How can I save geraniums over the winter?

Saving Geraniums Over Winter


Many gardeners like to keep their geraniums from one year to the next. This provides plants for the home in the winter and eliminates the cost of buying new plants the following spring.





There are several methods of handling geraniums over winter. One way is to take cuttings and root them, early in fall.





Geranium stem cuttings, often called "slips," should be about four inches long. Take the slips from the tips of the healthiest stems. Remove the leaves on the bottom two inches of the cuttings. Stick the cuttings in a coarse sand, perlite, vermiculite or a well drained potting soil. Cuttings would root faster if you dip the ends in rooting hormone powder. Stick the cuttings two inches deep in the medium and water thoroughly. Place in a north or east window or underneath artificial lights until rooted. This generally takes three to four weeks.





After the cuttings have rooted, plant them in individual pots and put them in a well-lighted spot. Keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize lightly every four to six weeks once new growth appears.





Rather than take cuttings, some people prefer to pot their best plants and bring them indoors for winter. Cut the plant back to about one-third its original height. Carefully dig up the plant, and pot it into a six-inch or larger flowerpot. Water thoroughly and put it by a sunny window.





An old method of carrying geraniums over winter is to dig the plants, shake excess soil from their roots, then hang them from your basement rafters. Most basements are too warm and dry now, however, some people report success with this method. To find out if this will work in your basement, try it with several plants, but be sure you take cuttings, too, in case you lose the original plant. Take the plants down occasionally and place the roots in water for several hours. Then, hang them back up. Do this several times over the winter to prevent them from drying out completely. Pot your geraniums in early spring, and put them in a sunny window until frost danger has passed.

How can I save geraniums over the winter?
cover the pot with plastic, it will be like a small winter garden. don't forget to water them.
Reply:Replant in flower pots and bring them inside. Keep watered and place them near a window. They'll keep flowering.
Reply:Dig them up put them in pots and bring them inside.
Reply:geraniums are an annual you have to plant them each year.
Reply:We cover ours up with straw and put them in a dry place. It works
Reply:never worth the hassle there only 25p each over here
Reply:Put them in flower pots and bring them inside. They need sun though. Spray them with a mixture of luke warm water and dish soap - it will eliminate any insects. Spiders, aphids etc. Be sure to give them a shot of fertilizer to keep them healthy over the winter. Enjoy!!
Reply:unroot them and keep them indoors?
Reply:Bring them indoors before the first frost. If they've been planted in flower beds make sure you plant them in pots. I usually pull mine in around this time of year and I use potting soil that already has the fertilizer and the yummy stuff that the plants need. Once you bring them indoors they'll usually keep blooming and by spring time you can throw them back out doors again. I have one that I got about 3 years ago that I call Bertha. She started outdoors and then I brought her in when it got colder. She's so big now I have to keep her in one of those huge terra cotta pots on wheels because she's so big. She's to heavy to keep pulling in and out of the ground, but when it's warm I shove her outside on my patio. Good luck, but I'd start bringing them in soon.