a stable interest in it. You can see flowers from late spring to mid-autumn. Due to the fact that geraniums began to be cultivated as a home plant, new varieties have appeared that have their own characteristics.

• Zonal has stripes on the petals, which divide them into certain zones of different shades. This variety is usually white, red and pink in color. The peculiarity of the species is that the flowering period is short, but the process of the appearance of new flowers is so fast that it seems as if the pelargonium does not stop blooming.

• Fragrant differs from other varieties in the ability of the leaves to give off aroma. It can be very diverse: mint, orange, apple, nut, and more. The plant itself grows small, has a compact crown and small foliage, blooms with beautiful and bright flowers.

• Royal considered the most beautiful of all varieties. The plant is tall, the leaves are jagged at the edges, the flowers are large, reaching up to 15 cm in diameter. A feature of the variety is a dark speck located on each petal. Geranium blooms very beautifully and profusely, but the period is short, and half the size of the usual varieties.

These are just some of the types of geraniums that can be found now. Each option has its own characteristics of the development and growth of the bush itself, as well as the flowering period. In the event that the time for the appearance of buds has come, and the flower does not give them out, then you need to understand the reasons and eliminate them in time.

If there are indoor flowers in the room and their development is proceeding correctly, then it means that the care and conditions are completely suitable for them. When geranium does not bloom, it is worth understanding the reason for this in order to quickly remove it and enable the plant to fully grow and please the eye. Let's take a look at a few of the most common reasons.

• Lack of necessary fertilizer. Geranium prefers potash supplements and does not need organic ones, therefore, when choosing fertilizers, you should be careful.
• Failure to comply with watering conditions. It is important to correctly introduce moisture into the pot; with an excess of moisture, the plant deteriorates very quickly. It is easier for a flower to be completely without water than with an excess of it.
• Incorrect selection of the pot. If you pick up too large a container for geraniums, then the presence of a significant earthen coma will force the root system to grow actively, and the bush will begin to stretch upward, completely forgetting about flowering. If it is not possible to purchase a suitable pot, then you can place several bushes in one container so that they help each other.
• No clipping. If pruning is not carried out in time, the geranium may not bloom. The flower grows actively, and in case of thickening it gives only foliage, completely stopping flowering. The optimal timing is spring or autumn.
• Lack of light. Pelargonium refers to light-loving flowers, and if it does not receive the proper amount of light, it actively stretches upward to get an extra ray of the sun or lamp light.
• Unsuitable winter conditions. It is important to reduce the air temperature to 16 degrees, prevent drafts, water with a small amount of water and light the plant for at least 5 hours a day.

If the geranium grows normally, but you can't wait to bloom, then you should pay attention to other factors.

• The soil... The soil for geraniums should be loose and fluffy; in the case of clay soil, the plant will not bloom. The most suitable soil for pelargonium will be the ratio of garden soil, sand and humus in proportions of 2: 1: 1. The problem may lie not only in the composition of the soil, but also in its density. If you do not transplant the flower for a long time, then the soil will be compressed and will be unsuitable for the normal development of the plant. At least once a year, you need to transplant or renew the topsoil.
• Diseases... If the flower is healthy, then checking all the factors described will help identify the reason for the lack of flowering. If we are talking about a disease, then you need to pay attention to the appearance of the geranium. If its leaves change color, spots, mold or white bloom, ulcers, abrasions appear on them, then there are clear signs of the disease. To properly fight a disease, you need to understand its nature, it can be bacterial, viral, fungal. Timely treatment will help save the flower and achieve normal growth and flowering.

If the care of geraniums is correct, but it is not possible to achieve flowering, then you can try radical measures to combat the problem. Shock therapy is considered one of the options, in which unfavorable conditions are created for the flower that threaten the integrity and health of the plant. The point is to force the biological mechanism of procreation to turn on, so that the bush throws out the color to obtain seeds in the event of the death of the main plant.

Several methods can be used to perform this kind of stimulation:

• early and strong pruning of the bush, when no more than two eyes remain on it;
• cold conditions the environment in winter and lack of proper watering;
• transplanting into the ground or onto a balcony ahead of time;
• increase in iodine content.

She does not like to be moved and carried to a new place, especially when this happens during flowering. Pelargonium can react very harshly, dropping color completely from minimal movement.

In order for the bush to grow normally and color, you need to do everything necessary for this.

• Organize proper watering, moisture is introduced only when the topsoil is well dried out. If the flower is in the garden, then its watering depends on the weather outside.In cloudy and rainy weather, do not water the bush more than 2 times a week. To make sure watering is done on time, you can look at the geranium foliage. In case of excessive watering, it will begin to wither and curl, after which plaque and rot may appear on it. It is important to adjust the introduced moisture in time, otherwise the bush cannot be saved.
• Correct the temperature readings. If the room is less than 15 degrees, then the bush will begin to "fall asleep", which is quite normal for the winter period, when pelargonium can rest and gather strength, and by spring it will grow and bloom well. In the warm season, the lighting regime becomes more important.
• Provide light. For the formation of buds, the flower needs the sun, therefore, indoors, the pot should be placed on the south window, and in the garden the bush should be planted in a well-lit, but shaded area during the midday heat. If the trunk begins to shed foliage, then the flower does not have enough light.
• Choose the right pot size - it must correspond to the size of the flower, as well as high-quality, light and nutritious soil.
• Do not spray geraniums. The house flower does not need to be sprayed, as it does not like it. Simple watering is enough for the normal growth of the bush. Garden geranium also prefers to do without additional shower procedures.

In order for geranium to grow and bloom well, it must be properly looked after throughout the year, knowing all the features of this flower. The most important moment in development is spring awakening, when the bush is actively growing. At this point, you need to help the plant as much as possible and apply suitable mineral fertilizers. It is important that the amount of nitrogen is not more than 11%, because large numbers will contribute to the appearance of exclusively greenery, without any flowering.

With the installation of stable warm weather, the flower is transferred to open ground or to a balcony. Due to the difference in temperature indicators of day and night, the flower is activated and begins to emit a large number of buds. For abundant flowering, it is worth picking off or cutting off those inflorescences that have already wilted.

Pruning is another important step in the normal development and care of a plant. Normalizing greens, and cutting off old stems helps the bush to bloom, you should not carry out these activities only with royal geraniums, pruning is too much stress for it. The procedure for removing unnecessary parts of the plant is carried out in the fall, and at the end of winter you need to pinch the bush, which in the future will allow the geranium to bloom profusely.

The plant can be pruned in both fall and spring and the procedure will be different. Autumn pruning will look like this:

1. remove all faded inflorescences, wilted leaves and stems;
2. decide on the shape of the bush and remove all unnecessary shoots;
3. remove very long shoots or shoots without leaves - it is better to cut near the lower node, if you leave a stump near it, then a new growth will appear from it later;
4. in the process of preparing for winter, it is worth cutting off the main stem by a third of the length;
5. the pruning procedure is not carried out in winter, as the plant is dormant.

If we talk about spring pruning, then it is a mandatory event, because it allows you to update the greenery and give an impetus to the formation of flower stalks. Due to spring pruning, the flowering period is inhibited for a couple of weeks, but as a result, the flowers grow larger and more beautiful. It is recommended to carry out these activities in late winter or early spring.

If the bush is large, it is not recommended to prune it too much, because it will take a long time to recuperate, and this can lead to a complete lack of color. If the bush is young and small, then it can be formed as you like, without harming development. The main criterion for pruning will be the presence of at least two buds on the plant.

To create optimal conditions, the flower should be transplanted into open ground, so caring for it will be easier, and natural conditions will contribute to active growth and flowering. It is quite easy to determine the time for a transplant, the main factor is the absence of significant temperature changes during the day or at night. By autumn, it is worth planting the geranium again in a pot, cutting it off strongly so that the bush begins to prepare for winter. The organization of a cool temperature will make it possible for pelargonium to gain strength over the winter and actively grow with the onset of spring.

As for leaving during flowering, it should be as correct as possible so that this process is longer. Watering and feeding, which are carried out in a timely manner, are important. If you devote maximum time and attention to a flower, you can easily understand how exactly you need to care for it.

• If the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, this means that watering is insufficient and needs to be increased. It is worth evaluating the humidity and temperature of the room in which the flower is located and adjusting the amount of moisture introduced.
• If the foliage begins to wither and rot, then this is an indicator of excessive flooding of the flower. The solution in this situation would be to stop watering for a while and place the pot in the sun.
• The edge of the foliage starts to turn red due to exposure to cold. The flower can be located very close to the glass in winter, which causes the leaves to freeze. It is worth moving the pot away to protect the crown.
• The foliage is thinning, falling off, exposing the stem, - all these are the reasons for the lack of light. You can solve the problem by rearranging the pot on the windowsill, which is better illuminated by the sun.

For information on why geraniums do not bloom and what to do, see the next video.