Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Over-watered indoor geranium?

PegathaPegatha Posts: 94
in Problem solving
Hi, I have this lovely fragrant geranium which has been sitting happily in my conservatory for over a year. I have been giving it just a tiny amount of water, about every 10 days or so and it’s been perfectly happy. But last time I watered it (about a week ago) I gave it slightly too much... not a huge amount, but perhaps half a cup instead of its usual quarter of a cup. Next day, it’s leaves had gone all floppy. It’s been a week and it still hasn’t picked up. I thought the roots might still be damp but the soil is pretty dry. Should I just leave it and hope it recovers or is there something I should be doing to help it? It is a treasured plant and I would hate to lose it. Thank you 

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Just leave it to dry for now and make sure it isn't in a cold draught.

    In future, instead of measuring out quarter cups, dunk the pot in a bigger bowl of water or a bucket just until no more air bubbles appear from the compost and then let it drain in the side before putting it back in its saucer.  That way you'll ensure it has enough to drink but never drowns.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    I think I'd leave it. Someone might come along and suggest digging it up and checking the roots, but I wouldn't do that myself - you say it's now dryish, and the disturbance would likely cause more problems.

    If I'd just seen the photo without your description, I'd say it looked alsolutely fine. And "over-watering" is something people worry about too much - but watering should always be "when needed" and not on some regular calendar - and less is often best. A plant would never react in the course of a single day to being given excess water, and it doesn't sound as though you 'drowned' it. So why the change? I don't know - a particularly cold night? old leaves just getting 'tired' as it's spring and time for lots of new ones?

    My 'non-scented' 'Geraniums' (i.e. Pelargonium) have been kept on a window-ledge with almost no water though winter, but watering now getting going again - they'll go outside again eventually. Why not take a cutting at some point and have more than one as 'insurance'.
Sign In or Register to comment.