Geranium Leaves Turning White (The 360 Solutions)

Geranium is a beautiful plant that is placed inside or outside your home for decoration.

The color of the leaves is one of the main attractive parts of the plant. Geranium leaves turning white can be a real concern. 

The problem arises when there is a deficiency of nutrients, fungal attack like powdery mildew, imbalance of Sunlight, deficiency of air circulation, pest attack, and UV light. Fortunately, all of these problems can be dealt with proper care if recognized in time. 

Once you recognize which kind of problem your plan is suffering from, it gets easier to take care of the issue.

For your help, here I will discuss the causes in detail with effective solutions:

Reasons	Solutions
Lack Of Nutrient	Provide balanced fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese and zinc.
Powdery Mildew	Use fungicide.
Pest Attack	Use pesticide.
Air Circulation	Place the plant near the window or the yard.
Balance of Light	More than 6 hours and less than 16 hours.
Effect Of UV Light	Use UV-protecting Spray.

Why is the Geranium Leaves Turning White?

1. Deficiency of Nutrients

When it comes to Geranium leaves, the color change can indicate lots of biological requirements.

Especially when it is turning white it can indicate that there is a deficiency of macronutrients and micronutrients in the plant.

Nitrogen plays a vital role in the development of leaves and stems of geranium plants. Therefore you can see that it also plays an important role in the formation of chlorophyll.

Also, phosphorus is another macronutrient that helps in the growth and protein formation of the plant. 

Similarly, zinc and manganese have an effective role in photosynthesis and protein management of the plant. The most important micronutrient which plays a vital role in the formation of chlorophyll is Iron. 

Whenever there is a deficiency in any of these nutrients it directly impacts the change of color of the geranium leaves.

It is the parents’ way of asking for help from its owner. If the deficiencies continue the leaves will turn white and eventually it will spread throughout the plant and cause death. 

Solution:

The solution to the nutrient deficiency of geranium plants is to provide an adequate amount of fertilizers.

Balancing the nutrients both macro and micro is an important factor. Providing a fertilizer that only has nitrogen or only has phosphate or potassium won’t help with chlorophyll build-up.

Therefore it is necessary that you choose a fertilizer that has a good balance of all the required nutrients in a balanced amount. The requirement for nitrogen is quite high, which is 200 PPM to 250 PPM.

You can choose Geranium Specialized fertilizer or all-purpose fertilizer.

Also, there are 15-16-17 Peat-lites and 20-10-20 Peat-lites. These two fertilizers are not specialized in geranium but the experts suggest them as they have all the required properties.  

While doing the selection of fertilizers keep in mind that macronutrients should not go overboard otherwise nitrogen can end up hurting the roots of the plants by burning them. 

Therefore, whichever brand of fertilizer, read the label of ingredients and nutrition. And make sure to do a cross-check with the sophistication of the geranium plant. 

2. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases among plants. It is a fungal attack on your plant. Whenever your plants get attacked by the fungus, they form their habitat on the leaves and stems. 

If the change of color of geranium leaves is due to fungal attacks then the white layer is not a permanent color. To ensure that, run your finger through the leaves and you will see the white powdery layer coming off. 

Once you ensure that this is actually a fungal attack then you need to act fast. Otherwise, the speed of the fungal attack will reach the flower.

Eventually, it will cause many other rotting problems and create dark spots underneath the white layer. Which means your plant is going to die in a while. 

Solution:

The first way to get rid of the white layer on geranium leaves is to use soap water and cloth.

Do not use hard soap, rather try to use a mild one or dish soap. Dip the cotton cloth into the solution and remove the white layer from the leaves and stems.

This way you will get back the color of the leaves. But you will still need to take care of the spores remaining on the planet. For this, the only way to get rid of these fungus spores is using fungicides. 

There are several fungicides available in the market. Try to find one which is actually made for dealing with powdery mildew.

These fungicides not only kill the spores but also prevent them from coming back and spreading. 

Another best preventive way before the plants have been affected by fungicides is to use Neem oil. It is a natural product and it doesn’t have any side effects.

Therefore if you spray the Neem oil on your plants on a monthly basis you will see that there are no fungal infections in the plants, to begin with. 

3. Pest Attack

You might find it unusual but actually, a pest attack can cause a change of color in geranium leaves. There are lots of small or big pests in the garden which directly affect the physiological balance of the geranium plant. 

Whenever the physiological balance is disrupted it causes many issues with photosynthesis, protein formation, and chlorophyll formation. As a result, the direct effect is seen in the color changing of the leaves. 

In some cases, the effect is so much that it can even lead the color green to white and white to brown.

Also if the pests are not controlled they will spread all over your garden and will also affect other plants. You will see that eventually all of your gardens are suffering from pest attacks. 

If the situation gets severe you might even need to shut your garden. 

Solutions:

Whenever your garden has been attacked by pests it needs to be taken under control as soon as possible. Otherwise, the pests can get out of control.

The first thing to identify is what kind of waste is attacking your plant. There are different pesticides that are specially designed for specific pests. Applying this will ensure that those pests don’t come back. 

Unfortunately, if you are not an expert it gets difficult to recognize what kind of pests are actually attacking your garden.

In that case, as a preliminary treatment, you can apply generalized pesticides which can actually work on any kind of pests. 

Once the preliminary application of pesticide is done, it is time to consult with your agricultural specialist and take suggestions on how to prevent the pest attack.

Geranium can be sensitive to some specific pests. Ask the specialist in this regard. 

4. Air Circulation

Circulation of air is very important while cultivating geranium plants. The deficiency of your circulation can give rise to different kinds of microscopic organisms. This includes different types of fungi, bacteria, algae, etc.

Also due to the lack of air circulation, you will find that plants are rotting in different places like stems, leaves, and roots.

Whenever there is a deficiency of air circulation you will find that the plants are getting soggy. As a result, the leaves will start turning color. 

The deficiency of your circulation also indicates that plants cannot absorb nitrogen from the air.

As a result, it will fail in performing protein nourishment. Therefore your plant starts changing color which starts with the whitening of the geranium leaves. 

Solution:

To ensure your circulation the first thing you can do is to place your plants in an open space. If you’re planting geranium as an indoor plant. Try to place it beside the window or on the balcony.

If you have lots of open space in your backyard or front yard then it is ideal to place your geranium plant there. This way you can ensure access to air in your geranium plant.

5. Imbalanced Light

Light is a very tricky factor when it comes to geranium plants. Both excess and deficiency of light can cause whitening of the leaves. Sunlight plays a vital role in the photosynthesis process. 

When there is very little light, it will interact with the photosynthesis process. As a result, your plant will lack nutrients. This means your plant will eventually die due to malnutrition.

Also in the difference in the sea of light, the plant will stop producing chlorophyll. This means the leaves and the stems are definitely going to change color. 

On the other hand, geranium doesn’t tolerate heavy sunlight. In case you have placed the plant in a place where it gets more than 16 hours of Sunlight it will start to get demotivated to perform the physiological function. 

Geranium is also a low-light plant. For this also you need to ensure that the plan doesn’t have an excess amount of Sunlight. This is why it is a tricky business to ensure the exact amount of Sunlight for your geranium plant.

Solution:

To stop your geranium leaves from turning white the first thing to do is ensure that it doesn’t get light for less than 6 hours and more than 16 hours.

You can also place it in a Shady area where it gets sunlight but not in an extensive amount.  

Direct sunlight can even raise the temperature of the plant which is another reason why your geranium leaves might be turning white. 

Therefore it is always suggested to plan your geranium plants in pots not directly on the ground. That way you can easily replace the plant. 

6. Effect of UV Light

UV light from the sun can be quite damaging to geranium leaves. Due to the UV lights the color of the leaves changes in no time.

You will see that first, the white spots will arise in the leaves. Which time will extend to a large amount. 

If your plans continue to receive the UV light from the sun directly then eventually it will cause the whole plan to lose color and become white.

UV light can also cause many other problems. They can even disrupt the photosynthesis process in the plant. 

Solution:

It is quite a tricky business to prevent your plant from UV light. But the first thing to do is not place your plants directly in the sunlight. It doesn’t ensure the total outcome but helps a lot.

Nowadays there are also several sprays available that form a layer on your plants to prevent them from UV lights.

These sprays give protection from time to time. That’s why reapplication is also necessary. Follow the instruction manual to get the utmost result. 

Caring Measures to Stop Geranium Leaves from Turning White

Sometimes we get concerned about our geranium plants after they start changing colors.

But if they are taken care of in time then there would be any change of color in the plant leaves. Here are some tips that can help you get a healthy plant. 

• Watering your pants timely is a very important part of gardening. In the case of geranium plants, you need to water them in the morning so that there is no water accumulation in the root at night time.
• To fertilize your plant as per the requirement, check the fertility of the soil every now and then.
• Always clean your plant so that there is no debris formation in the plant. Ensuring air circulation will help with it.
•  You will always find some dead leaves on your plant. Take out these leaves. These ensure a beautiful outlook and if there is fungus build up get rid of them too. 

Necessary Care for Geranium Plants

Requirement of Geranium Plants	Scale
pH of soil	6 to 6.5
Temperature	70 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Watering time	In the morning.
Fertilizer	Must contain phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.

FAQs

What Are the Signs of Overwatering of Geraniums?

Overwatered geraniums foster yellowed leaves and hanging shriveled blooms. You can differentiate between an over-watered and under-watered geranium by actually taking a look at the dirt. Stick your finger into the dirt a couple of days subsequent to watering.

How Do You Keep Potted Geraniums Blooming?

To keep your geraniums in blossom, deadhead blurred blossoms by eliminating the whole bloom tail down to where it meets the principal stem. To keep plants thick, full, and loaded with blossoms, utilize a sharp set of scissors, or even your fingers, to cut or squeeze around a 1/2 inch of development from the finish of each stem.

Can I Leave Geraniums Outside Over Winter?

Geraniums just should be kept ice-free, so are exceptionally prudent to overwinter in the nursery.

Notwithstanding, we truly do prescribe utilizing a radiator to guarantee temperatures stay above freezing. On the off chance that your warmer has an indoor regulator, set it at 5°C or 41°F. On the off chance that the stems get iced, the plant will kick the bucket and not recuperate!

Should You Cut off Dead Geranium Flowers?

Without deadheading, the sprouts tend to become scanty, and they will ultimately quit delivering blossoms. This procedure likewise keeps the plant from framing new seeds. You should deadhead at whatever point your geranium sprouts start to look brown or powerless.

Should Geraniums Be Cut Back?

Geraniums will develop tall and leggy in the event that they’re not pruned routinely. Scaling back the plants considers new development and longer-enduring sprouts, drawing out the best in these brilliant, merry nursery staples. Also, you don’t need to allow the cuttings to go to squander – you can utilize them to begin new geranium plants.

Final Words

Geranium leaves turning white means your plant needs your attention. First, try to recognize if any of the mentioned reasons go with your plant or not.

If the reasons are limited to the given pointers then you can apply the solutions. Otherwise, in severe cases, it is always ideal to take help from Garden experts near you. 

Also, try to maintain basic care like watering and fertilizing the plant from time to time. Also, try not to go overboard in caring, sometimes those can be harmful too.