I live in a townhouse complex where we have planted geraniums in common areas. We would like to overwinter the plants. I have had two suggestions: take up plant, clean roots, trim back, repot and put under clear plastic housing or tarp (coloured) outdoors. The other suggestion is to clean up plant, cut back, put in paper bag or newspaper and I could store them in crawl space of home, ventilated. I would appreciate your advice,thank-you, Ruth Wiren, Sidney, BC
Back in New York, my mom used to employ your method #2 with success. Perhaps you could try both treatments and see which one gives the best results. Welcome to the Forum!
Ruth, we dig ours up, cut them back drastically, cram 3 or 4 into a 12" pot with enough peat moss to cover the roots, and put them into our crawl space( that rarely freezes) and leave them until spring. Most of our plants are 3 or 4 years old and, each replanterd individually, is much bigger than the previous year. If you want 1 geranium, big enough to overcome a 14" pot, store them a year or more.
I live in BC, Vancouver. I dig out my geranium, carefully, for replant, cut the leaves off, only leaves, keep the rest. Plant it in a pot, i use 1 gall or 2 gall depending on the size of the plant. water a bit, keep in my sitting room, it flowers throughout the winter indoor. Try it, you will be amazed. This year, I kept them (actually I have 3) at my balcony, lots of flowers. I will bring them in my house when the weather turns too cold. I have a new one outdoor, I am about to dig it and put it in a pot for indoor soon. jessie
All of ours are in pots, and we just bring them in for the winter under lights, and they grow and bloom all winter. If you have good bright windows, that would work too.
It is a good idea to plant them in pots. On the ground, they grow a lot bigger. Also they can produce some seeds. I will try to grow from seeds next summer.
You can also bring them inside for the winter, keep them growing in a sunny window and take cuttings in January.
