Geraniums are very water-demanding plants, but also very sensitive to overwatering. At certain times of the year, such as summer, we have to control the irrigation a lot, because if we let the soil remain dry for a long time it could dehydrate, and if on the contrary we are pouring water on it too often, we will lose our plants since your root system will not be able to absorb it all, since on the one hand it will not need it, and on the other it will not be prepared to do so.
And is that these plants do not like to have "wet feet", as they say. Every effort should be made to keep them properly hydrated, as this will ensure that they produce their wonderful flowers throughout the spring and summer. So thatHow often do you have to water the geraniums?
How many times do you have to water the geraniums?
Irrigation has to be moderate. Therefore, in general they have to be watered about three times a week during the summer, and once a week the rest of the year. But, in reality, it will depend to a great extent on the climatic conditions that exist in our area, as well as if we have them outside or inside the house.
In fact, in very hot and dry climates, they are watered more times than in those that are cool and / or humid. In addition, in summer, as the temperatures are higher, we have to be more aware of our plants since the earth dries much faster than during winter.
When to water geraniums in summer?
In summer it is important that we water in the late afternoon, When the sun sets. In this way, the soil will remain humid for a longer time, and consequently, the roots will have more hours to rehydrate.
If we irrigate in the morning or at noon we would see that the moisture is lost immediately, which is why it should not be watered at that time, since we would only lose water. As for the frequency, it will be about three times a week.
Watering geraniums during a heat wave
Since heat waves are meteorological phenomena that happen every year, we have to be especially careful with watering the geraniums during those days. Although they are plants that support temperatures of 35-38ºC, it is important that the substrate remains moistotherwise they will go thirsty.
In addition, It is necessary to ensure that the temperature of the irrigation water is between 18 and 30ºC, the ideal being 23-24ºC. And is that if the aerial part is too hot (that is, leaves and stems) it would perspire more than necessary, losing water, and the roots would go into shock, and could suffer burns.
When to water geraniums in winter?
In winter you can continue watering in the late afternoon, but if temperatures are cool (15ºC or less) we recommend doing it in the morning, since it is when the geraniums will be able to hydrate better and, therefore, perform their functions.
As the days get shorter and the nights get cold, our plants will slow down their growth. For this reason, the frequency of irrigation should be less than during the summer, since the land also takes longer to dry.
Thus in this season an average of once a week will be wateredUsing warm water because if it is too cold we could lose the plant (remember that the temperature of the irrigation water must be above 18-30ºC).
How to water geraniums?
We know how often you have to water your geraniums, but how do you do it? A glass is often not enough, because the roots that are more towards the interior of the pot or earth remain dehydrated. So how are they watered?
The objective of irrigation is to hydrate the plants, so you have to pour water until they are soaked. Then, if we have potted geraniums we will water until the water comes out through the drainage holes, and if they are planted in the garden, we will add between half a liter and a liter of water per plant depending on its size.
But beware: the substrate, or the earth, has to absorb that water. That is, if our geraniums are in pots for example and when we water we see that the water is not absorbed, but rather flows out of the holes quickly, we will have to take the plants and put them in a basin of water for half an hour or so, until the substrate rehydrates again.
If the plants are in the ground and it does not absorb the water, we will take a fork, or if we want a small hand shovel, and carefully we will break the surface layer of the earth. When it is, we will make a tree grate -with the same garden soil- and we will give the geraniums a good watering.
What are the symptoms of lack and excess of watering in geraniums?
To finish, we are going to see what are the symptoms that our plants will have in case there is a problem with watering:
Lack of irrigation
- Sad appearance, with fallen leaves
- Leaves with brown or yellow tips
- The flower buds do not finish opening
- The flowers fall before their time
- The earth is very dry
The treatment will consist of water abundantly.
Excess irrigation
- Roots are damaged and can die from suffocation
- The tips of the leaves turn yellow, until they finally fall
- The stems become soft
- Plants are weakened to the point where they can become ill from fungi or oomycetes
- Verdina may appear on the ground
In this case, the affected parts must be cut and treated with a fungicide containing copper (on sale here). Likewise, it will be necessary that, if they are kept in pots, the earth bread is taken out and wrapped with absorbent paper overnight. The next day, they will be planted in clean pots with new substrate composed of black peat (for sale here) mixed with 30% perlite (for sale here).
With all these tips, we hope that from now on the watering of your geraniums will be better. It is not difficult to keep them hydrated, but it is true that sometimes it is difficult to know when and how to water them. We trust that now it costs less and your plants flourish with health.
Very interesting
Thank you very much, Jacqueline 🙂