Hi there, this is your northern bloggy neighbor leanin' over the virtual fence....
How ya doin' today?
Do you have a minute for a question?
When fall had done these beauties in, (all these pictures are from last summer!) I brought these geraniums into the house, and put them into the basement. They have some light, but are cooler than they would be upstairs. I've tried to keep them watered, and they are still alive, but they look terrible.
But these still have some life left in them, the branches are green underneath, and even though the leaves are not all green, some are.
Is now the time to cut them back? Or what? I want them to look nice by Labor Day weekend at least. I've never gotten them to make it this far, so I'm going to need some helping getting them green and blooming profusely again!
Tell me, won't you, how to properly winter geraniums over? And what to do when spring is approaching?
Maybe I should have cut them back in the first place?
You're so nice to help a girlfriend out!
15 comments:
I always break off any thing that is dead or weak. Then when it's warm outside I put them outside You should soon have green growth. You may need to trim them again if some of the stems fail to grow. But you should have a decent looking plant by June. Depending where you live. I take my geraniums out of the dirt and put into a tote in my basement. They look dead and every year I am amazed the come back all lush,green, and flowering. Don't forget to lightly fertilize the plants. Good luck
I've read that you can dry root by hanging in a garage or shed over the winter and re-pot in spring? I don't see how, but?
In the fall my husband's G-mom would pull them up (keep roots intact/cool spot) and store in a brown paper bag. Then replant them in pots in the sring. It is amazing that they start growing.I live in Ohio.
I have mine in pots and bring them in. About now if you put them in a sunny window and start watering they wil grow. It seems when you put them out for the summer they harden up. Just be patient. I love Pillar or piller geraniums. The get 4 foot high or higher usually grow up throughh a tomato cage. I always save those!!
Good morning Joni,
I usually pull my out of the pot and put them in a paper bag underneath the house. I live in Georgi so I take mine out about the end of March and re-pot.
We had a neighbor when I was younger who would pull hers up and just toss them in the basement on a shelf - yep - and darn if those things didn't bloom come spring when she repotted them. I think they are pretty hardy plants. I think Dawn is correct in what she said.
My geraniums are in pots that I take in the house in winter. The first year I had them in our basement, which is cool and only gets a little light. I kept them looking pretty decent using some artificial light, but they were pretty leggy and scraggly looking just the same. I just pulled off any dead leaves or cut off some big long leggy pieces occasionally; really did nothing special. They came back really nicely though, once the weather warmed up and the danger of frost was gone I put them back outside and they greened up and looked really nice. Even one of them which I thought was almost totally dead (it got left out after a frost in fall) came back.
The last two years I've been keeping my overwintered pots in an upstairs bedroom we don't use that gets lots of southern exposure.
I have no advice for you, because I've tried a couple of things and they didn't work. I just hope that you find your answer so that they look as gorgeous for you again as they do in these pictures!
Out here in Cali, we leave them in the ground year round. They do not stay green and a lot of the plant turns brown. I usually cut off all the dead branches/brown leaves and once the warmer weather arrives, they start sprouting new growth.
I can't be of any help in the garden department. I'm just here via Ms. Bee. And I love your blog. First of all, the Michale Buble song has me crying b/c I miss home. Funny how songs can make your moods change. lol I'm your newest follower and would be delighted for you to follow me back!
Good luck with those flowers. Your porch is darling!
Tammy
I didn't know you could save them over the winter, I never bought any,
because my hubby doesn't like the smell of them. I use silk ones to decorate with....sshhhh...I am going to buy some this Spring. Thanks for asking this question and thanks to all of you, for the information.
Bear Hugs~Karen
I always carry some geraniums over on my window sills,if they get leggy, I cut them back and root the cuttings. In spring, I'll take them outside, repot them or plant them right in the ground, again cutting back anything that is leggy. I also hang some in the basement over the winter. When I'm ready to repot them, I soak them in water for a while and then pot them up. It's like watching a magic trick as the green starts coming out.
i've often wondered this question myself. i tried once with a huge geranium (landscaper fellow said to cut it back in the fall, take it in the garage, and it'll be fine in the spring.) It didn't work. Maybe this will be the year to try again?
xo
~molly
I used to just put them in the basement in a east facing window and they would bloom like crazy all winter, with minimal care, because I always forgot about them.
I kept the same plants going for many years this way.
You probably can't go wrong.
Geraniums are like weeds. Ive gardened on the east coast and the west and never took them in. They get ugly but I cut them back whenever they do. Of course you dont want to do that when its really cold or wet outside. But when you put them back in the ground, if you toik them out, trim them up and plant them. They will come back. Its one of the reasons I love them.
Thanks to all for such great information! Country neighbors are the best of all! <3
xoxo
Joni
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