Saving Geraniums Over Winter

Your geraniums are at peak bloom and you heard somewhere you could store them overwinter but you are wondering how?

Many of you may remember mom or grandma placing their geraniums in a paper bag in a cool dark corner of the basement for winter. It seemed she always had great luck reviving them in spring. Unfortunately, most of us have warm basements that make this method the least successful.

You can bring potted plants indoors and grow them like houseplants. Unfortunately unwanted pests may hitch a ride in with the plants. Isolate the plants in a sunny location for several weeks and monitor for pests. If an insect problem is present, make several applications of an eco-friendly insecticide.

I prefer to take cuttings from healthy plants. Remove any flowers and buds and root 4-6 inch cuttings in moist vermiculite or a well-drained potting mix. Pot up the rooted cuttings and grow them like a houseplant in a sunny window.

A bit more information: Try overwintering other annuals. Fuchsias have been known to last several years when wintered indoors. Rose periwinkle, coleus, scented geraniums, cuphea, mandevilla, and candy corn plants are just a few to try. Grow these in a sunny window and enjoy a bit of extra greenery, and flowers if you are lucky, throughout the winter.