Wintering Over Geraniums

Fall has arrived at the Tyler Place. As I am preparing the grounds for winter, I always have a hard time saying “good-bye”to all the annuals. They usually end up on one large compost pile, but there are a few I just have to rescue. There is no need to buy geraniums year after year in the spring, they can be overwintered quite easily, so you can keep your plants, in one form or another, year-round.

This is a very easy way to keep your geraniums alive until spring, but they will need a light window spot.

• Prune the geraniums back to 1/2 to 1/3 of their original height, and then carefully dig up each plant.
• Place in a 6 to 8-inch  pot, or you can group them in a larger container.
• Water them in well.
• Geraniums prefer cool indoor temperatures with daytime temperatures near 65° F  and night temperatures around 55° F .
• Geraniums become tall and spindly when grown in warm, poorly lit areas. 
• During their stay indoors, water the plants only when the soil becomes dry.
• Occasionally pinch the geraniums to produce stocky, well- branched plants.

You can also store your geraniums in the basement, just make sure it doesn't get below freezing temperatures.

• Pot  your geraniums and allow the soil to dry out.
• Cut the plants back by about half.
• Top each plant with an overturned paper bag.
• Spray your the root areas slightly with water every few weeks.
• Plants kept in containers over the winter are typically larger than most geraniums sold in the spring. This allows you to have a head start on growth and blooms for next year's garden.

Happy Gardening,
Claudia