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Geraniums overwinter: bright or dark?

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Author: Randy Alexander
Date Of Creation: 4 April 2021
Update Date: 10 May 2024
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Geraniums: overwinter them - quick & easy
Video: Geraniums: overwinter them - quick & easy

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Edelgeranien can be wintered in the Hellen as a houseplant

Geraniums overwinter: bright or dark?

Whether standing, hanging or climbing, geraniums are among the most popular balcony plants. The easy-care flowers are available in numerous colors and bloom tirelessly. However, the non-hardy plants are usually disposed of in winter, while they can hibernate quite uncomplicated.

Are geraniums hardy?

Many hobby gardeners are confused when the garden center prizes "winter-hard geraniums". Is there suddenly a new breed of popular balcony flowers that can actually stay in the garden?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question must always be "no", because the winter-hardy geraniums are our native storkbills, which are botanically called geranium. The balcony plant is instead geraniums, the name "geranium" is to be assigned only to the vernacular.

Nevertheless, we remain in this article by the usual name, after all, this has naturalized over the decades. The geranium is originally from South Africa, where they are used to a warm and dry climate. No wonder that the plants do not survive a typical German winter - wet and cold.


Quote: Geraniums have not come all the way from South Africa to land on compost after just one season.

Geranium species in the overview

However, geranium is not the same as geranium, because there is a whole range of different species and a much greater variety of varieties. In terms of their use, the different shapes differ, and some require more light and higher temperatures during the cold season.

Winter geraniums - Useful or not?

Geraniums are available every year for little money and in a huge selection in every garden center and even at the discount store. Of course, this raises the question of the meaningfulness of wintering, after all, this is associated with some effort. In fact, there are some very good reasons for this, as the following video clearly shows:

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Who winters the flowers and not every year buying new plants for balcony or garden, thus contributing actively to the protection of the environment - after all, must not be bought in the spring again widely traveled geraniums and planted, only to land in the fall back on the compost. Furthermore, the plants can be quite uncomplicated store even in the dark cellar and can beautify the balcony or the garden bed again and again so many years. In addition, if you overwinter the geraniums without pruning, the once-small plants will become large, lush shrubs over the years.


Keep geraniums properly over winter

Geranium plants show their blooms well into the autumn, but should be prepared for the winter quarters before the first frost. The wintering of the robust plants is straightforward, because

What options you have to overwinter the popular flowers you have and how they work best, we have compiled for you in the following sections.

Is it essential to cut back geraniums before wintering?

Basically you can prune geraniums before wintering - or just let it stay. A pruning is not necessary before entering the winter quarters, only remaining flowers and flower buds should be cut off better. These cost the plant too much power during wintering. However, plants that have not been cut back should never be placed in a dark place: they need light and more moisture due to their amount of leaves. So put these geraniums on one

A pruning is only necessary if the plants should or must overwinter darkly. In addition, the method has proven in lack of space - for example, in a rental apartment, in which the basement often do not offer much space to accommodate - proven.

Best method: explained step by step

The easiest way, however, is the method explained in the following section, which has already proven itself many times:

    Remove geraniums from the planter Do not damage any roots and preserve many fine roots - these are important for water and nutrient supply Remove adhering soil Cut back geranium with a sharp secateuse Shorten all shoots to a length of about ten centimeters per side shoot should have two to three buds These remain as thickened knots are recognizable to remove a majority of the leaves as these are prone to diseases and pests each pack several geraniums in a large planter and place the roots loosely with a sand-earth mixture to set bucket to a dark and cool location optimally are five to ten degrees Celsius

With regard to the brightness at the wintering site, the rule of thumb is that the warmer it is, the brighter it has to be. Otherwise, the plants swiftly expel with long, thin and powerless shoots, which you should always eliminate in the case of the case.

Maintain geraniums properly in winter

Otherwise, there is not much to consider in terms of winter care. You can do without fertilizer - after all, the plant is practically in a cold sleep - but occasional watering is essential. Cut back and dark overwintering geraniums need only a few water every three to four weeks, the substrate may always be made only slightly moist. In case of doubt, keep the plants to dry rather than too wet, since waterlogging is a much greater danger than dryness.

Cut cuttings and overwinter - That's how it works

You do not necessarily need to dispose of the plant material from the pruning process on the compost or with your household waste. Instead, you can specifically cut about ten to 15 centimeters large cuttings and multiply your plants multiply on the windowsill. The propagation of cuttings is also very easy with geraniums:

By spring, the young plants have rooted and can be potted and cared for in regular potting soil.

When should geranium be moved to winter quarters?

Finding the right time to enter winter quarters is not so easy. Finally, the wintering phase should only last as long as necessary and as short as possible, so that the plants do not get unnecessarily stressed. When the right time comes, depends on various factors: On the one hand for an assessment, the region and the climate in which you live, of great importance, on the other hand, the current weather conditions. In areas where winters come early in the year and also quickly get cold, the flowers should be given in September. In milder areas, on the other hand - for example, on the coast or in the wine-growing areas - you can depending on the weather until October or even November time. Above all, it is important that the geraniums come into the house before the first frost and thus avoid serious cold damage.

How can I still hibernate geraniums?

In addition to the two options described above, there are more to bring geraniums through the cold season. Each of the variants presented here has its own advantages and disadvantages, so that you can find the most suitable one for you. But beware: Not every hibernation method is equally suitable or has the same success rates.

In the flower box or bucket

Now, a geranium high trunks can be cut back badly before winter, and then expelled again in the spring: In this case, you would no longer have a high trunk, but a normal geranium bush. Leave the plant in its planter and overwinter it as follows:

Tips

Of course, you can also overwinter normal geraniums in this way, but only if they were not kept together with other plant species in a planter. In this case you should pot the geraniums and put them separately in a fresh sand-earth mixture.

In the hole

Unless you have a cellar and live in a winter-mild region, you can also let the geraniums hibernate in a hole in the ground. However, this only works if it does not get colder than about minus two degrees Celsius - otherwise the sensitive plants will freeze to death. And this is how the method works:

    Dig a hole about 80 centimeters deep. This should be in a little committed and above all dry place in the garden. Avoid a permanently damp location! Lay out the hole in the ground with branches, brushwood and / or straw. Cover the geraniums and remove the soil. Cut the plants back to about ten centimeters. Remove all leaves. Put the prepared geraniums into the hole. Cover the plants with a coconut or straw mat. Refill the hole with the excavated soil.

In the bag

In this method, the roots of the geranium are packed in a plastic bag, so that the plants do not dry out in a rootless hibernation. So you get by completely without soil and flowerpot, besides, you should hang them upside down. This is a dark, cool room - in addition to the basement can be the loft or garden shed - best. The main thing is that the hanging geranium is protected from frost. And this is how the hibernation in the bag works:

    Drip geraniums and cut back. There must be no earth or leaves left. Plastic bag provided with some air holes. Suitable, for example, a fresh food bag. Wrap roots in these. Tie the bag tight with a ribbon or rubber. Hang geranium upside down in a dark and cool place.

In newspaper

Instead of putting it in a plastic bag, you can also wrap the geranium in several layers of newspaper, thus protecting the plants from cold and dehydration.Again, you must cut back the flowers vigorously and remove the leaves and the soil. Bundle three to four plants each into a package, which you keep in a frost-free, but cool and dark place. For this is suitable a cellar, but also the garage, the attic or an (unheated) garden shed.

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The first attempt to overwinter geraniums. Today is fresh earth. # geranium winter #gernie

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In the living room

Hibernation in the living room is basically possible with geraniums, but difficult. The reason for this is the unfavorable combination of warm heating air and lack of light, which inevitably results from the short days. As a result, warm winter geraniums are often plagued by diseases and pests. So always give preference to a cool wintering preference. But this does not always work, then please note these hints:

When is the right time to clear out in the spring?

At the end of winter, the question arises as to when the geraniums can move out of their winter quarters. Basically, you should do this as soon as possible, especially if you have cut back the flowers severely. In this case, they need some lead time to get rid of in early spring. The easiest way to do this is in the greenhouse or in a winter garden, but it also works on the local windowsill. And this is how you proceed:

However, the flowers should not be allowed to go outside until it is warm and sunny enough outside - at the earliest in April you should put the geraniums outside. Now is the right time to start fertilizing again.

Tips

Bring the plants in at night, as nocturnal frosts threaten them as well. Only after the Eisheiligen from mid to late May they are allowed to go outside.

Are there differences in the wintering of different types of geranium?

Last but not least, it should be mentioned that there are some major differences in the hibernation of the various types of geranium already mentioned at the beginning. Thus, the described rules and wintering methods are basically only for geraniums of the species

Particularly problematic in the case of the (Tyrolean) hanging geraniums is the fact that the willingness to flower of the plants may subside after the winter. Standing varieties show no abnormalities in this regard. Edelgeranien, which are also referred to as English geraniums, however, must not overwinter dark. They are mainly cultivated as indoor plants and feel comfortable all year round in a bright and warm location. Here, however, during the winter months, the installation of a plant lamp makes sense to compensate for the winter lack of light.

Maintain geraniums properly after winter

So that your geraniums drift vigorously after the long winter, you can best help them with the following care measures:

Moreover, do not put the geraniums in the blazing sun, but first acclimate them to the new location. Otherwise, due to a sunburn, leaf damage in the form of unsightly brown spots.

frequently asked Questions

Why do my geraniums get yellow leaves in winter quarters?

If geraniums suddenly have yellow leaves in winter, this can have different causes. Behind it can (in a warm hibernation) put a lack of nutrients, but also a lack of water or too frequent watering. Furthermore, frost damage (eg after airing) or a pest infestation are possible.

Help, the geraniums are full of aphids. What to do?

Pests such as aphids, but also thrips, whiteflies, spider mites and others are not uncommon after a hibernation. The plant is weakened and therefore more quickly attacked by the annoying animals. Now it is time to act quickly: control the pests with a suitable remedy and carefully take care of the infested geranium so that it recovers quickly. Especially against aphids, it helps to wash off the leaves and shoots of the plant - for example with a water-oil mixture - or to shower them off.

How often can you overwinter geraniums?

Basically there is no limit to the number of hibernations as long as the geraniums stay healthy and strong. Many have been nursing theirs for 20 or more years - so geraniums can grow quite old.

Are geraniums and petunias the same? How can you overwinter these plants?

Although the names "geranium" and "petunia" sound quite similar, they are different species. The colorful and flowering with large flowers petunia are among the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and are native to tropical South America. They are also not hardy, but just like geraniums can be hibernate well at five to ten degrees Celsius and strongly cut back.

Tips

Since geraniums and petunias also have very similar demands on their location and their attitude, they can be wonderfully cultivated together in a balcony box.