Winterover Geraniums
There are several ways to save your geranium over the winter for next year:
1. Take cuttings and root them. Take 4 ” cuttings of healthy tips, remove flowers and lower leaves . Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and insert 2″ deep in a light well drained soil. Keep cuttings in a filtered light until roots form (3-4 wks).
2. Pot them up (trim up to 1/3 ) to keep them from getting to leggy. Grow them as houseplants by placing them in the brightest window for the winter. Water when needed and fertilize once a month.
3. Store geraniums in a dormant state. Dig up the plant and place it in a papper bag with holes in it or wrap the roots in newspaper. Hang the bag in a cool, dark space (basement, crawl space).
Another old way is to hang them upside-down, bare roots in a cool, dark basement. Rehydrate the roots a few times during the winter by soaking them in water for a few hours. Pot up the plant in late winter (Feb) and resume watering. When the weather warms up place your wintered geranium outdoors .
Minimum temperature
At what temperature do geranium need cover so they wont get frost damage.
I have a few scented geraniums and I am wondering how to overwinter them or even if it is possible to do so. I’ve taken some cuttings from all and plan to keep them as house plants but I would really like to keep the parent plant also. Thank you for any information.
Is it possible to bring your potted geraniums in in the fall cutting them down to 3″ and put them in the basement for the winter after. Then begin to water in March.
Winterover tip
Hi Kris, for years I have just brought them in and treated them like house plants. I put them in a sunny window and water about every third week. Then I gradually increase the amount of direct sun they are allowed once I move them outdoors.
I am in north central Ohio. What can I do to winterize and keep geraniums and mums. It is expected to frost and maybe freeze tonight (10/4). Thanks for your help.