Expert: nick mccann - 6/17/2009

Question
I have purchased two large hanging baskets full of geraniums; very full, lots of blooms, nice foliage. They hang at the front of the house, facing east with lots of morning sun (WHEN it's not raining!)  I have had them for just less than two weeks;  today, the foliage is yellowing, wilting.  This is not new to me as I usually do purchase & plant lots of geraniums, but I am so disappointed.  I fear a bacterial root disease....... is there anything I can do?  Of course I pulled all of the yellowed leaves.  If these don't last I am done with them!  Too costly to repeat this year after year!

Answer
Hi Linda, Yes, it is a fungal problem, usually brought on by wet foliiage going into the cooler evening; there really isn' much you can do but pinch back the plant, spray it with a fungicide, like Daconil, and try to keep the crown dry going into the night from this point on. Many annuals suffer this affliction when the nights are still somewhat cool. Nick