Geranium leaves turn yellow: why and what to do?
Good day! My question is: why do the leaves of my geranium turn yellow? Attaching photo. Thank. Sincerely, Elena.Geranium or pelargonium - the plant is not very whimsical to care for. When creating comfortable conditions for her, geranium will actively grow, as well as delight with lush flowering. However, sometimes a problem arises before growers - the leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow and gradually dry out.
Yellowing of foliage can be provoked by such factors:
- improperly selected pot;
- violation of the conditions for keeping a flower;
- lack or excess of fertilizers;
- irregular watering.
Whatever the reason, the first step is to remove all damaged leaves. If the yellowing process continues, the plant should be transplanted into new soil, washing the roots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Cramped pot
In the case when a young plant is planted in a small container or an adult geranium has not been transplanted for a long time, it is necessary to carefully remove the flower and plant it in a pot with a large volume. In a cramped flowerpot, the root system of geranium quickly fills the entire space, as a result, flower development slows down, and the leaves turn yellow.
However, you should not use a large pot either - it is enough if the new container is 2 cm larger than the previous one.In a too spacious flowerpot, a young geranium He will throw all his strength into building up roots, and flowering will not come soon. In addition, due to the large area, moisture will evaporate more slowly, which can lead to root rot.
Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.
Violation of the conditions for keeping geranium
Pelargonium leaves begin to lose color and dry out as a result:
- Too bright lighting... In direct sunlight, the deciduous mass burns out. The pot must be moved to the southern or western windowsill - there will be enough light for the flower, and you can avoid burning the leaves.
- Draft... It is necessary to remove the flowerpot from the window that opens for ventilation, especially in the autumn-winter period.
- Increased air temperature... The optimal temperature regime for geranium is no more than 20 degrees Celsius. Hot air leads to yellowing and drying of leaves, especially if the pot is near a radiator. It is advisable to move the flowerpot to a cool room.
Irregular watering and feeding
Watering the geranium is necessary after the topsoil in the pot dries up. Skipped watering leads to yellowing and drying of the leaves. A completely dried earthen lump should be well spilled with settled water, and excess moisture that flows into the pan must be drained.
The soil in the pot must be loosened periodically to ensure free air access to the roots.
With the onset of spring, pelargonium needs nutritional supplements. Yellowing of the leaves may indicate a lack of minerals. In this case, water the geranium with a solution based on liquid fertilizer for indoor plants... You can use potassium or complex preparations.
It is worth considering that excess nitrogen in the soil also leads to loss of leaf color. To stop yellowing, the flower must be watered with water with the addition of iodine.
Thanks for the info!