Geraniums are plants of perennial nature found mainly in moderate temperature climate. The flowers have five petals and are of different colors. It is a difficult task to make them survive the cold months, but with a little guidance and proper care geraniums can survive the winters and you can replant them in spring again. Geraniums especially cannot stand frost, so it’s best to bring them indoors during the winters. Here is how you should take care of geraniums during the winter months –
Methods of Over-Wintering the Plant
There are 3 different ways of overwintering geraniums, namely
- Overwinter in the interiors of the house as potted plants.
- Keep the dormant and bare roots stored securely.
- Spread out the cuttings to aid the growth of new plants.
Overwinter Inside as Potted Plants
- You would need to prune your plant a bit, carefully dig up the plant, and transfer it in a pot with adequate space and proper drainage facility.
- Keep the plant near a sunny window and keep the room temperature under check.
- Water your plant when the soil becomes dry.
Overwintering bare root geranium:
You can allow the plant go dormant and save its bare roots during the winter.
- Once every month soak the roots in water for a few hours, dry the roots and store. Do not store the soggy roots.
- The leaves of the plant will fall off during this stage but the stems should stay healthy and strong, otherwise chances are that your plant will not survive.
Propagating Geranium form Cutting
The final option is to raise a new bunch of geranium plants during the spring from the previous cuttings. But for that you need to start the process from fall.
- During the fall itself, cut 3 inches to 4 inches pieces from the branches, and remember for the best kind of cutting you need to cut from the terminal end of the branches.
- Cut off the lower leaves and the bud and store near light, but keep it covered from direct sunlight, as that might ruin the cutting.
- During winter, keep the cutting moist by soaking it in the drainage trey.
- It is also advisable that you remove the covering and let it obtain some sunlight.
- As spring approaches it is a good time to plant your geranium in the garden again, and with proper attention, your cutting should grow up to be nice and healthy plants.
If you follow any of these three methods, you can be sure to grow your geranium garden once again, after the winter is over.
