Geranium seeds - what they look like and how to sow them for seedlings

Geranium is a common houseplant. It is loved by flower growers for its unpretentiousness, beautiful flowering, ease of reproduction. Most often it is bred using cuttings, but you can try growing bushes from seeds. In this case, the parental characteristics may not be preserved, but the florist will feel like a breeder. Further information on how to grow geraniums from seeds at home.

Pros and cons of seed propagation of geraniums

Seed propagation of geraniums has many positive factors:

• the possibility of self-collection and preparation of seed material;
• method availability;
• seeds have a long shelf life;
• the possibility of obtaining flowering plants by early summer.

Geranium is a beautiful, unpretentious house plant

But there is one significant disadvantage of seed reproduction. This method may not transfer the parental qualities declared in the variety description. For example, the petals will not be double, the shape and size of the flowers will change.

What geranium seeds look like

Their amicable germination depends on the careful selection of seed material. Pelargonium seeds are light brown, oblong, with a matte shell. They should be tight to the touch. Empty, deformed seeds will not form plants.

Geranium seeds

How to get and collect seed

To get geranium seeds at home, you need to perform a pollination procedure. To do this, use a brush to move pollen from one flower to another.

On a pollinated bush, after flowering, a box with seeds is formed. It should dry well. After that, seeds are extracted from it, which are carefully dried. Then they are placed in a linen bag.

Rules for choosing purchased seeds

High-quality seed is sold packed in bags made of thick, sturdy paper. The following information must be indicated on the package: name of the manufacturer, contact details, batch number.

After the geranium blooms, seeds are formed that can be used for propagation

In addition, a bona fide producer indicates the name of the crop and variety, the weight of the seeds, and their expiration date. After opening the package, the florist must inspect the seed. You need to plant only dry seeds without signs of disease and pests.

Before ordering seeds from China through an online store, which is now very common among flower growers, you need to carefully read customer reviews.

The best time to sow

Sowing is usually started at the end of winter.However, if desired, the florist can perform the procedure at any time of the year. But in this case, the plants will need additional lighting, which is carried out using phytolamps.

Preparing for the procedure

In order for pelargonium from seeds to please with a beautiful flowering for a long time, you need to properly carry out the preparatory work.

Selection of containers

Geranium seeds can be planted in boxes or individual containers. For group planting, shallow wooden or plastic containers are used.

Peat pots are very popular with flower growers. In this case, the grown bushes can be planted in new containers along with a peat shell.

Geranium seeds are planted in light, fertile soil

Soil preparation

The substrate for sowing geraniums must be loose, air and water permeable. You can prepare it yourself from the following components:

• sod land;
• peat;
• river sand.

In the flower shop, you can buy ready-made nutrient soil for geraniums.

Scarification, disinfection and soaking of pelargonium seeds

To facilitate seed germination, a scarification procedure is carried out. To do this, the seeds are lightly rubbed with fine sandpaper. Only the top layer of seeds is carefully removed.

For disinfection, the seeds are placed in a potassium permanganate solution before being planted in a container. It is able to destroy 100% of bacteria that cause various diseases. Geranium seeds are soaked for 20 minutes, then washed with water and dried with a napkin.

To stimulate growth, seeds can be placed in Zircon solution. Prepare it at the rate of 4-5 drops of the drug per 100 grams of water. Seed material is soaked for 7-8 hours.

How to sow pelargonium at home with seeds for seedlings

Planting and caring for pelargonium seeds requires a little skill. The container is chosen depending on the amount of seed. If there is a lot of it, use a group container, if not enough, use individual containers.

Sow seeds in group containers or individual containers

Into containers

There must be drain holes in the container. When sowing, the following step-by-step actions are performed:

1. The containers are filled with earth to a depth of 3-4 centimeters.
2. Sprinkle with warm water.
3. Seeds are placed on the surface at a distance of 2 centimeters from each other.
4. They are covered with a small layer of substrate.

For quick germination of seeds, the container is covered with glass or foil. The mini-greenhouse is placed in a warm place. Covering material is removed, the container with crops is ventilated. This must be done to prevent the appearance of fungal diseases.

In peat tablets

If there is little seed, you can use individual containers made from natural materials. For example, it can be peat pots, which are filled with prepared substrate, and pelargonium seeds are planted in them.

Another option is peat tablets. They are sold compressed. To make them soak, they are placed in warm water for a few minutes. They are then squeezed slightly to remove excess fluid.

In each tablet, you need to sow 1 seed, deepening it by no more than 1 centimeter. Planting material can be placed in a container and covered with glass or foil.

Using toilet paper

One of the simplest ways to get seedlings is to germinate seeds on toilet paper. The landing procedure is performed as follows:

1. Cut a strip of polyethylene, on which toilet paper is laid.
2. Spray with water from a spray bottle.
3. Spread the seeds at a distance of 2-3 centimeters from each other.
4. Cover them with a strip of toilet paper, which is then moistened.
5. Lay out a strip of polyethylene.

The structure is rolled up. Water is poured into a bottle or a plastic glass to a level of 2-3 centimeters, then a snail with seeds is placed there.Cover the container. The first shoots will appear soon.

How to care for geranium seedlings

Care is a prerequisite for growing quality seedlings. Crops must be watered on time, periodically fed. When the seedlings grow a little, they dive; for good tillering - pinch. When signs of disease appear, the bushes are sprayed with special preparations.

Grown geranium seedlings

Watering

Until the seeds have sprouted, the ground is sprayed with water from a spray bottle. When shoots appear, you can water from a watering can with a narrow neck. Moisten the soil as the top layer dries.

In summer, seedlings are usually watered once every 3 days. The bushes do not tolerate excess moisture, therefore, the containers must have holes for draining excess liquid. With stagnant water in the ground, geraniums can be struck by a black leg.

Top dressing

Nutrients begin to be applied 2 weeks after picking the seedlings. Mineral complex fertilizer is used. During the budding period, potassium and phosphorus are introduced, contributing to lush and long flowering.

Top dressing is done twice a month until mid-autumn. In winter, plants are given a dormant period.

External factors

Growing pelargonium from seeds will be effective if, from the first days, the seedlings are provided with the required conditions of detention.

Lighting

Geranium loves well-lit places. But the direct rays of the sun should not fall on the leaves. For the summer, pots with flowers are taken out into the fresh air, having previously hardened the seedlings. To prevent the shoots from stretching, the culture must be provided with good lighting for 15-16 hours a day.

Air humidity

Spraying geraniums is not required. The sheet plates are covered with a protective layer that can be damaged by the ingress of water droplets. From excess moisture, there is a likelihood of the appearance of putrefactive microorganisms on the culture.

Temperature

The most favorable temperature for keeping geranium is 20-22 ° C. So that the bushes do not lose their decorative effect, it should not fall below 7 ° C. Do not allow sudden changes in day and night temperatures.

Picking

When at least 4 true leaves appear on young bushes, a pick is made. Plants are gently pulled out of the ground with tweezers and planted in individual containers. They are deepened by 2-3 centimeters.

When the bushes grow up a little, they are transplanted into separate containers.

Pinching

When the plants form 6-8 leaves, pinch is done. The procedure promotes the formation of lateral buds. The bush then takes on a decorative appearance, becomes lush, branched.

Pinch the top over the kidney. The procedure can be performed several times per season.

When to transplant to a permanent place

By the end of May, the seedlings are ready for planting. It is pre-tempered by taking it out of the house into fresh air, first for a few minutes, then for several hours. In 7-10 days, the bushes get used to the new conditions of detention, and they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

If the grower has a garden area, he can plant the plants in open ground. The distance between the bushes is 25-30 centimeters. It is advisable to lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the landing hole.

Ampel pelargonium

Ampel geranium will look beautiful suspended in a pot. Beautiful varieties of culture, for example, with tulip flowers, are planted in pots and placed on well-lit windowsills.

Geranium is an unpretentious flowering plant. It is easy to grow by cuttings. With a little effort, the grower can also grow new bushes from seeds.Correctly performing agrotechnical measures, he will be able to admire their spectacular flowering all summer. Seed material is purchased at a flower shop, or harvested from their home geraniums.