Question From: S. Barbary - Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Q: Hi Nancy I've been growing ivy geraniums on a wall planter at the rear of my house and always has great success with them. Leaves were deep green and bigger than a silver dollar. Blooms were about the size of a baseball. This year the blooms are the size of a golf ball. Leaves are green but are dime size to quarter size. Also, the stems are about 1/4 the length compared to the past. I'm stumped. I have used the same fertilizer and change the soil every other year. Thank you Sam
A: My guess is the excessive heat, Plants go dormant when the temps rise above 85 degrees. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
Comment: Hi Nancy, I really appreciate you getting back to me. I'm skeptical about the heat being the issue. I've never had a geranium behave this way even in the heat much worse than this year. From the start, this geranium just wouldn't grow. I'm still stumped, but I thank you for your thoughts. Regards Sam Barbary
Response: Your geranium may also have been over treated with plant growth regulators (PGRs). They are used when Mother Nature doesn't co-operate and the plants have to be held in greenhouses. No way to know and no remedy that I know of .. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
