Why do geranium leaves turn yellow and how to save pelargonium?

Geranium leaves can turn yellow for several different reasons.

Geranium leaves turn yellow due to excessive watering. Another reason may be temperature stress, improper lighting, or pests.

In this article, I will show you the most common causes of the yellowing of geranium leaves and effective ways to deal with the problem.

Now we’ll begin! Here is a list of reasons why geranium leaves turn yellow!

Geranium leaves turn yellow due to insufficient water

The most common cause of yellow leaves in geraniums is inadequate soil moisture. In particular, it is pouring. Geraniums should be watered when the top 4-5 cm of soil is completely dry. The earth should be moist, but not wet. That is why it is so important to water the geranium with the right amount of water but also to have the right soil.

In winter, you can increase the time between watering as the geranium goes into a vegetative state.

When watering your geranium, make sure you are supplying the right amount of water. Water until water runs out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. It is essential to pour out all the water that has been collected in the base afterward. If you don’t, the geranium may start to get sick. Its roots may even rot. Such a situation can sometimes end the life of a geranium.

Ensuring proper and continuous humidity is very important. You also need to pay attention to the frequency of watering. It should be appropriately selected for the size of the plant. If you overdry and then water the geranium too often, you can cause stress, which will result in the yellowing of the leaves.

On the other hand, high air humidity causes the leaves of geraniums to have brown tips at first, and then turn yellow.

Yellow leaves of geraniums due to too frequent watering

If you notice yellow leaves on your geranium, the first thing you need to do is check the humidity. Just put your finger on the ground and ask yourself a few simple questions

• Is the soil wet?
• Is she soaked?
• Does it have a foul putrid smell?

If so, the geranium is most likely suffering from rotting roots caused by too much water. Such geranium needs to be transplanted to save it.

If the geranium is watered too much, it will droop, and develop brown spots on the leaves, which then turn yellow. The overflowing soil dries for a very long time, and a fungus can develop on its surface. All this can cause the geranium to start to have more and more yellow leaves until it can’t be saved.

Remember that excessive humidity is caused by watering too often and soil that retains water, not just the amount of water itself. Growing plants is the ability to create an ecosystem in which geraniums can thrive. This is why you must always check the soil before watering to make sure it is not too wet.

Geranium turns yellow due to insufficient water.

Too little water can also cause geranium leaves to turn yellow. Fortunately, this is easily fixed and is unlikely to kill your geraniums.

So suppose you put your finger in the ground and it turns out to be dry as a bone. Your geranium needs water.

A geranium that is watered too infrequently will begin to lose its leaves. They will then turn yellow, curl, and eventually turn brown and dry.

Since the soil in this situation is very dry, the geranium will need additional watering. Move your plant somewhere where you can provide it with enough water. You can set it outside and water it with a garden hose (necessarily with a sprinkler tip) or place it in the shower.

Then water the geraniums until water runs out of the drainage holes. Water it for a while. If the Earth is very dry, it can become hydrophobic, that is, it will repel water molecules instead of absorbing them.

After such a thorough watering, keep an eye on the geranium to see if its leaves start turning yellow again. Be sure to pay attention to the soil’s moisture. Also, consider how often you water your geranium or how much water you use for watering. Sometimes it is better to water more often and less than a lot and infrequently.

Inadequate geranium lighting

Geranium can adapt to low light. However, if there is too little of it, the leaves may turn yellow. A small amount of light can also limit the growth of the plant. The geranium will be weak and will not grow as fast as you wish.

Pests cause the yellowing of pelargonium leaves

If the geranium is weakened or stressed due to unsuitable growing conditions, it may be susceptible to pest development. Pests often cause yellowing of geranium leaves and leaves in the home. Mealybugs, spider mites, and other pests are very common in apartments.

Their development weakens the plant and can even cause its death. If you notice pests on the leaves of geraniums, then immediately start the fight against them. Look closely at the yellow geranium leaves, especially from the bottom.

If you notice traces of spider mites or other insects sucking the sap from the plant, the only solution is to use chemicals.

Geranium leaves turn yellow due to the temperature

Geranium stops growing when the ambient temperature is at least 10 degrees Celsius.

Geranium leaves can also be stressed if exposed to extreme heat or direct, harsh sun. This is why it’s so important to know how to care for geranium at home.

Any kind of temperature stress will cause the geranium leaves to turn yellow. Then it will start to dry up and eventually, it will turn brown. Small, young leaves are most often affected by such negative effects.

They are not fully developed yet, so they are more sensitive to extreme temperatures.

If you notice that your geranium has yellow leaves, then take a look at the location as well. Answer some important questions:

• Is the geranium near the radiator?
• Is geranium exposed to direct sunlight?
• Is your mum’s geranium in a draft or on a windowsill that has a leaky or ventilated window?

Any of these things can cause the geranium to turn yellow. If you identify any of these problems, it is best to move the geranium to another location. Try to find a place for her in the house where the temperature will be stable, without drafts.

Stress after overdoing

Did you know that repotting can stress your plants? The reason for the yellow leaves of the geranium can also be this kind of stress after repotting.

Geraniums tend to be more sensitive after repotting. Stress can be caused by exposing the roots for too long, changing the soil, or even just repotting at the wrong time of year.

Geranium is best repotted from late winter to early spring, then the likelihood of yellowing of the leaves is reduced.

A geranium that has received a shock from repotting will look like it needs watering. Leaves may begin to turn yellow starting with the oldest. The plant tries to conserve nutrients and water after a traumatic event.

You can reduce the stress of repotting and avoid yellowing your geranium leaves. Just put it in the same place where it grew before.

Also, keep a watering schedule so that the plant has enough water. Remember that too much light or water will only exacerbate repotting shock. Also, stop fertilizing until the geranium recovers and starts growing again. If the geranium seems dry, even after regular watering, you can add a little more water.

Improper fertilization causes yellow leaves

An imbalance in fertilization can be another reason for yellowing geranium leaves. Too much fertilizer may result in salt burn of the plant, or it may be a nutrient deficiency. Each of these eventualities has specific symptoms that need to be looked at in order to correctly diagnose the problem.

Too much fertilization (too much nutrients)

It would be best to fertilize the geranium every few weeks. This will keep her healthy and strong during the growing season. Geraniums like well-balanced fertilizers. It is worth using here mixtures dedicated to this type of plants.

If the geranium is not properly fertilized, then too much nutrient salts are present and accumulated in the soil. These salts draw water away from the roots in a process known as reverse osmosis.

Improper fertilization can also change the acidity of the soil. Too much salt in the soil will cause so-called salt burns, which are the result of chemical dehydration.

Do you think your geranium leaves are turning yellow due to improper fertilization? Here are the symptoms of too much fertilizer:

• A white crust of fertilizer on the surface of the soil
• The edges of the geranium leaves turn brown and brittle
• The lowest and oldest leaves begin to turn yellow
• geranium grows slower

Fortunately, this problem is easily dealt with. If the cause of your geranium’s leaves turning yellow is over-fertilizing, then you just need to flush excess nutrients and salts out of your soil.

As well as when geraniums are watered too infrequently, rinse the soil thoroughly in the shower or outdoors with a garden hose.

After rinsing, hold off on the next fertilization while watching your geranium. Most likely, the soil will still have enough nutrients for the geranium to grow nicely.

To prevent future over-fertilization, you must reduce the amount or frequency of fertilization. Consider switching to a mild, organic fertilizer. Such fertilizers have a much lower concentration of macronutrients and using them is much less likely to cause salt burns.

Insufficient fertilization (too few nutrients)

On the other hand, your geranium may be suffering from a nutrient deficiency. Recall the last time it was applied or overdone. If you don’t remember, it’s a good sign to start fertilizing your geranium.

There are three main nutrients that plants need:

• nitrogen
• phosphorus
• potassium

Each of them affects the biological functions of plants in a different way, and a deficit can cause abnormal plant growth.

A nitrogen deficit will cause the geranium to grow slower and its leaves will show chlorosis. This means they will become lighter in color and the oldest leaves at the bottom will be completely yellow.

A deficiency of phosphorus supplied to geraniums will also stunt growth. As the condition of the geranium deteriorates, its leaves and stems may darken. Reddish or purple discolorations will begin to appear. Phosphorus deficiency does not cause yellowing of the leaves.

A potassium deficiency will cause the edges of the geranium leaves to turn brown. You will also see chlorosis between the leaf veins. As a result of a potassium deficiency, the geranium leaves will begin to turn yellow from the oldest, as the plant will use the leftover potassium for the younger leaves.

As you can see, geraniums can turn yellow due to a deficiency in either nitrogen or potassium. Of course, before the diagnosis, it is necessary to check whether the cause of yellowing is not other, more common causes, which we talked about above.

If the geranium turns yellow due to a nutrient deficiency, then you need to nourish it with a well-balanced organic fertilizer.

How to prevent the yellowing of geranium leaves?

If you want the leaves to stop turning yellow, you need to find the cause first. First, check the soil moisture to rule out overflow. Then look at each of the causes of yellowing geranium leaves we described above.

The best way to deal with yellow geranium leaves is to simply eliminate the problem.

How often to water geraniums?

If the soil is dry, water the geranium once a week. If the soil keeps moisture, you do not need to water the plant often. On hot days, water the geranium every other day. Avoid overwatering as this can lead to yellowing of the leaves.