What to do if geraniums wither in a pot and why it happens: first aid and care rules

Growing problems, diseases and pests

Geranium has a wonderful property - it repels insects that can harm it. But sometimes this green "fighter" is still exposed to diseases and pests.

• Gray rot. The whole plant is covered with gray-gray spots and bloom. It occurs due to high humidity, lack of lighting and lack of heating. For treatment, you need to use fungicides.
• Powdery mildew. It is characterized by a white bloom. It is necessary to remove the affected areas and treat with a fungicide (Bordeaux liquid).
• Rust. Brown-rusty spots appear on the leaves. In the future, the leaves dry out. Fungicides will help get rid of rust.
• Alternaria Brown spots appear on the leaves of geraniums with a light center and a velvet bloom. You can get rid of it by treating the plant with fungicides.
• Ring spot. Light spots in the form of a ring are formed on the plant. Then the leaves roll up and hang like umbrellas.
• Verticillary wilting. The leaves begin to turn yellow from below, then turn completely yellow and wither. Stems and inflorescences can also be affected. The disease appears if the soil is overdried.
• Root and stem late blight. Due to this disease, the plant withers and rots. It is necessary to reduce the amount of watering and treat the flower with special means.
• Edema. It is characterized by the appearance of bubbles on the leaves. It is necessary to immediately remove the sick so that the disease does not spread to the whole plant. To avoid the appearance of such a disease, the flower is planted in warm, drained soil. Moisture-loving neighbors are not suitable for geraniums.

The main pests of the flower are:

• aphids (ash infusion - 1 spoon of wood ash per 1 liter of water - used to combat it);
• whitefly;
• thrips;
• caterpillars (they are collected by hand);
• spider mite (it appears if geranium grows in a dry and hot climate; to get rid of the spider mite, the plant is treated with soapy water).

Geranium can get sick due to improper care:

• the leaves turned yellow and became withered - this is facilitated by a violation of the watering regime;
• the stems are bare - the plant does not have enough light;
• spots appear and the flower begins to rot - due to a fungal infection.

Troubleshooting

If the care of geraniums is correct, but it is not possible to achieve flowering, then you can try radical measures to combat the problem. One of the options is shock therapy, in which unfavorable conditions are created for the flower that threaten the integrity and health of the plant. The point is to force the biological mechanism of procreation to turn on, so that the bush throws out the color to obtain seeds in the event of the death of the main plant.

Several methods can be used to perform this kind of stimulation:

• early and strong pruning of the bush, when no more than two eyes remain on it;
• the creation of cold environmental conditions in winter and the lack of proper watering;
• transplanting into the ground or onto the balcony ahead of time;
• increase in iodine content.

She does not like to be moved and carried to a new place, especially when this happens during flowering. Pelargonium can react very harshly, dropping color completely from minimal movement.

In order for the bush to grow normally and color, you need to do everything necessary for this.

Organize proper watering, moisture is applied only when the topsoil is well dried. If the flower is in the garden, then its watering depends on the weather outside.In cloudy and rainy weather, do not water the bush more than 2 times a week. To make sure watering is done on time, you can look at the geranium foliage. In case of excessive watering, it will begin to wither and curl, after which plaque and rot may appear on it.

It is important to adjust the introduced moisture in time, otherwise the bush cannot be saved.

Correct the temperature readings. If the room is less than 15 degrees, then the bush will begin to "fall asleep", which is quite normal for the winter period, when pelargonium can rest and gather strength, and by spring it will grow and bloom well

In the warm season, the lighting regime becomes more important.

Provide light. For the formation of buds, the flower needs the sun, therefore, indoors, the pot should be placed on the south window, and in the garden the bush should be planted in a well-lit, but shaded area during the midday heat. If the trunk begins to shed foliage, then the flower does not have enough light.

Choose the size of the pot correctly - it should correspond to the size of the flower, as well as high-quality, lightweight and nutritious soil.

Do not spray geraniums. The home flower does not need to be sprayed, as it does not like it. Simple watering is enough for the normal growth of the bush. Garden geranium also prefers to do without additional shower procedures.

Watering and feeding indoor geraniums for home care

Geranium can do without spraying or additional humidification, but it takes these procedures well. If irrigation of foliage is included in the care of geraniums, as in the photo, at home, then this should be done with warm water, filtered or previously settled. Otherwise, unsightly stains from salt stains will appear on the bright foliage of the plant.

Watering, as the main measure for caring for geraniums, should be abundant and regular.

In summer, it is important to moisten the soil under the bush as soon as signs of dryness of the earthen coma appear. In winter, the intensity of irrigation is much less

On average, plants are watered more than once every 7-10 days. In this case, the soil should not dry out completely. If the leaves turn yellow on the bush, caring for geraniums at home should be reviewed. Obviously, the plant does not receive enough water, or the roots, feeling an excess of moisture, began to rot.

To maintain the splendor of the inflorescences, potash fertilizers are used, with which geraniums are fed twice a month. If a complex composition is chosen as a top dressing, it is better to give preference to the one with the least nitrogen compounds. This element contributes to the growth of green mass, and the growing foliage inhibits the formation and opening of buds.

Geranium, home care

Geranium is unpretentious and does not require much attention; in the conditions of an apartment, caring for it is completely uncomplicated. At the same time, it blooms almost all year round. So how to care for geraniums? Read below.

Lighting

Geranium is very fond of light. The stronger the sun, the better. She is not afraid of direct sunlight, however, on especially hot days, it is recommended to shade it a little, otherwise the leaf plates will get burned. On other days, the shadow is a huge risk.

Pelargonium will begin to stretch, and also expose the shoots, the saturation of flowering will decrease, the splendor of the bush will decrease. For this reason, to place it, you need to choose the lightest windows.

If you have purchased an ampelous geranium, it requires special care at home during the first two weeks. Place the flower in a well-lit area without allowing direct sunlight. He needs to be given time to adapt to the new conditions. After fourteen days, you can gradually accustom pelargonium to brighter lighting.

If there is not enough light for her, she stops laying buds for the upcoming flowering. Pre-prepared fluorescent lamps will help to eliminate the difficulty.

Temperature

The optimal room temperature is the conditions when geraniums feel comfortable and develop normally. The minimum favorable temperatures can be temperatures from + 10 ° C to + 15 ° C.

Typically, these temperatures are observed during cold periods when geraniums take a break from the flowering period. At this time, her place is on the windowsill or in one of the cool rooms.

Air humidity

According to experienced flower growers, geranium can grow well in any humidity. Therefore, no matter what kind of air is in the room, this will not affect the development of pelargonium in any way.

For the normal development of geraniums, fresh air is needed, which makes it very hardy. Therefore, in the summer it is recommended to keep more of it in the fresh air, or at least grow it on the balcony.

Watering and fertilizing

In winter, geranium (pelargonium) can be watered no more than twice a week and illuminated as much as possible. In the summer, you need to water the plant every day, but in any case, you must avoid excessive moisture and water getting on the leaves. This can lead to root rot and death of the flower.

To prevent this from happening, you need good drainage in the pot. It is better to take water for irrigation at room temperature and not too hard. The geranium pot should be small so that the roots fill it completely, then the plant blooms better and is less sick.

In case your beauty ivy (ivy) geranium is planted in open ground, it needs to be fed only once a month with fertilizers for flowering plants.

In order for the plant to amuse with abundant flowering, during the development of buds, use products with an increased content of potassium and phosphorus. They are required to be applied immediately after watering to wet soil.

Geranium transplant

Under normal conditions at home, geraniums do not essentially need transplants.

An exception may be some cases, if, for example, the roots of the plant have increased, and there is not enough space in the pot, or the plant has been flooded with water due to carelessness.

Whether it is planting or transplanting, remember that the flower does not accept free pots, but good drainage will come in handy. The plant can easily be transplanted with ordinary garden soil or universal soil mixture. Particularly comfortable conditions for a plant are the following recipe:

• 8 shares of turf land
• 2 lobes of humus
• 1 share of sand

Care

After this, Pelargonium needs careful care, as this process is stressful. If the plant is usually placed on a windowsill from the southern or southeastern part, and the sun's rays fall on it, then it is advisable not to choose this location after planting.

It is recommended to choose the shaded part for at least 1 week, and after that the plant can be placed on the usual windowsill. Moderate watering is required, as the soil should not dry out. Although geraniums enjoy dry climates, they should be watered regularly. But from a large amount of water, the flower withers. Pelargonium should not be sprayed.

After transplantation, feeding should be excluded for 2-3 months. The new soil already has all the components for the growth and development of pelargonium. Then top dressing is applied once a month. Universal and special products are suitable.

At the first feeding, you need to reduce the amount of fertilizer 2 times from the amount specified in the instructions. The rest of the dressing is carried out according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Watering in combination with top dressing

In the period from spring to early summer, as well as during flowering, geraniums need fertilization. For top dressing, several means are used that will give strength to the plant and contribute to growth and development.

For lush flowering, top dressing is applied along with watering

Top dressing for geraniums:

• Iodine. 1 drop of the drug is added to a liter of water. Geranium is pre-watered with plain water, after which 40-50 ml of the prepared iodine solution is added along the edges of the pot.
• Ammonia.Dissolve 1 tsp in a liter of water. alcohol. Water the flower the day before fertilizing.
• Hydrogen peroxide. Stir 2 tbsp in a liter of water. l. funds. Water the flower with plain water, then fertilize with a solution.
• Epin. An excellent feeding agent. Dilute according to the instructions and water the flower with a solution under the root.
• Succinic acid. 1 tablet is diluted in a liter of water. Watering is done at the root. After that, it is advisable to sprinkle the leaves again.
• Boric acid. Stir 0.5 g of the product in a liter of warm water. Water at the roots. This solution can be sprayed on foliage.

It is not often necessary to make such feeding. Enough once every 3 weeks.

What it is?

Pelargonium and geranium are not synonymous with the same plant. In fact, pelargonium belongs to the Geranium family, but it is a separate plant species. It is she who grows in the indoor conditions of the house, decorating the window sills with bright and lush caps of flowers. Geranium grows on the street, decorating flower beds.

Basically, pelargonium and geranium are related plants. Geranium grows in different climates (for example, in the tropics, temperate climates, and even on mountain slopes). Its leaves and stems are the same as those of pelargonium. In addition, both types of Geraniums are photophilous and not too pretentious in care. They exude a pleasant aroma.

At the same time, she loves care very much and is afraid of the cold. If geranium feels great outdoors, then pelargonium must be removed in the heat from the street for the winter.

Thus, a wild plant adapts to natural conditions, and what we grow on windowsills at home requires our attention and care. Considering that the name "geranium" is more familiar to everyone, further in the article we will use it.

WHY LEAVES TURN YELLOW IN A ROOM GERANE: MAIN REASONS

It is no secret that in most cases, the reason why the leaves of indoor plants dry and turn yellow is improper care. If the situation is not corrected, then this can ultimately lead to the complete death of the plant. Therefore, you should study the typical shortcomings in growing geraniums at home.

ERRORS IN PLANTING AND TRANSFERRING THE PLANT

Sometimes the reason why geranium leaves acquire an unhealthy yellow color and begin to gradually die off is an incorrectly selected pot. If its size is too small for the root system (especially in plants whose age is several years old), then pelargonium does not have enough capacity for development. But you should not choose a pot that is too large: in this case, the geranium will begin to actively grow roots to the detriment of the green mass and flowering, which is also undesirable.

When planting a plant, it is important to make good drainage. Expanded clay purchased in a flower shop or the household department of a supermarket is ideal. If there is not enough drainage, then excess moisture will not leave the soil

Correct air circulation will also be impaired. In some cases, the yellow color of the leaves provokes damage to the roots when inaccurate transplantation.

LACK OF MINERAL SUBSTANCES

The stock of minerals in the soil is a resource that quickly dries up. And immediately after transplanting into a new soil, the elements in it are not always contained in the required quantities. But geranium spends a lot of energy on flowering and growth. Therefore, there is a need for additional and regular introduction of mineral complexes into the soil by root feeding. The need for them increases during the growing season, when pelargonium is actively growing and blooming. Lack of minerals often causes the leaves to turn yellow

But it is important to remember that an excess of elements will also negatively affect the state of the plant.

INCORRECT HOME CARE

As already mentioned, geranium is a rather unpretentious home flower,feeling good in the room.But so that diseases and yellow leaves do not appear, you must try to provide her with suitable conditions in which the plant will feel comfortable.

Pelargonium loves light, but direct sunlight is detrimental to its leaves. Low and excessive humidity in the room can cause great damage to the appearance of the plant. Its optimal rate is 50-60%. Geranium dries in cool drafts. In autumn and winter, it is advisable to keep the pot away from the heating devices in the apartment - the heat from them will make the leaves turn yellow and dry. It is better to take it out to a cool glazed balcony if the temperature in the loggia is kept around the 12 ° C mark, reducing watering to 1 time a week.

Another common mistake related to watering

Its frequency should depend on the season: in the warm months, you need to water the geranium more often. Attention should also be paid to the quality of the water. If it is too hard, it will lead to excess calcium in the soil. The leaves will react to this and turn yellow.

To make water suitable for irrigation, it must be defended for several days; add a couple of drops of lemon juice or a small pinch of citric acid.

WHAT TO DO IF THE LEAVES TURN YELLOW

The plant can be saved if the necessary measures are taken in time. First of all, you should:

Make sure the pot is suitable for geraniums and has good drainage. If necessary, you need to transplant as soon as possible into a dish that is suitable for all criteria. If geranium blooms, then all peduncles must be carefully cut off beforehand.
Place the pot on the sunny side. If the plant is exposed to direct rays, you will need to create temporary artificial shading.

It is important that pelargonium does not stand in a draft.
Eliminate the impact of heating appliances on geranium.
If possible, maintain an acceptable temperature during the cold season. In the remaining months, there are no strict recommendations on this score.
If the air is too dry, you can put a container with water or moistened expanded clay next to the pot.

Florists do not recommend spraying.
Adjust watering and feeding of the plant. It must receive a sufficient amount of water and minerals. But the overflow and excess of elements is also destructive.

How to care?

Caring for the beautiful pelargonium is simple, but it should be regular.

Caring for a plant includes several prerequisites:

• do not overdo it with watering;
• carry out timely pruning;
• observe a rest regimen in winter;
• feed regularly in the spring and summer;
• observe light and temperature conditions.

Watering

From spring to autumn, it is necessary to water the flower when the clod of earth is half dry, this is about 1 time in 7-10 days, while not touching the leaves and flowers. Excess water from the sump should be removed. No need to spray. If the air in the room is dry, a bowl of water is placed next to the pot. In winter, water only when the soil is completely dry.

Do not use hard water for irrigation. Replace with boiled or bottled one.

Light mode

From spring to early autumn, pelargonium should be located on the southern and southeastern windows. Daylight hours - 12-14 hours. In doing so, direct sun should be avoided. The light should be diffused. To do this, you need to set the pots aside a meter from the window and shade the flowers with transparent curtains. In winter it is a bright place, daylight hours are short.

Top dressing

After planting, pelargonium can be fed with nitrogen fertilizers so that the bush builds up biomass. During the flowering period, it should be fed 3 times a month with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. You can use a fertilizer produced specifically for pelargoniums or for flowering plants. In winter, the plant does not need to be fertilized.

Temperature regime

Spring - summer - early autumn, when pelargonium blooms, the optimum temperature is 22-27 degrees. In winter, at rest, 10-15 degrees.

Trimming and pinching

Before winter, pruning or pinching should be done. As a rule, young plants are pinched. This is done this way: the top of each shoot is pinched or cut off so that 5 leaves remain on the shoot. Bushes over 2 years old are regularly pruned. This is a very important procedure for profuse flowering:

• forms a beautiful bush;
• increases the number of inflorescences;
• prolongs flowering time.

Pelargonium is cut immediately after flowering in two ways:

1. up to the 7th dormant kidney;
2. up to 3 buds, that is, on a "stump".

The choice of method depends on the state of the bush. Young bushes can be pinched up to the 7th bud. Bushes that are lignified are cut into a "stump".

Before pruning, the plant should not be watered so that juices do not ooze from the slices. Disinfect the cut sites with brilliant green or coal. After pruning, do not water for 1–2 days, then water and place in a bright place. Perhaps the plant will have to be pinched in the spring; during the winter, with a lack of light, it can stretch out.

Dormant period

Pelargonium is at rest from December to early spring. She does not need top dressing at this time. Plants during this period are watered only when the earthen clod dries out completely. Pelargonium grows well and develops in winter, growing branches and leaves. The temperature should be at least 7 degrees, there is a lot of light, the daylight hours are short.

Necessary conditions and care

Geranium is an unpretentious plant. But there are some conditions under which it will bloom long and luxuriantly.

Prerequisites for flowering:

1. Adequate lighting.

   Geranium loves light and feels bad with a lack of it. The best place for geraniums is an east or south facing window. Before planting geraniums in the garden, you need to find a place with sufficient lighting, protected from strong winds.

2. Good watering.

   Do not overdo it in watering, you need to maintain a balance. The plant is resistant to drought, however, excessive drying of the soil should not be allowed. On hot sunny days, or during the period of active heating, it is necessary to water the geranium daily if the soil in the pot is dry. In the absence of heating, on cool, cloudy days, it is enough to water once every 2 days.

3. Comfortable temperature.

   In a room where geraniums live, the air temperature should not drop below 12 ° C, otherwise the plant will stop blooming. If in winter the leaves of the plant acquire a red tint, this is a clear sign of freezing. You need to move the geranium away from the ice window.

4. Timely pruning and plucking.

   This technique allows you to enhance branching and increase the number of buds.

Important! Air humidity does not affect the health of the plant, so geranium does not need to be sprayed. On the contrary, spraying provokes a rapid wilting of flowers and a delay in the appearance of new peduncles.

How to care?

You can make geraniums bloom at home with lush umbrellas by timely pruning

In this case, it is important to observe the rule of regularity. Long breaks between trimming should not be allowed.

If done on time, this will cause the appearance of lateral stems and the formation of new inflorescences on them. In addition, timely pruning will ensure the splendor of flowering, because without her help, the plant will not give side shoots.

Cutting is carried out with a disinfected tool, for example, a clerical knife. The cut is performed over the leaf node, which is facing the outside of the bush. This will allow the growing shoots to grow into a lush crown without interfering with each other.

Places of cuts are immediately treated with crushed charcoal (or crushed tablet of activated carbon). In extreme cases, use cinnamon powder. You need to pinch geraniums after every fourth bud.

As for diseases of the root system, they are associated with excess water and lack of a drainage layer. The cause of the appearance of the fungus is an excess of moisture. In this case, you will have to remove the plant from the pot and cut off all affected parts of the roots.In addition, you cannot do without treating them with a fungicide. Sometimes the solution to the problem ends with transplanting the plant into a new pot with fresh nutrient soil.

Geranium does not bloom at home when it is sick with a bacterium or a virus. Also, the reason for the absence of beautiful flower umbrellas can be the attack of small pests (for example, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, nematodes, root worms, slugs). To get rid of insect pests, the plant is treated with various chemicals (they are different for different types of pests).

For information on how to make geraniums bloom, watch the video.

The consequences of improper care

When grown indoors, geraniums have special care requirements to ensure optimal growth and prevent disease. Without proper care, indoor geraniums are vulnerable to rot and mildew. These ailments can also attract some insect pests that commonly affect other houseplants.

Geranium decay occurs with excessive watering. Geranium tolerates dry soils better than excessively wet ones. And excessive watering leads to rotting of the plant. If the soil is dry to the touch at a depth of 10 to 15 cm, you can water the flower. If it is still slightly damp and cool, the plant no longer needs water.

Blooming disturbance occurs with improper lighting. Home geraniums that don't get enough light will have fewer flowers. Keep geraniums where the sun will shine most of the day. For example, on windows facing south or west. If you don't have a suitable window, move the plant outdoors (in summer) for a day, or supplement the flower's needs with artificial lighting. In addition, the following factors can lead to a lack of flowers.

• Decrease in room temperature. If the geranium is frozen, no flowering should be expected.
• The pot is too large, as a result of which the plant will spend all its energy on development.
• Excessive fertilization. Indoor geraniums usually do not require frequent fertilization. Planting geraniums in a potting mix that contains 1 part soil, 1 part sand, and 1 part peat will provide sufficient nutrition for the first 2–3 months of growth. After that, use a water-soluble fertilizer with a nitrogen-potassium composition in equal proportions and at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 4 liters of water. If the geranium is kept indoors all year round, fertilize only during the growing season.
• Lack of nutrients in the soil.
• Violation of pruning shoots.

Improper care is quite capable of leading to disease. For example, swelling appears as leaf spots that later turn corky and brown. Leaves may turn yellow and fall off. Edema is caused by excessively wet, warm soil and moist, cool air, or it is due to the fact that the roots absorb more water than the leaves. As a result, the cells swell and burst. Therefore, avoid excessive watering and hyperventilation in the apartment.

Yellowing of the leaves occurs with insufficient watering, drying also occurs due to insufficient watering of the plant.

When buying geraniums, experts recommend looking for plants with healthy leaves, no spots on top or bottom, and no rough stems that indicate that specimens grew in poor light. Let's take a look at some additional tips for caring for geraniums.

• Geraniums need at least six hours of sunshine every day for best growth and flowering. It must be protected from freezing. During the hottest part of summer, plants do their best in the afternoon.
• When planting in a garden, plant the plants about 25 cm apart in fertilized garden soil.
• Fertilize the geranium every two weeks and water it when the soil is dry to a depth of 5 cm. Remove old flowers to keep the plants looking fresh.
• If the garden is not too sunny, you can still enjoy the flowers.You just have to move the pots in the sun from time to time.
• Choose containers with drainage holes at the bottom or sides. Plant the plants in an ultra-light mixture with lots of peat and vermiculite. Geranium needs good drainage, but avoid using a saucer under the pot. Let the water drain completely from it.

If you want to keep a healthy flower and help it survive the winter, then you can apply these recommendations here.

• Take cuttings in the fall, and during the winter keep them in small pots on a south-facing windowsill.
• The old method of overwintering geraniums is to dig up the plants before the first freeze, knock the soil off the roots and hang the plants upside down in a cool room with 80% humidity and a temperature of 5 degrees or more. If the plants start to dry out, soak the roots in water several times each winter. In the spring, cut the plants, cut half off the top, and transplant to open ground.