Rozanne Geranium Browning/"rusting" - Ask Extension
Hello, just today I noticed my Rozanne Geraniums all (and I have several) have a degree of "rusting"/browning look to the leaves. For some i...
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Rozanne Geranium Browning/"rusting" #868744
Asked May 16, 2024, 2:51 PM EDT
Hello, just today I noticed my Rozanne Geraniums all (and I have several) have a degree of "rusting"/browning look to the leaves. For some it's more in the margins, for others the whole leaf is discolored. I did just have my home powerwashed/cleaned by a local company, in case there was something in their products, but no other plants look discolored or damaged except for one neighboring astilbe. Please see photos. Not sure if this is potentially related to the cleaning, or a coincidence on the timing and it's a plant disease, etc. And will they recover??
Kent County Michigan
Expert Response
Thank you for your question!
This is an excellent article that takes you step by step in identifying rust in your garden. Peek on the underside of your plants and see if any of the pictures in this article align with what you see.
Rust in the flower garden | UMN Extension
It is probable that the damage to your foundation plantings is from the cleaning agent/s used to power wash your house. Know that some plants may have been more susceptible to the cleaning agents than others.
The short answer is your plants will recover. You may wish to prune out the leaves that are affected to stimulate new growth on your plants, discard these in the trash.
Water throughout the summer using a soaker type hose instead of overhead to limit diseases.
I have included the following articles for future reference.
What's wrong with my plant? : Garden : University of Minnesota Extension (umn.edu)
e1493-1981.pdf (msu.edu)
Recognizing symptoms of bacterial blight of geraniums - MSU Extension
Enjoy a season of beautiful geranium and astilbe blooms!
