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Geranium Himalayan Plenum is a popular crop with long and generous flowering. The plant does not require special attention during care, feels great on different soils, has a very strong immunity to diseases. Subject to agrotechnical rules, the culture has been pleasing the gardener with its attractive appearance for several years.
History of occurrence
Geranium Plenum (geranium Рlenum) was first discovered in Asia in the highlands, it is also common in forest edges, subalpine and alpine meadows, covers mountain slopes, is often found in the Himalayas, which is why it was given a second name – Himalayan. It tolerates drought and frost very well, feels great in Our Country, China, Korea, and the USA. The study of the species, as well as planting it in garden plots, began in the middle of the XNUMXth century.
Description of the Himalayan geranium Plenum with photo
Himalayan geranium is a low dense bush that usually grows up to 30-50 cm. It is distinguished by beautiful five-fingered oval-shaped openwork leaves, the size of which can reach 10 cm. They have a rich green color and expressive purple veins, a pubescent surface, are located on high petioles (up to 20 cm). Unlike other varieties of geraniums, Plenum flowers are large, with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm. They are double, ideally symmetrical in shape, mostly lilac, purple or blue in color. Arranged on umbellate-shaped peduncles.
The root system of the plant is powerful, grows quite densely. A thick root in diameter can reach 1,5-2 cm and is often shown on the surface of the earth in summer.
Usually, gardeners use Plenum as a ground cover crop, since it can form a closed and dense growth in a short time, although it can be planted in any flower beds and mixborders.
Flowering Plenum long, begins in May and ends closer to September. The buds do not fade for a long time. It is also worth noting that the variety has a strong and pleasant aroma.
Advantages and disadvantages
Any variety of geranium has a lot of advantages, and the Himalayan Plenum is generally the most popular variety of culture in landscape design.
Advantages:
- unpretentiousness;
- abundant and long flowering;
- winter hardiness;
- disease resistance;
- a wide variety of varieties.
Disadvantages:
- exactingness to light;
- the need for pruning.
Planting terry geranium Plenum
Himalayan geraniums should be planted in a well-lit area, shading is allowed only for a few hours a day. It is better to place the Plenum on a hill, since the culture does not respond well to the high occurrence of groundwater.
For planting, gardeners usually use seedlings purchased from a specialized store, or obtained from their own plant by dividing the roots. In this case, the material must be healthy and well developed. Before planting in open ground, it should be stored in a cool place in a container with peat.
At the end of spring, when the time comes for planting the Plenum Himalayan geranium, the area where it will grow is dug deep, fertilized with peat or manure and watered. Next, holes are dug at intervals of 25 cm, with a depth greater than the volume of the roots of the seedling by 20 cm. A layer of gravel, expanded clay or broken brick is poured into the bottom of the planting pits, and peat mixed with sand is placed on top. The seedling is placed in the hole, leveling its roots, sprinkled with earth, watered abundantly and covered with a layer of mulch.
Caring for terry geranium Plenum
Plenum is a type of Himalayan geranium that does not have special requirements for care, but in order for it to show itself in all its glory, you need to take a little care of it. It is important to moisten the flower beds in a timely manner, especially for the first few weeks after planting, from time to time to carry out top dressing and pruning.
After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil, and regularly replenish mulch stocks. Himalayan geranium responds well to top dressing. For its lush and long flowering, it is best to use mineral complex additives. If you feed the Plenum with potassium-phosphorus compounds, this will increase the number of inflorescences on the bush.
For a more elegant look, it is advisable to cut the Himalayan geranium. This should be done at the end of summer. All lignified shoots are removed, leaving stumps no more than 10 cm.
Diseases and pests
The Himalayan Plenum geranium can only get sick if it is not cared for properly. Of the common diseases, it should be noted rot, which appears on the plant with an excess of moisture, and fusarium wilt. Rarely, a flower is affected by chlorosis, powdery mildew.
Of the pests, caterpillars, aphids, spider mites and whiteflies can attack Plenum geraniums. You need to fight them with the help of folk remedies and chemicals.
Application in landscape design
Terry Himalayan geranium Plenum, the photo of which is presented above, is widely used in the landscape design of personal plots due to its unpretentiousness and decorative properties. With its help, they decorate rockeries, borders, alpine slides, decorate ponds, complement flower arrangements in mixborders and other flower beds. Plenum goes well with other varieties of geraniums, as well as with almost any flowering plants. It can become a cover for the land in areas with cool climatic conditions.
Conclusion
Geranium Himalayan Plenum is a pretty perennial that is densely covered with double buds for a long time. Planting, growing and caring for a crop does not take much time and effort from the gardener, due to which it has earned an increased interest in floriculture.