Pelargonium "Horizon Ripple Raspberry"

Horseshoe pelargonium ''Horizon Ripple Raspberry'' - Pelargonium zonale.
A magnificent perennial houseplant with an unexpectedly variegated, stunning coloring that thrives not only indoors, on verandas and balconies, but also looks beautiful in hanging baskets and flowerpots.
Pelargonium "Variegated Raspberry" : this plant forms a voluminous and compact bush, 30 cm tall and 35 cm in diameter, adorned with decorative leaves. The unusual coloring of the flowers, changing from a "dirty" orange-white on the front to a soft orange on the back, will captivate you with its uniqueness.
Flowers are gathered in large, spherical inflorescences 10-12 cm in diameter. Varieties in this series are distinguished not only by their exquisite colors, but also by their early flowering.
Sowing: December-March in light soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm, cover the crops with glass and place in a warm, bright place, excluding direct sunlight.
Pure peat or a mixture of peat and sand is used as a substrate. Seedlings usually appear 2-3 weeks after sowing. The optimal temperature for rapid germination is +20 to +25°C and moist soil (without excess water).
After the seeds have sprouted, move the containers to a cooler location. Seedlings are pricked out when they have 2-3 true leaves. To promote tillering, pinch the plants above the 5th-6th leaf.
The seedlings are planted in the ground when the threat of frost has passed, at intervals of 20 cm.
Pelargonium is a light-loving and moisture-loving plant, preferring light, fertile soils with the addition of sand.
Care: During the warmer months, it prefers abundant, frequent watering. In winter, water sparingly, depending on the temperature. Feed the plant with potassium-rich mineral fertilizers.

* Most people grow pelargoniums because they consider them to be one of the most low-maintenance plants. Furthermore, the scent of fragrant pelargoniums repels moths. Many people know from personal experience that keeping geraniums in the home can help with insomnia, neuroses, and some other nervous system disorders.
Pelargonium cuttings are lightly dried and then planted in a loose, slightly moistened mixture of peat, leaf mold, and sand. It's best to disinfect the soil beforehand: for example, by pouring boiling water over it or soaking it in a very hot oven for about 15-20 minutes. After drying for 24 hours, it's best to roll the cuttings in charcoal powder before planting. Rooting usually occurs within a month. Cuttings rooted in early spring begin to bloom in summer. Cuttings rooted in late summer are overwintered in cool conditions and replanted in late winter or early summer.
Incidentally, the most basic care for geraniums involves periodically loosening the top layer of soil in the pot, removing damaged or yellowed leaves, and trimming off faded flower stalks. In spring, geranium stems are trimmed back by 1/3 of their length to encourage branching.
Important: Before placing geraniums in the garden or on the balcony, carry out preventative treatment with a fungicide, as these plants are prone to diseases such as pelargonium rust, powdery mildew, and downy mildew.
Growing problems.
The stems are bare at the base, the leaves are small, and flowering is sparse due to insufficient light. A south-facing windowsill is the best place for pelargoniums. The stems have turned black at the base—a disease called "black leg" caused by excess moisture in the soil, especially when kept cool. It's best to destroy the plant.
The leaves turn yellow due to lack of watering - in summer, pelargonium is watered approximately 2-3 times a week.
If the plant's growth has slowed and it's not blooming, it might be time to repot it. Feed the plant regularly in spring and summer.
Pelargonium leaves may turn yellow:
- when transferring the plant from open ground into the house in the fall (the mother pelargonium bushes gradually take root after being transplanted into pots, acclimatize to the new conditions, and the yellowing of the leaves stops);
- if optimal winter maintenance conditions are not met (pelargoniums in winter require light, coolness of 10-12 degrees, protection from drafts, and infrequent watering);
- in case of a frequently occurring fungal disease - rust, when red-brown pustules containing fungal spores appear on yellowed leaves or stems of the plant; in case of severe infection, the leaves dry out and the plant may die (the leaves are sprayed on all sides with Bordeaux mixture (0.4-0.5%)).
The plant is growing vigorously, producing large green leaves, but there is little or no flowering. This indicates overfertilization, especially if a fertilizer with a high nitrogen dose was used rather than a potassium-based fertilizer. Do not exceed the dosage specified in the instructions. Yellow spots appear on the leaves, gradually spreading to the entire leaf, or rusty spots appear on the outer or lower surface of the leaf.
- pelargonium rust - the plant is repeatedly treated with a fungicide.
Pelargonium pests: most often this plant is attacked by red spider mites, aphids and whiteflies (but this problem is easily solved by a single spraying with a systemic acaricide, for example: Fitoverm, Kleschevit, Biotlin, Aktara, Bitoxibacillin, etc.).