Drooping ivy geranium: causes and fixes

How to tell

Soggy roots can also cause drooping because damaged roots cannot take up water. The soil is wet, the base feels soft, and adding more water makes the damage worse. Small dark flies around moist potting medium may be fungus gnats. They suggest conditions suitable for breeding, without proving that the surface never dries.

The fix

Hold off while the mix is wet. Inspect the roots, remove soft, rotten roots with clean tools and repot in fresh, well-drained, lightly moist mix. Let excess water drain away and avoid drying the entire root ball. Water according to moisture, only when the top 3 cm (1.2 in) of soil feel dry. Check drainage and do not add water just because a tip is brown or a calendar says it is time.

How to get rid of fungus gnats →

How to tell

It sits near a cold window, an outside door or an air-con vent, and looks limp after cold nights or while the vent is running.

The fix

Move it away from the draft to a spot with steadier temperatures.

How to tell

It started drooping right after you repotted, bought, or relocated it.

The fix

This is transplant shock. Keep its care steady, don’t fertilize, and give it a week or two to settle. Resist the urge to fuss.

How to tell

It wilts on hot afternoons and recovers by evening. Ivy geranium likes sun, so the sun itself is rarely the problem: a pot that dries out fast in the heat is.

The fix

Check the soil on hot days and water if it is dry. In a heatwave, move it back from the glass for the hottest hours.

How to tell

Along with drooping foliage, unopened buds or flowers fall, usually a reaction to a sudden change in light, temperature, or watering just as the ivy geranium was budding.

The fix

Keep its spot and watering completely stable through the bloom cycle. Once it settles, the next flush of buds should hold.