Yellow Leaves on Geraniums: What it Means and What to Do

If you see yellow leaves on geraniums in your garden, this is a sign that your plants are trying to tell you something. Here’s what to do!

This is the time of year when the flowers in planters start to look a little sad and worn out. We often accept it as a natural sign that fall is on the way, but did you know that your planter blooms should actually last you well into the fall months? If your geraniums are starting to look a little tired right now, or are showing signs of stress with discolored leaves, this doesn’t mean that they’re reaching the end of their lifecycle. They’re really just telling you that they need a little extra care and attention. A lot of potted flowers can last right up until the first heavy frost and can even be saved to use again the following season if you keep them healthy all growing season long. Geraniums are some of the easiest to grow and bring back to life next year, so if you see yellow leaves on geraniums, here’s what to do to keep them healthy and strong.

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What Your Geraniums are Trying to Tell You

Yellow leaves are a messaging system that a lot of plants use to communicate their needs loudly when needed. In the past, I’ve shared what to do about yellow leaves on roses as well as yellow leaves on hydrangeas. On geraniums, yellow leaves can mean a few different things, depending on where the yellowing of the leaves is occurring on the plant.

If you see yellowed leaves on the entire plant, including the newer leaves at the top of the plant, this typically means that your geranium is either being over-watered or isn’t getting enough sunlight. Often, these issues can go hand in hand because plants that are in shaded locations will often stay moist for longer after being watered, reducing the need for frequent waterings.

If you see yellow or brown leaves happening near the base of your plant, this is typically a sign of a nutritional deficiency. This is actually a sign of a healthy plant that is functioning well and redirecting resources away from the oldest leaves at the base of the plant and into new growth and blooms near the top. In a perfect world, however, it’s best to have your geraniums keep as many of those lush, full leaves as possible while also putting out new growth, and that is absolutely possible with the right care.

More care tips for your summer garden blooms: How to Fix Leggy Geraniums

How to Fix Yellow Leaves on Geraniums

If you have a geranium plant with yellowing leaves all over the plant, you’ll need to move it into an area with better light and reduce the frequency of your watering immediately. Geranium plants are very drought tolerant and can grow quite happily with very little water. This is one of the reasons that they make such an excellent choice for window boxes, which can be a pain to water. Even during the peak of summer heat, they really only need to be watered once or twice a week to keep them happy and thriving. The yellowed leaves should naturally turn brown and die off, making way for fresh, new growth once your plant has adequate light and is allowed to dry out well between waterings.

If the yellow geranium leaves you’re dealing with are from a nutritional deficiency, the best thing to do is to feed it with a good quality plant food a little more often. The yellowing leaves are a sign that your plant is preparing for new growth or preparing to bloom and doesn’t have enough nutrients to both continue to feed the older leaves as well as provide adequate nutrition to new growth. Giving it a little bit of plant food will allow it to do both, keeping your plant lush and full as it grows. I’ve been using Plant Vitamins this year for both my houseplants and my planters outside with great results. You can use my code CREEKLINEHOUSE for 10% off.

Prevent Leaf Yellowing With Ongoing Care

To prevent leaf yellowing before it starts, be sure that your plant is getting enough sunlight. Geraniums, whether indoors or out, react very quickly to a lack of sunlight and will begin to wilt within a day or two of being in a shady spot, or if you move them away from a bright window.

I like to stick to a weekly watering schedule with my indoor plants and maybe twice weekly during the outdoor growing season. This prevents my geraniums from being overwatered, and also makes my life a little easier. 🙂

Finally, if you can feed your plants every two weeks or so, that will provide them with everything they need to stay beautiful, healthy, and blooming throughout the year.

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