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suzi_f
10-25-2006, 07:52 AM
I want to over-winter my Geraniums this year. Does anyone know how to do this or know where I can find how to do this?

Suzi

LinzyD
10-25-2006, 07:55 AM
:confused:

suzi_f
10-25-2006, 08:00 AM
You can dig them up & do "something" w/them so you can replant them next year. Unfortunatly, I don't rememmber WHAT to do w/them.

inkinupstamps
10-25-2006, 08:02 AM
You can cut and root new plants (but I don't do that...not as successful for me)

But the way my grandmother did and I do to store geraniums bare root and dormant in the basement over winter. The success of this method will depend on the place you have to store them. My grandmother had a cold cellars and it worked quite well. The temperatures were cool but it was humid. Most modern basements are much too dry and too warm. To try this method, dig the plants up before a killing frost in the fall. Cut the branches back about half way. Remove as much of the dirt from the roots as possible. You will have to do this carefully, because geraniums are rather brittle. At this point, they were traditionally hung from the rafters until spring. If you don't have rafters, you can bag them separately in paper grocery sacks. Leave the sacks open for ventilation. Check on your plants every month of so to see if they are getting too dry and shriveling. If necessary, spray them with water. If they get so dry the stems begin to shrivel, take them out and soak them for an hour or two in tepid water. Remove them from the water and allow their surfaces to dry before putting them back in the paper bags. Plants that have been over wintered in this manner may take several weeks to begin growing again in the spring. Soak the geraniums, roots and all, in water overnight before planting. To get an early start, they can be potted up indoors several weeks before the last frost and transferred into the ground later. When planting directly outdoors, be sure to wait until after all danger of frost.

Keeping Them Growing

Geraniums do well as house plants if you can provide them with a cool location and lots of light. Dig them up and pot them just before frost and cut them back. Check the plants over carefully to make sure they are free of insects or disease. Wintering indoors is stressful, so only take indoors plants that are in good condition. Water the plants thoroughly when you first bring them in. Geraniums prefer to stay relatively dry compared to most plants.

HTH

suzi_f
10-25-2006, 05:33 PM
Jennifer, in case you didn't already know it, YOU ROCK!!!! Thanks for all this info.

My garage isn't exceptionally humid and I hope it's not too cold. I can hang them from the rafters in there. Of course, I may have to do this TONITE as we could have a hard freeze any day now. Thanks again :)

inkinupstamps
10-25-2006, 05:37 PM
Suzi, I hope it helps. I will admit that I copied and pasted that info from a gardening tips site, but did so because it is what my grandmother used to do and it was already written up so well.

Also, I know a lot of people who just bring their geraniums indoors and keep them either in the basement or a mudroom and they still bloomed the next year without hanging them upside down.

Tell you what, I think I'm going to experiment and try one pot of mine upside down hanging and the other in the basement. My son bought me the most gorgeous geraniums for Mother's Day this year and I'd dearly love to have them again next year.

I say if Grandma can do it, we can do it! :D

lost luggage
10-25-2006, 05:41 PM
I take it for granted that I never have to do any of this....I don't know how I would be able to grow anything if I had to worry about freezing!

Last night the car outside temp read 60 degrees.. I made a comment to Dh "60 degrees...that's freezing. That's the type of night when people don't go outside"...he just laughed at me.

suzi_f
10-25-2006, 07:39 PM
Julie: pbttttttttttt or how ever you spell the sound that comes out when making a "rasberry". Come on over tonite, you'll need a parka & boots compared to 60! It's soooooo cold (43 or something) and my dad keeps reminding me that it's gonna get ALOT colder. BRRRRRR.

I should go out & pull up the geraniums now but, I'm too cold.

inkinupstamps
10-25-2006, 07:48 PM
We are having heavy frost! You know what that means? BELOW FREEZING! Yikes!:eek:

lost luggage
10-25-2006, 07:56 PM
Jennifer- thanks for clearing that up...LOL No, I had no idea what "heavy frost" means. I have never heard of it. (I live a sheltered life, you got me.) I can't IMAGINE those temperatures. I really can't. It's unbelieveable to me. I was freezing a minute ago and checked my patio weather station...it's 69 degrees.

inkinupstamps
10-25-2006, 07:58 PM
I live in that area of North America that Erin referred to earlier where the men wear flannel and it is cold all of the time. It snowed all day last Saturday and I'm wearing heavy sweater and keeping a throw around me tonight!:D

suzi_f
10-25-2006, 08:07 PM
I'm going to turn the space heater on & craft. BRRRRR I'm cold (but i keep drinking my ice cold diet coke)