Storing geraniums for winter is super easy — you just put them in a cardboard box or a paper bag and close the top. Here are some tips to improve their survival: Keep your geraniums in a cool, dry location, at about 50 to 60 degrees F. Check for mold about once a month and remove dried leaves from the bag or box.
How far back do you cut geraniums for winter?
Overwintered Plants
For geraniums stored as dormant plants during the winter, prune off all of the flowers and flower stems, along with about a third of the length of each stem, before you place the plant in its winter home.
Is it worth keeping geraniums over winter?
Geraniums make decent winter houseplants if you can provide them with plenty of bright light. A sunny west- or south-facing window (or grow lights) assures that they won’t grow spindly. Just make sure to situate the plants away from drafts that might force dormancy.
When should I start overwintering geraniums?
If your geraniums are in the ground, dig them up and pot them about six weeks before first frost. If they are already in pots, you can repot them if desired but hard prune and do your bug inspections first (see below). While potting, trim back any super long roots or any gnarly root balls.
How can I save my geraniums for next year? – Related Questions
Can I leave geraniums in pots over winter?
Geraniums can be overwintered indoors by taking cuttings, potting up individual plants or storing bare-root plants in a cool, dry location. Make sure to do one or all of these things before the first frost.
Can you overwinter geraniums in pots in the garage?
Steps to Overwintering Dormant Geraniums
Allow the soil in the pot to dry out. Place an overturned paper bag on top of each plant. Store the dormant plant containers in a cool, unheated, slightly damp basement or garage. Check the geraniums every few weeks to make sure the leaves and stems are not shriveling.
When should I start my geraniums indoors?
Start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before transplanting out. Sow seeds 5mm (1/4”) deep, using sterile seed starting mix. Use bottom heat until germination, and continue unless the room is particularly warm. Pot seedlings on into 4” peat or coir pots about 3 weeks after sprouting.
At what temperature should you bring geraniums inside?
If keeping geraniums as houseplants, be sure to bring them indoors in late summer or early fall, when nighttime temperatures start to regularly dip below 55°F (13°C).
What month do you cut back geraniums?
Shape the Plant by Pruning
After a perennial geranium has spent the season in bloom and begins to die back, you’ll want to prune it. This keeps the plant dormant for the winter and also helps it store energy for spring. Depending on your zone, this might need to happen anywhere from August to late October.
Can I overwinter geraniums in an unheated greenhouse?
Geraniums only need to be kept frost free, so are very economical to overwinter in the greenhouse. However, we do recommend using a heater to ensure temperatures stay above freezing. If your heater has a thermostat, set it at 5°C or 41°F. If the stems get frosted then the plant will die and not recover!
Can you grow geraniums in the house in the winter?
Potted geraniums (Pelargonium species) are excellent indoor plants and can be grown indoors throughout the year.
How long do geraniums last in pots?
The average life expectancy of a geranium is about two years, and although they will last much longer than that, they tend to get woody and the blooms diminish. Luckily, propagation is easy with geraniums.
How do you care for geraniums indoors?
Geraniums like a light, loamy potting mix that is well drained. Allow your geranium’s soil to dry out pretty well in between thorough waterings. If you keep the soil too wet, these plants are very prone to diseases such as gray mold, blossom blight, and rust.
How far down do you deadhead geraniums?
Can you use scissors to deadhead?
To deadhead plants with tough or stringy stems, use secateurs, scissors or a knife. This includes dahlias, calendulas, marigolds and shrubs such as lilac.
Can you put a geranium cutting straight into soil?
Place your small geranium cutting in dampened fresh potting soil. Make sure whichever pot you use has good drainage. You want the soil to be moist, but you don’t want too much moisture. Water sitting at the bottom of the pot could lead to your stem developing a fungus.
Where do you pinch off geraniums?
You pinch off geraniums where the stem of the spent flower meets the main stem of the plant. This is usually just above a leaf or leave node.
How do I keep my geraniums from getting leggy?
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. The more regularly you prune your geranium, the better able a geranium is able to keep a pleasing shape. Spindly geraniums can also be the result of poor light conditions.
Do geraniums prefer pots or ground?
A common bedding plant, they should be grown in fertile, fast-draining soil. If the soil is rich, geraniums only need a little fertilizer during the growing season; they’ll need more in sandy or nutrient-deprived soil. However, all geraniums love containers.
Why are the leaves on my geraniums turning yellow?
Inadequate Light. Sunlight is crucial for growing geraniums. If your plants are not getting enough light, they will start to stretch and the leaves will turn yellow. To prevent this from happening, make sure to plant your geraniums in an area that receives direct sunlight which is at 6 hours a day.