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How to Overwinter Geraniums Inside

geranium Picture
Geraniums are a tender perennial grown as an annual across much of the US, Their bright blooms appear to float above the foliage adding a splash of color to gardens and decks from spring until fall. Favored for their attractive foliage and their ability to withstand the bright summer sun, geraniums adorn porches, window boxes and hanging baskets and range in color from white and pink to brilliant red.
While some gardeners let their geraniums succumb to the fall frosts, many prefer to bring their geraniums inside for the winter to preserve their beauty for another year. Overwintering them is easy, once you know how, as these remarkable plants have the ability to survive for months without soil and only occasional water.


1. Dig Up Your Geraniums
Dig up your geraniums in the fall before they are killed by frost. Shake the plants to remove excess soil from the roots. If the soil resists your efforts, rinse them with water from the hose and allow them to dry. Your geraniums will be stored bare root and do not require soil.

 2. Hang Geraniums to Overwinter Them
Overwinter your geranium plants by hanging them upside down in a cool, dark area for the winter. Some prefer to place the plants in paper bags, but this is not necessary. An unheated room or attic works well as a storage area as long as temperatures remain above freezing. An ideal temperature for winter storage of geraniums is between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Cindy Haynes of The University of Illinois Extension.

3. Soak the Roots of Overwintering Geraniums
Remove the geraniums and soak the roots in lukewarm water for 1 to 2 hours once every 2 months to keep stems from shriveling. Leaves typically dry and fall off the plant, but as long as the stems are firm and pliable, the plant will survive. Check your overwintering geranium plants once a month for signs of shriveling.

4. Prepare Soil and Planters for Overwintering Geraniums in Late Winter or Early Spring
Prepare planters or pots for replanting your overwintered geraniums by filling with a mixture of equal parts peat moss and all-purpose potting soil. Peat moss provides organic matter, increases aeration and promotes drainage.

​5. Plant Overwintered Geraniums in Individual Pots
Plant your overwintered geraniums in individual pots in March. Cut off any dead or shriveled stems at this time. Don't worry if the stem is short, as long as the roots and a portion of the stem is alive the plant will regrow. Water thoroughly until water runs free through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

6. Put Your Geraniums in Sunlight
Place the plants on a sunny windowsill. A southern or western window provides the best light for geraniums. New growth should appear within a few weeks.

​7. Fertilize Your Geramiums
Apply water-soluble fertilizer when new growth appears. Repeat every two to three weeks, or water weekly with a weakened solution mixed to 1/4 strength. Water when soil is dry to the touch one inch below the surface of the soil.

8. Move Overwintered Geraniums to the Garden
Replant your geraniums in the garden or move planters outside in late spring once the danger of frost has passed in your area.

 
By overwintering your geraniums, your plants will grow larger and produce showier blooms each year. Get into the habit of overwintering geraniums inside each year and you will soon be the envy of your neighbors.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables