“Too much heat causes a rapid growth spurt,” Moreno said. While warmer temperatures aid germination, most seedlings grow best at a high of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and nighttime temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Overheating, especially under a germination dome or on a heating mat, can also cause a burst in growth that leads to legginess. In a similar vein, poor soil with improper drainage can stunt growth as seedlings struggle to absorb the necessary water and nutrients. Seedlings may also grow leggy if they are not adequately watered. “If the plants are close together than the shade each other and compete for the light that is available.” “Crowding is related to the light conditions,” Gaper said. Overcrowding in seedling pots will also cause legginess as the seedlings compete for light. Some windows also have coatings that can further hamper access to the sun’s rays. As the seedling gains height, it sacrifices in girth and strength, resulting in thin, pale, fragile, stretched-out stems.Įven if seedlings are situated on a sunny, south-facing window, the average amount of sunlight in late winter to early spring generally does not meet the 12 to 16 hours required for strong seedling development. When the light source is too dim or distant, seedlings grow quickly in height to get closer to that light. The most common cause of legginess is an insufficient or uneven access to light. “If you’ve got a plant that wasn’t getting enough sunlight they’re not going to be able to withstand the rigors of sun and wind.” What causes legginess in seedlings “The other things that happens with the leggy seedlings is that they aren’t storing as much carbohydrates,” said David Graper, South Dakota master gardener coordinator. Legginess is often an indication that your seedlings will fail to thrive once they are transplanted. It can be performed during active growth or just following pruning-once new growth has reached a few inches (8 cm.) high, pinch out about ½ to 1 inch (1-2.5 cm.) from the tips.If these conditions are not met, seedlings can become “leggy,” which is a term used to describe seedlings that have long, thin and pale stalks and small leaves. Normally this is done on established plants to produce bushier growth. Pinching is another practice for fixing leggy plants. Pruning leggy geraniums also prevents them from becoming overgrown and unsightly. ![]() Make sure you remove any unhealthy or dead stems as well. Prior to bringing plants indoors (usually late fall), you should cut back about a third of your spindly geraniums. Not sure what to do with leggy geraniums? Try pruning. Overwatering geraniums can result in a stunted, sickly, and spindly geranium plant. Geraniums should be planted in well-draining soil and should only be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. In addition to pruning, allowing more space between plants and locating them in full sun can oftentimes alleviate the problem.Įxcessive moisture is another cause of leggy geraniums. Spindly geraniums can also be the result of poor light conditions. The more regularly you prune your geranium, the better able a geranium is able to keep a pleasing shape. In order to keep a geranium compact and bushy and prevent it from getting leggy, it needs to be pruned hard at least once a year. ![]() Geraniums are naturally leggy, woody plants in the wild, but in our homes, we like them to be compact and bushy. Most leggy growth on geraniums is the result of irregular pruning maintenance. ![]() This not only helps prevent overgrown geraniums but will also reduce or fix leggy geranium plants. Geraniums are one of the most popular bedding plants, and while they are normally quite attractive, routine pruning may be necessary in order to keep them looking their best. Many people wonder why their geraniums get leggy, especially if they keep them year after year.
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