Now is the time to overwinter your geraniums. This way, they’ll survive until spring

Do you have geraniums on your balcony or in your garden and don’t know what to do with them when the first frosts arrive? You don’t have to throw them away. Simply overwinter them properly and in good time, and next year they’ll bloom just as profusely as they did this year.

Geraniums, as they’re known scientifically, are low-maintenance and hardy plants, but they can’t withstand even light frosts. That’s why many people throw them onto the compost heap every autumn and buy new seedlings in the spring. This is a needless waste – geraniums are perennial plants and, with the right winter care, will last for years. What’s more, you’ll save money: ten new seedlings will cost you an average of 100 crowns at a garden centre, and the cost rises quickly for larger window boxes.

Start preparing them as early as late September or early October, before temperatures drop below freezing for the first time. Reduce watering and feeding so that new shoots do not unnecessarily exhaust the plant, and check the leaves and stems for aphids or mildew.

Four ways to help geraniums survive the winter

The simplest method is to bring the geraniums indoors and care for them as houseplants – simply cut them back to about half their height, just above a node, and place them by a bright window. Upright geraniums thrive at 10–12 °C, English geraniums at around 10 °C, and trailing varieties will manage at 6–10 °C.

Tip: Geraniums will flower all season long. All it takes is a simple trick

Don’t throw away the cut shoots; they’ll serve as cuttings for new plants. They usually take root in six to eight weeks, and you can grow them as houseplants until spring, when you can move them outside.

If you don’t have space at home, store the geraniums – along with their window box – in the cellar or garage, where it is light, dry and the temperature is around 6–12 °C. And if you prefer to follow the old-fashioned method, shake the soil off the roots, wrap the plant in newspaper and hang it upside down in a cool place – in the spring, simply soak it and replant it.

Photo: Radek Stepan

How to avoid making mistakes over winter

The most common mistake is overwatering – geraniums only need watering once every two weeks over winter, and the compost should be allowed to dry out thoroughly in between. The second mistake is usually poor placement: a dark, unventilated cellar is just as harmful as an overheated room next to a radiator. You should therefore ventilate the space regularly, or add a small fan to help circulate the air. And don’t forget to check the plants from time to time during the winter to see if they’ve been attacked by aphids or mould.

The only exception is geraniums overwintering outdoors: if there’s no room for them indoors, protect both the pot and the root ball with non-woven fabric weighing 23–50 g/m²; otherwise, the frost will destroy the plant despite all your care.

Sources: Author

Preview photo and photo gallery: Pixabay