Having geraniums and/or gypsies on balconies, terraces and/or patios is something very Spanish. You could almost say that we have it in our blood: although it is in Andalusia where they are most cultivated, surely who else knows less someone who has a specimen of them at home. And with a little care, they are beautiful. But do you know how they differ?
Although they are two very similar plants, their growth is a bit different, which is why they are usually grown in different areas. Therefore, we will tell you below what is the difference between geranium and gitanilla, and what care do they require.
Contents
How are geranium and gitanilla different?
As we said at the beginning, its main difference is its growth: geranium has a more upright habit, while gitanillas are pendulousthat’s why they are usually favorites to have on balconies.
Another important characteristic that can be observed when the specimens are adult is that geraniums are smaller plants than gitanillas; indeed, while they rarely exceed 50 centimeters in height, gypsies can reach 1 meter.
The flowers of one and the other are a little different too: those of geraniums are more rounded, and measures about 2-3 centimeters in diameter. On the other hand, those of the gypsies are more open.
All this means that botanists have given them different names: the most traded geraniums belong to the species Pelargonium x hortorumbut the gypsies are called Pelargonium peltatum. This is curious, because neither are really pure geraniums, since they do not belong to the genus Geranium.
But this has its explanation: Pelargoniums share much of their genetic material with geraniums., scientists have therefore classified them in the Geraniaceae family. Now, if you want to know which are the most famous geranium varieties, click here.
How to have beautiful geraniums and gypsies?
The care of these two plants is not difficult, but it is important to take into account several things that we are now going to tell you so that there are no problems, and in the process make sure that they remain well, healthy and precious:
Location
Geraniums and Gypsies they should be placed in a place where there is plenty of light so that they can flourish. In fact, it is best to place them in an area exposed to direct sunlight, as this ensures that they will grow well and their flowers will develop normally. At a minimum, they should receive 4 hours of direct light per day.
In the event that frost is recorded in winter, it is better to protect them at hometaking them to a room where there is plenty of light and where they are away from heating and any other device that generates drafts.
soil or substrate
These plants are afraid of excess water in their roots, so the most advisable is to plant them in light soils that drain water welllike those of the Flower or BioBizz brands for example.
If you are going to have some in the garden, it is important that you make sure beforehand that the soil is well drained, otherwise you will have to make a deep hole, at least 50 x 50 centimeters, and fill it with a mixture of peat and perlite in equal parts.
Irrigation
How to water geraniums and gypsies? They are not drought tolerant plants, so be careful with watering and not let the soil stay dry for too long. For him, during the summer it will be important to water several times a weekespecially if they are outdoors, but in winter we water less because otherwise we risk rotting the roots.
Now well, if in doubt, the best we can do is check the soil moisturefor example by inserting a wooden stick: if when you take it out it comes out practically clean, then the earth is dry.
Another trick to know if it is time to water is to take the pot back as soon as you have watered, and again after a while: you will first notice that it is heavy, but after a few days the substrate will be dry and will weigh little.
Subscriber
Geraniums like gitanillas enjoy being paid throughout the growing and flowering season, i.e. from spring to autumn. For this reason, we recommend applying a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants or a specific one for geraniums (you can get it here), following the instructions for use.
Geranium Fly Prevention
Related article:
geranium pests
The geranium fly or drill is the most feared pest our beloved plants can have. For it, before the appearance of symptoms (hollow stems, worms in the leaves, dry leaves) a specific insecticide must be applied, like this you will find . As it is a spray, it is enough to spray the product on the whole plant: on both sides of the leaves, flowers, stems and substrate, once every 15 days in spring and summer.
If the symptoms have already appeared, this will also help you eliminate this pest.
We hope this article was helpful to you.