How to make a geranium cutting?

Geraniums reproduce easily by cuttings

One of the most popular flowering plants is the geranium. This beautiful vegetable decorates many balconies and terraces and brightens the home of many people. Its many advantages also include its easy reproduction in cuttings. Creating a geranium cutting is a very simple task and doing it well we can enjoy more of these flowers next spring.

So that you can create a geranium cutting at home, we are going to discuss how to do it step by step. In addition, we will talk about the aftercare that this plant requires. So if you want more geraniums at home or in the garden, do not hesitate to continue reading this article.

How to make a geranium cutting?

Making a geranium cutting is very simple

In order to help you create a geranium cutting, we are going to explain how to do it step by step. But first we will see a list of materials that we will need For this task:

  • Sand
  • Knife or scissors
  • Small plastic pots
  • Seedling substrate
  • A mature geranium
  • Rooting hormone (optional but highly recommended)

Once we have all the materials ready, we just have to get down to work. First, we must select the thickest, most massive and healthy stems. When cutting them it should be above the second armpit that is located above. That is to say: We must cut just above the place where the leaves sprout.

Then we remove both the buds and the leaves that are in the lower half of the cut. Later we must cut the bottom ends belonging to the stem, just below a type of knot. In this node is where the concentration of the hormones responsible for rooting is naturally higher.

Now it's time to take the small plastic pots and fill them with a mixture of sand and substrate for seedlings. In this way we will achieve a better drainage of the plant. The idea is nail between two and three cuttings in each pot, close to the edge. Then we have to water well and place the pots in a place that is well lit in our home. In order to prevent mold from appearing, it is best not to cover the cuttings with plastic.

After a few weeks, the wounds caused by the cut will have healed and that is when the first roots will appear. Generally, the geranium cutting already has a good, well-established root system in about six to eight weeks. When spring begins we will be able to transplant each of the cuttings, which then will already be a plant. The objective is to transfer each plant to an individual pot filled with ordinary substrate. For its maintenance, a constant degree of humidity will be necessary and once the last frosts have passed, the geraniums can be planted in the place that we want.

Geraniums are easily transplanted
Related article:
Geranium transplantation

How to root a geranium cutting

If we correctly follow the steps we mentioned above to create a geranium cutting, in principle it should root well without us having to do anything special. However, to make sure and help the geranium a bit, it is advisable to dip the base of each of the cuts in a small amount of rooting hormone before placing the cuttings in the pots. In this way we will stimulate the growth of the roots.

Aftercare

Each plant requires specific care

Once the geranium cuttings have grown into beautiful flowering plants, there are a series of cares that are essential for these vegetables to survive. For the maintenance of geraniums we must focus on six fundamental pillars:

  1. The hours of sunshine
  2. The earth
  3. Irrigation
  4. Fertilizer
  5. Propagation
  6. Management

Geraniums require at least six hours of sun a day, if possible more. For this reason, it is very important to place the pots with the geranium cuttings in a place that meets this requirement. Due to this it is more common to find them on terraces, balconies and next to windows than in the middle of the home. In the event that the plant does not receive enough sunlight, the flowers will not bloom.

As for the soil, a conventional garden compost is enough. To enrich them we can add manure or compost. In this way, both the fertility and the drainage of the soil will be improved. In order to aid flowering, we can purchase fertilizers specifically designed for geraniums. They are normally used every four to six weeks during the flowering period. The dose depends on the brand.

Speaking of point three, irrigation, the most advisable thing to do is water geraniums twice a week during the summer and only once a week in winter. Ideally, do not over water to prevent mold and even other diseases. It is advisable to water at ground level in the garden or to put a plate with stones under the pot and add the water there. In addition, it is very important not to flood the plant.

Watering the geraniums must be frequent
Related article:
How often to water the geraniums?

Spread and disease

As we've already mentioned above, geraniums are easily propagated by cuttings. We can prepare them in autumn and let them overwinter. Most plants go into a kind of hibernation mode. In this state they should not be watered a lot. Once the hours of sunshine increase again in spring, the geraniums are reactivated.

While it is true that these plants are quite resistant, they can acquire fungi and leaf spots. This is especially true when the environment is very humid. For this reason, it is advisable to place the geraniums in a ventilated place that does not have drafts. While little air can cause certain diseases, an excess is capable of breaking the stems of the plant, damaging its growth. So that the plant does not waste energy unnecessarily, it is advisable to remove dead flowers.

By following these steps and maintenance tips, you can not only properly care for your adult geraniums, but also reproduce them through cuttings and thus have more flowers for next spring. A little color can always brighten up our home.


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