Here it is the 21st of November in White Rock, BC and my outdoor full - all - day - sun CONDO balcony (it's a HUGE south facing penthouse one) Geraniums are still green leaved and blooming (with new buds). I left them outside as an experiment this year out of curiosity. We had 8 days of brilliant sunshine and freezing nights but now warmer with unusually mild nights due to warmer Pacific waters I would think (Cold water preferable migrating Sockeye Salmon swam around northern Vancouver Island to get to the Fraser River and Washington State fishermen caught only a few which did migrate via Juan de Fuca strait). So ... if this holds ... should I cut them back in early spring or just let them be? Also - unlike the Geraniums which still look the same - had a Black Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia) which was healthy and flowering until three weeks ago. I didn't cover it or bring it inside during the freeze which I was going to do and it took a big hit. I left it outside and covered it a few days back in heavy plastic with zipper to ventilate when we get sun ... and it does get hothouse conditions when the sun shines (I don't need the indoor heat on in winter during a sunny day). Looks dead but I wonder ... I gave it some fertilizer (light dose). Comments?
Yes, pelargoniums are hardy enough to grow into shrubs in California, and may survive some winters here in protected nooks near salt water. If yours manage to come through this time you can cut them back or not in spring, depending on how they look at that point and how you want them to look next summer. If they do not look leggy to you later there is no need to prune. Meanwhile, the last time I looked one source was predicting rain turning into snow at the end of November - we won't be in the clear until March, the typical season for Arctic Fronts being November to February.
Thanks Ron ... the coldest night so far in November was -4. The Thunbergia looked ragged after that. The Geraniums don't look any different. Pardon the poor quality photo from an older IPOD as wife took camera with her to Hungary
