Overwintering generaniums - advice please

Hi

I have conflicting advice about overwintering geraniums. Been told they can 'live forever' if you protect them or take them indoors during winter - is this true? My mum seems to think they can just stay outside or be dug up and binned?

A friend bought me some for my birthday as i have recently bought my first house. Garden is a blank canvass, so don't want to plant them directly into the ground until i know how to design the garden. i have some pots to plant them up.

My question is - if geraniums can 'live forever' if protected over the winter, what is the best way to do this? I will get a garden shed as we need it for storage so won't then have enought space for a greenhouse. I was thinking of getting one of those plastic greenhouse type thingies -

Gardman 3 Tier Mini Greenhouse: Morale Uk: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

or is it best to use a cold frame (i'm thinking this may not provide enough warmth over winter??)

 

They really need to be frost free,I have kept them out over a very mild winter but I keep precious ones in the spare room to be safe,

 

Hi busybee. There are two types of geranium. So it depends to which you refer. Outdoor geranium (or Cranesbill) is hardy and can be left where it is, for more info, look here http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_geranium.shtml.
Then there is the 'regular' Geranium that most folks are familiar with. These are usually grown in pots or planted out in the border (after the last frost). These need to be kept in a frost-free place with plenty of light during the winter. Don't water too much, they only need to be kept 'ticking over'
Hope this helps
Cheers...freddy.

 

Hi BB. Technically they are called Pelargoniums. The true Geranium is quite hardy and can be left outside over winter. But we all know what you mean.

The bright red, bedding Pelargonium/Geranium that everyone buys, is a tender perennial. That means it can live for several years, but it will be killed by frost. However many people just treat them as annuals planting them out in early summer, and then throwing them away when winter starts, and buying fresh the next year.

Like many tender plants they will take a small amount of frost, and as our winters are getting warmer they might possibly survive outside over winter, especially if they are placed next to the house wall. In the past I have left them outside, this way. But I only did it with plants that I didn't want the next year - because the colour was wrong. Some of them survived - but not all.

As the temperature drops towards zero, they go totally dormant. So they can be kept in a garage or shed as long as it is essentially frost free. As they are dormant they won't want water or light. But the key part is to catch them eary next year as they come to life again. Once they start to sprout they must be given both light and some water. It is best to cut them back to one half height or so and to remove all the old dead leaves. I usually like to make sure the compost is very slightly damp over the winter, rather than bone dry.

As they can take a small amount of frost a garage or shed would work quite well. I feel these would give a bit more protection than a cold frame or mini greenhouse. An unheated spare room would be even better, but they may not be totally dormant if the temperature is some way above zero, so they will need a bit of light and water.

I see that I have just crossed with Freddy - but am essentially agreeing with him.

 

And I essentially agree with you too Peter :D It's just the way I do it. Always makes me nervous when I can't see what's going on.

 

Thanks guys thats very helpful!

As you say Peter - the true geraniums are different to pelargoniums. i have just located them both in my 'flower expert' book and was most confused :cnfs:

The label on my plants says I have Geranium Scented 'orange fizz' and Ivy Leaf Geranium 'mini cascade pink' and 'mini cascade lilac'

So i figured they were geraniums and looked them up in my book but there it explains about pelargoniums. I read the info on each and realise that they Ivy Leaf is actually a pelargonium - so why does the label say geranium?? And more importantly, what is the difference? Will the varieties i have both survive the winter?

many thanks,

 

And I'm agreeing with Freddie and Peter!

I always take cuttings of geraniums I really like in early autumn and over winter the cuttings in the house (no greenhouse here). But I've found the subsequent plants get very leggy indoors and need to be cut back constantly. I also don't have the room to have loads of them so I have to be very picky as to which I keep (usually scarlet red ones!).

The ones you have sound like they will need wintering indoors or a heated greenhouse.

I did live in a rented house in London years ago that had a row of geraniums growing outside the back door and they survived year after year through all sorts of weather. But I suspect we had a leak from the hot water tap as there would be steam billowing from that area on cold mornings...or else the waste water emptied out next to them, so they always had warm roots!

 

Thanks Aaron. Can i ask - how do you take cuttings from geraniums? I would need a step by step guide if you can offer one - Im completely clueless tbh! Like, i don't know where to actually take the cutting from on the parent plant

 

I agree with Aaron about taking cuttings. However, a word of caution. I got 40 cuttings to strike last autumn and they were doing well in a greenhouse belonging to one of my clients until we had a prolonged spell of frost. I think one or, perhaps, two consecutive days, as we've had over the last few years, would have done for a few of them but, as you know, we had several days on the trot last winter when the temperature fell below zero and only one survived so beware!
Chris

 

Ah Ha - I have found out that Pelargoniums (common name geranium) has irregular (that is, not symmetrical) flowers, whereas Geraniums (commonly called Cranesbill) has symmetrical flowers.

I'm so glad I found out the difference cos it would have driven me mad otherwise! :hehe:

 

Ooh thanks for that advice Chris. I was gonna get a mini greenhouse and stand it against my house wall with a fleece cover - will that be safe enough for them?

 

Geraniums (I continue to use that name!) root so easily, even a leaf will root, but it's best to take an offshoot for a decent plant. Cut off cleanly and place in a glass of water until roots appear, then pot up.

 

Geraniums root easily cut off just below a leaf node,take off lower leaves and any buds,dibble in round the edge of a pot of gritty compost.When rooted pot off in small pots and keep frost free.

 

Aaron, when you say 'take an offshoot', i'm guessing you mean a new shoot that comes off the main stalk of the parent plant? (Rather than a shoot that comes off another shoot?) Where exactly do i cut in relation to leaf nodes etc?

Many Thanks

 

Yes. Geraniums grow so fast that they'll have plenty to choose from. Make sure you remove any flower buds that form so the cutting can put energy into producing roots.