Every balcony gardener probably wants lush, blooming geraniums (actually pelargoniums, that's the botanically correct name). Sometimes, however, the quite demanding plants do not want to thrive as the ambitious flower lover would like. Luckily, there is a great deal that can be done to counteract the yellow leaves on geraniums.
Yellow leaves are usually an indication of nutrient deficiency
indication of nutrient deficiency
If the leaves on plants - not only on geraniums - gradually turn yellow, this is often a sign of nutrient deficiency; especially when the leaf veins themselves remain green. This nutrient deficiency occurs not only when you fertilize too little, but also when using an unsuitable fertilizer. Each plant species has its own specific nutritional requirements, which not only relate to the frequency of fertilization, but also to the composition of the fertiliser. Yellow leaves on geraniums, for example, are often an indication of a lack of the trace element iron.
What to do about yellow leaves?
Luckily, the unsightly yellow leaves on your geraniums are fairly easy to treat. As an effective first-aid measure, rapid first aid with a special iron fertilizer is recommended, which is dissolved in the irrigation water and administered together with it as a solution. However, be careful when handling iron fertilizer, the agent is poisonous.
Fertilize geraniums properly
As is often the case, prevention is better than cure, so make sure you feed your geraniums regularly and with the right fertilizer. The flowers are extremely heavy feeders and should be fed at least once a week. The most suitable fertilizers are:
- special geranium fertilizer
- Flowering Plant Fertilizer
- blue grain
- coffee grounds
Be careful not to fertilize on dry substrate. Instead, you can administer the fertilizer together with the irrigation water.
tips
Since a lack of nutrients weakens the plant, more pests settle as a result - whiteflies in particular are after geraniums that have been mistreated in this way. These should also be fought in good time.