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There are several fashion tooverwinter geraniums(Pelargoniums ) from your garden . With some paper , a cardboard box , report bag , or a cheery windowsill , you’re able to keep these tender perennials for the winter and have fresh blooms next spring and summer . I ’ll walk you through the options and provide wintertime fear tips .
If you have tree diagram in pots , this shows how tooverwinter a potted treeto keep it safe for the wintertime .
Overwintering Geraniums
TheGeraniaceaefamily of flora includesGeranium(430 species),Pelargonium(280 species ) andErodium(80 species ) .
Pelargonium common name include : zonary , odoriferous , common ivy - riffle , and Martha Washington geraniums .
Misnomer : We commonly refer to Pelargoniums ( Pelargonium x hortorum ) as ‘ geraniums ’ but that ’s not their botanical name . At this point it ’s more like a misplaced moniker that wo n’t go away .
Geranium ( Pelargonium ) Growing TipsLong - live flowering annual(tender perennial)• Hardiness zones : 10 to 11• Full sun• Soil : well - draining• Propagation : maturate from cuttings or division• Cold climates : overwintering tips•Grow indoorsor outdoors
Gardeners have all kind of room to keep geranium over the wintertime and regrow them in spring . I like to save particularly beautiful specimen , knowing I may not be able to line up similar ones at plant life nursery next spring .
Some gardeners save them as family token , bothoverwinteringthe plants and claim rooting cuttings to ensure they survive for yr .
There is some name confusion with these plants . TheGeraniaceaefamily of plants includesGeranium(430 species),Pelargonium(280 mintage ) andErodium(80 species ) .
We ordinarily refer to Pelargoniums ( Pelargonium x hortorum ) as ‘ geraniums ’ but that ’s actually another genus in the family . I ’m using the two words interchangeably here .
Many Pelargonium grow as bush - eccentric plants with thick , succulent stems , which is why they are dependable candidates for winter repositing .
The flowers are traditionally red , salmon , reddish blue , livid , or pink .
While they are sold as annual , they are actually tender perennial , and tolerate temperature down to about 45 ° F ( 7 ° snow ) while actively growing . Their sweet spot is between 55 ° -65 ° F ( 12 ° -18 ° degree Celsius ) , which is idealistic for indoor growing as well .
Contents
4 Easy Ways to Overwinter Geraniums
1Bring Inside as Houseplants
If you have way for the potty in a sunny location , you may land your potted geranium ( Pelargoniums ) into your home for the winter .
While they necessitate sun , they do well with temperate temperature 55 ° -65 ° F ( 12 ° -18 ° hundred ) . I have majuscule succeeder with a west - face windowpane that is slimly draughty , keeping the air around them a little cooler than the rest of the menage .
There is some provision necessary to ensure they are well-chosen , healthy , and louse - free .
2Take Cuttings
rather of bringing the entire plant indoors for the wintertime , you’re able to also take cuttings . This is a good solvent if infinite indoors is limited , or you desire more plant .
For step - by - step instructions , seeHow to Take cutting off from Geraniums .
I ’ve include video ( from other gardener ) for those who hear better this way . Keep in mind that each nurseryman has their own method acting and they may motley ( but still work out ) from what I ’ve send word here .
3Cool Storage
I find this method acting is unreliable — some years the geraniums do amercement , other years they don’t — but it ’s not a bad choice if you just want an easy option and do n’t bear in mind if the plants die .
Keep the plant in its container , prepare it , and berth in stale depot . The thought is to let the works go inactive for the winter without letting the plant stop dead or pot mixture dry out out . The theme and foliage can be cut back and/or protected with wheat mulch if there is a chance of freezing .
You ’ll take a moth-eaten space like a garage , caducous , inhuman cellar , or unheated greenhouse or cellar that does not dim below freeze . A good range is 34 to 40 ° F ( 2 to 4 ° C ) .
To get started , strip up your potted geraniums by removing dead , damaged , moldy , pathological parts , and cutting the total plant back by one - third to one - half .
checker and plow for insects .
Water deep and billet in storage .
I like to place some support rods in the soil and hang a blanket over the whole thing or cover in straw mulch as mentioned .
Related : More Tips For Overwintering industrial plant
4Dormant Bare Root Storage
This is a popular method acting that has been done for generations . You ’ll take a service department , shed , cold wine cellar , or unheated basement that does not dip below freeze or go beyond 45 ° F .
We call it ‘ bare ascendent ’ computer storage because the plant is removed from the dirt , pruned , and range in coolheaded storage . genus Pelargonium can handle this because of their thick , succulent roots , which survive so long as they do not dry out out or become morbid .
Here ’s what you do .
Whatever you do , you do n’t want the plants to get moist or sit on wet because they are prostrate to mold .
You do , however need to keep them watered , and not allow them to dry out ( they ’ll cash in one’s chips ) .
There are several options :
As far as I can state , the advice to always hang the plant upside - down for better results seems to be a married woman ’ tale .
Reviving Dormant Geraniums
Watch Geranium Tips
Resources
Frequently-Asked Questions
Yes , you could winter geraniums ( Pelargoniums ) anywhere . It ’s the storage conditions that matter . As long as the flora do not suspend or dry out , they can pull through the winter .
you may keep geranium ( Pelargoniums ) as houseplants , propagate cuttings , or store the entire works or just the bare root , in a ironical , coolheaded location .
No , geraniums ( Pelargoniums ) are tender perennials , hardy down to about 45 ° F ( 7 ° C ) . True geranium ( genus geranium ) like crane’s bill are hardy perennials .
Yes , you cantake cuttingsfrom geranium ( Pelargoniums ) any time in the growing time of year and root them for fresh plant .
If you observe tiny mosquito - alike insects fly around your houseplant , it may be fungus gnat .
you could trap the adults usingthese gluey xanthous cardswhich will in crook foreclose females from pose eggs .
This has more tips for dealing with fungus gnat .
This hasmore ideas for garden jobs to take care of on a cheery fall afternoon .
~Melissathe Empress of Dirt ♛
