Re: Geraniums

[Howard Borchert]

We are in northern Wisconsin, and have a small (heated) greenhouse, where we over-winter our geraniums, and start our tomato plants early, etc.

We are now starting to get get some good new growth on the geranium plants. Over the course of the last 10 days, all of the new growth (on most of the potted plants) are turning from green to a creamy white color. These are older plants 2 to 4 years, maybe that has something to do with it? Some days the temp gets quite high 90 + degrees before I open a window or two to bring the temp down - maybe that high temp is bad for them? A month ago I had taken some cuttings and are rooting them at present - same thing - most of them are turning a creamy white color as well. Any ideas? We have had the greenhouse for about 5 or 6 years now, and this has never happened in the past.
Thanks, Howard

[rainbowgardener]

Definitely the high temps are bad for them.


Here's a little article about growing geraniums indoors:

https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/indoor/flowering/hgic1558.html

It says they like temps around 65 -70 and to "avoid placing geraniums in cold, hot or drafty areas."

I'm not sure about the turning white part, but I think it could happen if the plant is totally root bound , but that doesn't seem like it would be the case with your cuttings. Are you using synthetic fertilizers? You can get salt toxicity in the soil from fertilizer build up.

Vent your greenhouse better or don't heat it so much, start over with fresh soil and let us know how it goes... Good Luck!

[Howard Borchert]

Thanks for your reply - I will take your advise, divide the plants and repot in new soil/new planters. The cuttings were of course taken from the new growth, so the cuttings eventually turning white also may have been inevitable, since it was already in the plant.