If the geraniums - often just at the beginning of the growing season - do not really want to bloom, but instead the buds dry up and fall off, there are various reasons for this. It doesn't necessarily have to be you and your care. Weather conditions that are unfavorable for geraniums and insufficient hardening by the nursery producing them can also cause this phenomenon. However, affected geraniums usually recover very quickly, only flowering a little later than originally thought.
Too much moisture can cause the geraniums to shed their buds
lack of light
The first possible cause of the drying up buds is a lack of light. This can be due to a wrong location, but also to unfavorable weather conditions - for example, because spring is cold, dark and rainy. In this case, the only thing that helps is to protect the geraniums and hope for better weather. However, if the location is too dark from the start, then only moving to a sunnier location will help.
Wrong care
The sensitive geraniums also do not tolerate high humidity and should therefore only be watered moderately. On the other hand, if you keep your plants too moist, the buds can also dry up and fall off. Therefore, only water the plants when the surface of the substrate has already dried out. However, insufficient or incorrect fertilization can also be the cause, for example because you fertilize too much / too little or with the wrong product.
Diseases / Pests
If, on the other hand, the flowers or buds turn yellowish or white and finally fall off, the fungus botrytis is often behind it. This causes gray mold and affects geraniums especially when they are too damp, the air humidity (with simultaneous heat) is very high or you fertilize the plants with too much nitrogen.
Plants were not sufficiently hardened
Last but not least, the buds dry up through no fault of your own. If you recently bought your geraniums in bloom and the subsequent buds have dried up, the plant first has to get used to the new location. It was probably previously in a well-heated greenhouse and suddenly finds itself on a draughty balcony without a break. She has to get over this shock first, but will also bloom profusely after three to four weeks at the latest.
tips
Also, be careful not to plant the geraniums too close together. Keep a planting distance of 30 to 40 centimeters.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
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