When To Bring Geraniums Inside

Bring geraniums indoors before the first frost to overwinter them. Drag the entire pot indoors where they should stay for a few weeks while you take care of other more urgent garden tasks if you are growing them in a tub or container and have limited time (as it generally is in the fall). If they were grown in beds, simply remove them with a little dirt, place them in a pot, and water them sparingly. They will survive for a few weeks until you can deal with them.

When is it too chilly for geraniums in pots?

Gardeners have traditionally favored geraniums. They smell wonderful, are colorful, and are simple to grow. How to cultivate geraniums in your house and garden is provided here!

(Note: This page is about Pelargonium plants, sometimes known as geraniums or storksbills. This is not a page about “hardy geraniums, also referred to as cranesbills.

Geraniums are normally kept indoors to overwinter, even if they may be kept outside throughout the warmer months of the year. In contrast, if given enough light, they can bloom all year long indoors.

Geranium or Pelargonium? A Case of Mistaken Identity

Early in the 18th century, Dutch traders who were traveling through South Africa brought the plants that we now refer to as “geraniums” to Europe. Botanists misclassified these new plants into the same genus because they resembled the hardy wild geraniums that are already present throughout Europe.

Botanist Carl Linnaeus of Sweden included them in the genus Geranium in 1753. Pelargonium, which refers to the long, sharply pointed shape of their seedpod, was used to reclassify these new “geraniums when it was later revealed that they differed from European geraniums in the shape of their petals, the number of stamens, and other features.

However, people still refer to them by their old common name, “geranium,” even if we really mean “pelargonium.”

You can grow geraniums as annual blooms or as indoor plants. They can be kept outside in a sunny area throughout the warmer months of the year (between your local frost dates).
If keeping geraniums as indoor plants, make sure to do so in the late summer or early fall when overnight lows begin to consistently fall below 55F. (13C).
Pay great attention to the size and color of geraniums when purchasing them. Healthy stems and leaves will not be straggly or discolored on top of them or underneath them. A plant with evident insect indications should also be avoided. Mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites are typical indoor plant pests.
To prevent root rot, put plants in containers with drainage holes.
When planting in pots, use a well-draining potting mixture rather than heavy, clayey soil. Geraniums dislike being planted in mucky, compacted soil.
Place the plants where they will receive 4-6 hours of sunlight per day for the best bloom.

How to Care for Geraniums

After letting the soil somewhat dry between waterings, water it again well.
Water plants significantly less throughout the winter, but make sure the roots are not completely dried up. Given a time of hibernation throughout the winter, when they consume less water and don’t grow as much, geraniums thrive. For additional overwintering tips, see the section below.
Regularly deadhead spent flowers to promote blooming.
Pinch back the stems to encourage bushiness and prevent legginess.
Fertilize approximately every two weeks throughout the active growing months. Half-strength a fertilizer that is water soluble When the plant should be dormant in the winter, avoid fertilizing.
Repotting geraniums can be done in the spring to promote new growth or if they appear to need revitalization.

Overwintering Geraniums

If they receive plenty of sunlight, geraniums that have spent the summer outdoors can be kept indoors. The sun may not be strong enough in northern regions in late winter to promote buds on some cultivars.
Lift the plants before the first fall frost (you can find your local frost dates here), and use a sharp, clean knife to shapely prune the stems back to about 6 to 8 inches. In the low-sunlight environment they are about to enter, they shouldn’t have to maintain substantial amounts of leaves. A simple technique to increase the number of your plants is to save a few stems for rooting.
Place the “mother plant” in the smallest pot you can find—just big enough to hold the roots—and fill it with ordinary potting soil.
The plants should be kept in the shadow for a week before being moved to a sunny location and kept cool.
Geraniums thrive in temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 16 degrees Celsius) at night during the winter, but they can also withstand lows of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and highs of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), provided they are kept relatively dry.
Cut off all the old leaves when the spring growth begins.

Keeping the new growth alive is the only challenge that can compare to getting it to appear. Here is some assistance with that:

Only offer tiny quantities of water when the leaves begin to droop. Don’t feed or fertilize the plants. These plants must have some downtime.
Pinch back your overwintered geraniums in February if you want them to bloom by Memorial Day. Take the plants outside and move them to beds or pots, as you like, once warm weather returns and all threat of frost has passed.
Containers are ideal for growing the Common or Zonal Geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) (as well as outdoors).
Hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers are all extremely popular places to use Ivy-Leaf Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum).

How to Root Stem Cuttings

The majority of geraniums readily take root from stem cuttings when placed in soil, sand, water, perlite, or another rooting medium.

Make a slanted incision 4 inches below the tip of the stem, above the node where the leaves emerge, with a clean, sharp knife. Cut the grass immediately below a node. Remove all except two or three leaves, any buds, and the stipules that resemble leaves at the base of leaf stalks.
To ensure that the cut end of the stem will seal and not rot, roll the stem cutting in newspaper or place it in the shade for 24 hours.
Place the stem in a wet rooting media container and keep it there for two days in a warm, shaded area. Give the cutting indirect sun after that. Just as needed, moisten the medium.
Apply crushed geranium leaves to small cuts to halt the bleeding.
Scarlet geranium is the flower that speaks of foolishness. More floral meanings can be found here.
You won’t have to worry about those bothersome bugs because geraniums are known to be harmful to Japanese beetles.
Keep geraniums out of the reach of curious youngsters and animals (cats, dogs) as they might cause indigestion or vomiting.

Low light, overexposure, and underwatering are common issues. Yellowing leaves are a sign that you are watering your plants either too little or too much. Try to water the geraniums evenly in this situation, and transfer them to a more sunny location.

Over the winter, should I bring my geraniums inside?

Geraniums can be overwintered inside in three different ways: as a houseplant, as a dormant bare root, or as cuttings. Your decision will be influenced by the amount of room you have indoors and the range of temperatures you can tolerate. Here is a closer examination of each method.

Overwintering geraniums as houseplants

If you want to keep the entire potted plant and have lots of room close to a window that gets bright, direct light, go with this option. A drafty west-facing window would be the ideal place for your potted geranium to spend the winter because geraniums prefer it chilly (55 to 65 F is optimum).

Wash the foliage well with your hose and repot the plant in new potting soil to prevent bringing unwanted pests from outside. You might also use insecticidal soap, which is sold in most garden centers and hardware stores as well as online. Avoid taking the plant indoors if it shows any signs of pests or illness. Only strong plants have a chance of successfully overwintering indoors.

During the winter, keep the soil wet but not damp. No more humidity is required. If the stems begin to sag, pinch them back to keep the plant compact throughout the winter. When springtime comes around, you may start fertilizing once more and transfer the plant back outside as soon as the temperature reliably rises above 50 F.

Overwintering geraniums as dormant bare root plants

This is the most typical way to overwinter geraniums, but it won’t work unless you have a dark, dry place that stays around 50 degrees throughout the winter.

First, dig up your geranium before it freezes and shake the dirt off the roots. To stop mold from forming, let the plant sit and dry for a few days before storage. Before moving onto the following phase, the roots must be completely dry.

The roots should be kept in a dark, dry place that doesn’t get colder than 45 degrees throughout the winter. Geranium roots should be kept at a temperature of 50 F. You can keep them by doing:

It has been customary for generations to hang the plants upside-down from the rafters;
placing them on a shelf after wrapping them in newspaper or a paper bag;
they were put in a cardboard box.

Step 3: Every month or so, look for mold, black leaves, or limp stems at the roots. Remove any plant or root components that are harmful. Most of the stems should endure the winter in good shape. Before re-storing them if they become too wilted, give them a good bath in water and let them air dry.

Step 4: Reviving your geraniums involves cleaning them up, pruning the stems back to healthy green growth, and replanting them in new potting soil about six weeks before your final frost date. Where the new roots will grow, bury the stems two nodes deep. When you notice fresh growth in one to two weeks, keep the plants somewhat dry; after that, keep the soil moist until the plants are big enough to replant outside.

Overwintering geraniums as cuttings

If your light windowsill area is limited or you are concerned that bringing in your entire potted plant would also attract unwanted bugs, this is a nice technique to try. Additionally, it’s a fantastic way to multiply your existing geraniums.

To trim plants, you’ll need:

a cutting edge.
Most hardware stores and garden centers sell rooting hormone, which is sold online.
Use little terracotta or plastic pots, or recycle a clear takeaway container for roasted chicken.
If you don’t eat chicken, use clear plastic bags to cover the pans.

How long before winter should I bring my potted geraniums inside?

Bring indoors containerized plants before the first frost and place them in a sunny window (or under artificial lights). If you have multiple pots, combine them together or transfer them to a bigger container. When you first bring the plants indoors, make sure to fully water them. After that, water only when the soil feels dry.

Geraniums can they survive the winter inside?

Pelargonium species, which come in pots, make great indoor plants that may be grown all year round. They normally become available in March through June, and if given enough light inside the house, they will bloom continuously. There are several fresh varieties, like vining and hanging basket cultivars. They are available in many different types of containers and at varying stages of development.

Are geraniums resistant to frost?

According to the University of Florida, one of my favorite container plants, geraniums, cannot withstand a cold. However, if they have had some time to acclimate to the chilly weather, they may endure a light frost.

Can I store my geraniums for the following season?

Amazingly, annual geraniums (Pelargonium hybrids) thrive and flower wonderfully from spring till frost with little effort. The next spring, these resilient tiny plants will take off and grow once more if you dig them out in the fall and store them in a cardboard box or paper bag for the winter. Learn how to preserve your geraniums over the winter so you can enjoy them year after year by watching our video and reading the article below.

How can winter geraniums be kept alive?

Geraniums can live for the majority of the winter without soil, which sets them apart from most annual flowers. Due to their thick, succulent-like stems, geraniums may withstand prolonged periods of dryness if they are handled correctly to prevent illness.

How to Store Geraniums

Before the first harsh cold of the season, remove the plant from its outdoor container and gently shake the soil from the roots.
Reduce the plant by roughly 50%, taking care to remove any unhealthy-looking growths, flowers, or dead leaves.
For the winter, pick a cool, dark spot, such as an unheated basement, garage, or shed. It is crucial that the temperature stay above 45 degrees F.
The plant should be hung or put in paper bags. If you decide on using bags, don’t close them too tightly; you want some air to flow through them. When geraniums are overwintered, mold can grow on them. When hanging plants, The Spruce advises leaving enough space between them so that air can flow around them.
Put tags (loosely) around the roots of your plants to identify them by color, or group them according to color while storing them.

Care for the Dormant Geraniums

Take the plants out of the bags and give the roots a 1- to 2-hour soak in warm water. I’ve seen some professionals advise doing this once a month, while others advise doing it a few times during the winter. Before putting the plant back in the paper bag, give it time to completely dry. THIS IS ESSENTIAL.
Even if the leaves are withering, check the geranium stems every two weeks to make sure they remain firm. You should discard any plants with withered stems right away. Anything with mold on it should be thrown away.

Reviving After Dormancy

Trim any dead stem tips, and get rid of any roots that are too lengthy.
Before potting, bare root plants can be given an extended soak in water to rehydrate the roots.
Six weeks before the last frost, plant geraniums.
When planting, bury the plant two leaf nodes deep in moist potting soil to encourage root development.
Give them plenty of water.
To reintroduce light and encourage fresh growth, place the newly planted geraniums in a sunny window. After inactive storage, it will probably take the plants 2-4 weeks before they begin to grow.

How long do geraniums in pots last?

My geraniums are no longer blooming. I fed them, but it was ineffective. What’s the issue?

You might be feeding them too much. Pelargoniums, a genus of geraniums native to the Mediterranean, flourish in full sunlight and relatively infertile soil. Overfeeding can be the issue if you have a lot of foliage growth and the plants appear healthy. For a while, stop giving them food. But if your plants are becoming older and their stems are getting lanky, it might be time to propagate. Although they can live much longer, geraniums typically only bloom for two years on average before becoming woody and losing their blooming ability. Thankfully, geranium propagation is simple. Simply cut stem tips with at least two pairs of healthy leaves from a four-inch stem. Cut the stem at the lowest point, dunk it in hormone rooting powder, and then plant it in a mixture of half sand and half peat moss. In around three weeks, repot in ordinary soil after providing adequate watering and covering with plastic to assist preserve moisture. Sticking the cutting in water and letting it grow roots before potting is a simpler method.