What's wrong with this Geranium plant?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

This poor plant, I planted almost two years ago on my hill side. Last year it did fine, watered and fed. This year it looks so unhappy. All the leaves keep 'cupping' upward. Flowers have gone from doing well in spring to looking majorly pathetic. At first I thought 'ok I must be over watering.' But, tonight after only going a day without being watered the soil felt dry.

Still I wonder is this a case of needing more water? Or, something else?

Oh and about the sticks. I had used a few of them to make a little makeshift shelter (but pushed it out of the way a bit to take pictures). I worried maybe it was just getting too beaten down by the sun. Since I have two others that, when I had planted three years ago, one was sheltered by other plants and is thriving. The other was getting more of a direct sun beating and hated life.

Featured Answer

kathi_mdgd

5 years ago

Every once in awhile one of mine will do that,and when they do i just cut them back,water and feed them and they come back as beautiful as ever.I grow several different types of geraniums,and some i grow just for the foiliage.

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Comments (9)

chloebud
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Sarah, to me they look dried out. I'm no expert, especially with zonal geraniums. For some reason I have much more luck with ivy geranium. Both are pretty...I just prefer the foliage on the ivy geraniums...more glossy. Mine pretty much all get morning sun and either shade or filtered light in the afternoon. Also, I love how they bloom all year long (we're in Southern CA...near Pasadena). They're all in containers (pots and window boxes) and get watered a couple times a week...more in summer. Very low maintenance...just occasional dead-heading.

Hope someone here can help. Another option would be to take a cutting (or photos) to a local nursery for their advice.
Sarah Wolf thanked chloebud
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gobluedjm 9/18 CA
5 years ago
I have ivy geraniums and Martha Washingtons. These look dry, old and woody.

Geraniums like water. I would have cut them way back this spring to encourage new growth to hide the woody parts. Socal did have a warm winter and not a cool spring so maybe suffering from that. Don't feed a stressed plant, or if you do very lightly.

Given water they should bounce back.
Sarah Wolf thanked gobluedjm 9/18 CA
Sarah Wolf
Original Author
5 years ago
@kathi_mdgd - I shall have to try that I think more so in the fall. I fear with the heat wave we're due to get this week, maybe on the weekend as it cools.

@chloebud -Oh cool I'm about 45mins to the west xD. Been out to La Canada. This one used to be a container plant but, the 3 leaf clover that began growing with it kept trying to choke it out. So I think by planting it, I'd be giving them each more room. I was also thinking the same thing, next time I go to our nursery I'd take a cutting and of course the photos shown.

@gobluedjm 9/18 CA - I keep trying to water it at least every other day but, I read that you have to be careful not to over water them. There are some smaller leaves that have come out and are a solid green for now. However, they still seem to keep growing with the edges turned up.

Well seems all I can do for now is keep watering. Does anyone think that, maybe a gopher digging underneath could be causing the plant undo stress? I figure any trimming back should be done in fall time. Unless someone thinks earlier would be ok?
chloebud
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Sarah, I trim my ivy geraniums whenever they need it...no particular time of year. Probably not gophers unless you see other signs...like dirt piles. You should try growing some ivy geraniums. The variety I like is called "Blizzard." I usually find a good selection of them at Armstrong Nursery.

Did you mean you've been to La Canada or live there? My husband grew up there.
Sarah Wolf
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh I know there's a gopher around, I've seen him make a whole and stick his face out. He didn't realize I was watching him. I have also seen a tiny house mouse running about. Not to mention the squirrels love digging any spot they can store the gathered up fallen bird seed.

I don't know where an Armstrong Nursery is, we have one called Green Thumb out here.
And I've visited La Canada c:
chloebud
5 years ago
Ugh...pesky gophers! We have lots of squirrels due to lots of oak trees. Ask Green Thumb about your geranium.
Sarah Wolf thanked chloebud
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
5 years ago
Yes ask Green Thumb.
Sarah Wolf thanked gobluedjm 9/18 CA
Sarah Wolf
Original Author
5 years ago
The gopher, besides his hole digging isn't as pestering to me as the squirrels. For me the squirrels are little monsters. And I shall speak with them next time I go (which wont be too soon. I tend to spend over $50 the last few times I've gone on plants alone). x3