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West Midlands, United Kingdom

Diseases of hardy geraniums: Last year I planted out Rozanne and Anne Folkard, both had been wonderful. Anne F was moved from one side of west facing border to another, and Rozanne from large pot and split. I had a makeover last year which entailed the buying of several tons of top soil which has caused no problems elsewhere in my garden. Rozanne grew huge, but the leaves were marked with small spots which grew, ditto Anne F. Many flowers also deformed. Any ideas and what can I try? this first pic taken in June, others now.




Answers

 

Might be Geranium Downy Mildew - the brown patches on top of the leaf should have a corresponding area of slightly white, fuzzy growth beneath the leaf, so check and see. If it is that, remove all badly affected leaves and spray with something containing Mancozeb, if you can get it (you might find Mancozeb itself on line), taking care to ensure you spray till run off, and in particular beneath all the leaves and on the stems.

28 Aug, 2011

 

Hi Bamboo, definitely no mildew, I was trying to find out about geranium leaf spot, but when googling keep getting pelargoniums:-( HAVE YOU SEEN GERANIUM LEAF SPOT? THE ODD PIC i CAN FIND LOOKS SIMILAR, BUT HARD TO TELL OOPS MUST HAVE PRESSES CAPS LOCK. In all the years I've grown geraniums, I've never had any problems, maybe in the new top soil do you think?:-)

28 Aug, 2011

 

I am interested too BA. I have G. Ann Folkard and have a leaf problem each year. I asked the gardener at a National Trust garden and he said it could be rust, which was a common problem. I sprayed it for rust this year while the leaves were looking great and within a week every leaf was dead. It did continue to flower.

28 Aug, 2011

 

Well, Linda235, was that gardener you spoke to aware that you meant Geranium rather than pelargonium geranium? Because rust is a very common and widespread problem on pelargoniums, but not on cranesbill geraniums.
Bornagain, either way, I'd spray with mancozeb or similar fungicide - leaf spot itself is either fungal (as is downy mildew) or bacterial, and the bacterial form there's no treatment for anyway.

28 Aug, 2011

 

Thanks Bamboo, best of luck Linda:-)

28 Aug, 2011

 

He was actually working with Geraniums at the time, that is why I asked him Bamboo. I have now cut most of the plant back for the winter, but I will take a note of Mancozeb for next year. It is such a lovely colour I am keen to solve the problem. Thanks! :o)))

28 Aug, 2011

 

Let's hope mancozeb works - if its anything like Downy Mildew in busy lizzies, it'll be resistant to all known fungicides.

29 Aug, 2011

 

Linda your problem seems worse than mine, I'm just amazed as I always thought they were trouble free, one of the reasons I like them so much:-)

29 Aug, 2011

 

I have had another look. I have nice new leaves coming up again but some already have the pink tips as in photo number 2. It is not mold or mildew.

29 Aug, 2011

 

I believe they often get red tips at the end of the year......but I get it at the beginning too.

29 Aug, 2011

 

If I remember rightly, mine started out as small blackish spots which i thought may be insect damage, but could see nothing, then all the leaves looked wrong and the flowers deformed and not so numerous. They just looked a mess really and Rozanne grew massive. The lovely leaves of Anne Folkard never looked good at all and not golden either. I've had this for years, probably my favourite. I'm going to dig them up soon, maybe pot them up:-(

30 Aug, 2011

 

Capsid bugs! experts at Gardeners World Live told me if anyone's still interesed or has similar problems:-)

15 Jun, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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