Yellow leaves and dried buds are a sure sign that the geranium is stressed. The most common cause of this is casting errors. We explain how often you should water your geraniums - and what you need to pay attention to.
Watering geraniums: The most important things in brief
Most geranium varieties are true sun worshipers and very heat-resistant. They can also thrive in drought conditions from time to time, as long as this period doesn't last too long. However, the flowers are much more sensitive to waterlogging and can quickly die if the roots become muddy.
Young plants generally need more water than established geraniums. That's why they are watered thoroughly every two or three days for the first four weeks. This promotes root formation. After this first month you can reduce the watering. As a rule, it is sufficient to water the geraniums twice a week. To be on the safe side, you should always allow the top layer of soil to dry and do a finger test before each watering. When the soil is 4 cm deep and dry, you can water the flowers.
Water evaporates more quickly in pots, balcony boxes and hanging baskets. In this case, the geraniums should be watered every 3 days. You should check regularly whether the excess water can drain away. If the drainage holes are blocked, the roots will quickly rot and the entire plant will die.
The geraniums are always watered from below, slowly. Take your time so that the soil can absorb the water well.
Two common watering mistakes with geraniums
Geraniums are basically undemanding flowers that bloom profusely and for a long time. However, they are sensitive to casting errors. Too much water and the roots will rot. Too little – and the flower dries up quickly. The watering should also be adapted to the location and the needs of the respective variety. To prevent the permanent bloomers from dying, you should act quickly at the first sign of a watering error.
Geraniums have yellow leaves: Too much water
If geraniums get yellow leaves, overwatering is the most common cause. Sometimes the amount of water is correct, but the soil is heavy or the drainage holes are blocked and then the water cannot drain away. Even if the drainage is good and there is no waterlogging, the geranium can develop yellow leaves if there is too much water. Especially with potted plants, when the building volume is small, the nutrients are gradually washed away. This quickly leads to a nutrient deficiency.
What you can do:
- Start watering and wait until the soil dries. Then start watering again.
- Fertilize the geraniums
- If the soil is heavy – improve drainage. You can incorporate sand into the soil.
- If nothing else works and the ground is really wet, you can transplant or repot the geranium.
Geranium buds have dried up: too little water
When there is a lack of water, the plants react by first sacrificing their flowers or flower buds. Then the leaves begin to dry out and only then – the shoots. If the buds are dry, you should:
- Water the geraniums thoroughly
- Nevertheless, allow the soil to dry before the next application.
- diedried budsremove
- Fertilize the flowers
Geraniums do well with little care. In summer, however, they need regular watering so that they bloom profusely. Common watering errors result in dried flowers and fallen leaves.
