I DON’T WANT TO BE BURDENED WITH TIRED, OLD, MONSTER-SIZE PLANTS WHEN IT COMES TO OVERWINTERING GERANIUMS. Fresh, young, eager-to-grow geraniums that are manageable in size for the window garden’s ornamental purposes are what I’m after. Do you share my desire? Then allow me to precisely demonstrate how to prepare these common summer plants for interior winter splendor.
A suitable time to restore and propagate zonal and scented-leaved geraniums is in the middle of August or at least six weeks before the first anticipated frost. This provides the plants plenty of time to heal from root stress and for cut stems to develop roots before the major shift from the outside to the inside.
I’ve never had a problem with the restoration and propagation techniques listed below:
Cut the plant back to within an inch of its life, or to the point where the lowest leaves may be discovered, when working with a zonal geranium that has grown all summer (like “Puritan White” above). Be harsh here.
Your plant should resemble this once virtually all of the top growth has been removed.
Pull the geranium out of its pot next. Place one hand over the plant’s top, where it may support the soil and top growth, to do this in a “professional manner”. Invert the pot next, and while keeping the base in place with your other hand, strike the rim of the pot against a hard surface.
It’s likely that you’ll find the plant to be extremely root-bound. We’ll take care of this.
Slice the roots in thirds using a sharp knife. You should cut away roots in direct proportion to the amount of foliage that has vanished.
After that, cut vertically to cut through the dirt and roots as shown above. The objective is to be able to center the plant in its previous pot with a one-half to one-inch space between the dirt now present and the pot’s walls.
Now carefully examine your geranium. Do you notice any rotten or dead stems? Cut off these. Only three or four stems that exhibit signs of vitality are required.
Then fill the pot with additional potting soil until it reaches about halfway up the edges.
Put the plant in the pot’s center now. If centering appears to be unattainable, then remove more soil and roots to produce a rounded form.
Afterwards, secure it with a paintbrush, a Popsicle stick, or a plant label (as above).
When planted correctly, there should be a one-inch space for watering between the soil’s surface and the pot’s top.
Thoroughly soak the plant until extra moisture drains out of the drainage hole. Remove any soil that is adhering to the leaves by rinsing them.
That’s all, then! You now possess a freshly restored geranium that will bring you joy during the rest of the winter.
What should we deal with all the stems that we cut now? All right, each of these can develop into a new plant.
The stems should then be left alone for a few hours (or perhaps a few days) to allow the cut end to “callus,” or dry out. It is unlikely that a callused cut will decay.
Stipules, or the little flaps along the stem, should also be removed. These could decay in soggy ground.
There isn’t a picture for the following three steps because I don’t believe you need it: Take a 4-inch clay pot, and cover the drainage hole with a piece of shattered pottery. Then add a new mixture to the saucepan.
To a depth that roughly corresponds to the length of your cutting, press a pencil into the earth in the center.
And then, use your thumbs to firmly press the earth down. Or “thumb,” if you are working while holding a camera.
Just add a little more mixture and adjust the stem if, after pressing down, the soil level lowers more than an inch below the top of the pot.
Give the plant plenty of water (until excess drips through the drainage hole). Simply spray the leaves once or twice daily until roots grow if wilting symptoms appear. When new growth is visible, your cuttings will have taken root.
Place the plant outside in a well-lit but dim area. After the young plants have developed roots, you can move them to a location that gets half-day sun (or full-day sun in a window garden).
By the way, perfumed leafed geraniums can be propagated and restored using the same techniques. Unfortunately, they are becoming rarer by the day, therefore the only way to ensure that you will have them from year to year is to propagate them. My rose-scented “Lady Plymouth” is shown above. This variety’s leaves can be crushed and added to your bathwater. You can also prepare scented icing for cakes and cupcakes by steeping the leaves in full-fat milk.
You can view images of the scented-leaved and large-flowered geraniums I’ve used in my many winter window gardens throughout the years by visiting the houseplants category on this website. The lavender-pink “Americana” made a lovely sight in my music room window in December 2011.
America appears beautiful in my herb garden as well. It recently drew a hummingbird moth here.
Indoor Culture: Give your geraniums as much direct sunlight as an east or south window will allow for indoor success. While plants grown from cuttings often don’t set buds until the days become longer in February or March, restored plants can bloom as early as December. In February 2008, I grew zonal, scented-leaved, and fancy-leaved geraniums in the window of my library/den.
You don’t have an east or south window? Put the plants in front of some fluorescent lights. I can tell you that zonal geraniums will bloom in January virtually as well as they do in summer if they are illuminated for 16 hours each day.
Once the plants are established, I use a high-phosphorus, low-nitrogen plant food to promote flowering. One and a quarter teaspoons of formula per gallon of water are fed to the window garden test subjects. Due to their prolonged exposure to light, I raise the food for the window garden plants to one and a half teaspoons.
Well. I sincerely hope that this tutorial was at least somewhat helpful to you. Maybe you’ll tell me by posting a remark. Your words are the light of my life as always.
What should you do with geraniums in pots throughout the winter?
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.
Location
Geraniums enjoy the sun and don’t mind being drenched in it over extended periods of time. Put them there if your room has a window that faces south or west. Geraniums need exposure to direct sunlight to develop and bloom, even when cultivated indoors.
Soil
Remember that the correct soil is essential! Be careful not to fill the drainage holes with earth. Use potting soilless. Use soil that is loamy and well-drained instead of garden dirt.
Watering
The most crucial step is now, and it determines whether your geranium plant will live or die. Geranium doesn’t need routine watering because it is a drought-tolerant plant. Only water the soil when it feels dry. Do not overwater!
Temperature
Don’t put your geranium plants in places that are too hot, too cold, or drafty. If a room is warm, geranium adapts to it effectively. But the ideal temperatures are between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
Can geraniums be grown 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.
How are indoor geraniums cared for?
when taking care:
- Light Place your geranium houseplants where they will get at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day in order for them to grow strong plants indoors and bloom. In order to maintain the plants healthy if you don’t have windows that receive enough sunlight, you can supplement with artificial grow lights for roughly 14 hours each day.
- soil and irrigation
- For your geraniums, use a soilless potting mixture. A light, loamy, well-drained potting soil is preferred by geraniums. In between heavy waterings, let the soil of your geraniums dry out quite well. These plants are highly susceptible to diseases including rust, blossom blight, and gray mold if the soil is kept excessively moist.
- Geraniums typically favor cooler temps. The ideal temperatures are between 55 and 70 degrees F (13 and 18 degrees C) during the day and 65 to 70 degrees F (18 and 21 degrees C) at night.
- FertilizerDuring the growing season, you should fertilize your indoor geraniums for healthy growth and blossoming. Use time-release fertilizers or an all-purpose liquid fertilizer once a month at about half intensity.
- Pruning and Pot Size
- Avoid overpotting geraniums because they want to be somewhat potbound. In order to promote a bushier plant, you should also cut back any lanky canes and pinch back the growth points.
How should geraniums be cared for over the winter?
Geraniums are incredibly simple to store for the winter—just place them in a cardboard box or a paper bag and secure the top. The following advice will help them survive:
- Maintain geraniums in a cool, dry area with a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees F.
- Once a month or so, remove dried leaves from the bag or box and check for mold.
- Check the stems quickly at the same time; they should be stiff. Throw away any dried-out, shriveled stems you uncover.
- If you see that the plants are becoming really dry and crispy, give them a brief soak in water.
- Plants with stems that appear to be blackened or mildewed should be disposed away.
Geraniums are typically kept in a sack upside down. Although the exact cause is unknown, one idea holds that it does so by pushing moisture into the stems. Whatever the cause, storing them in this manner is neither harmful nor necessarily harmful.
Bring Inside as Houseplants
You can bring your potted geraniums (Pelargoniums) indoors for the winter if you have space for them in a sunny place.
While they require sunlight, they thrive in temperatures between 55 and 65 °F (12-18C). I have tremendous luck keeping the air around them a touch colder than the rest of the home with a west-facing window that is slightly drafty.
Dig Up and Repot if Desired
To make sure they are content, healthy, and bug-free, some preparation is needed.
- Before the first frost, dig up and container your geraniums if they are in the ground.
- If they are already in pots, you can repot them if you want, but first perform a rigorous pruning and a bug inspection (see below).
- Trim any extremely long roots or any unkempt root balls before potting.
- Put flowering plants in containers using potting soil made for them.
Hard Prune
- Cutting back the entire plant by between one-third and half is an usual recommendation.
- Any dead, broken, moldy, sick, or diseased pieces should also be taken out.
- If the plant is otherwise good and healthy, you can try keeping any buds or blossoms even though this harsh pruning is ultimately ideal.