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Garden Gate:  Overwintering Geraniums  |
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Tatiana
True Blue Farmgirl
98 Posts
Tania
Boise
ID
USA
98 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 14 2005 : 5:09:13 PM
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OK, so I'm cheap! I hate paying for new annual plants every year, especially for the geraniums.
In the past I have pulled them up before it frosts and turn them upside down in a bucket for the winter in my garage and then replanted them indoors in early spring until they took hold and then planted them outdoors.
Have any of you just tried to keep them alive in your home over the winter? Which way works the best for you? I have about 20 geraniums I just pulled up because it's supposed to be a hard freeze tonight.
Thanks,
Tania |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2005 : 5:33:07 PM
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Hi Tania -- I've only overwintered my geraniums in the garage. I pulled them up and then stuck them in brown paper bags. I don't think they'd do well in the house but not sure. I've overwintered begonias in the house and they did great although got a little leggy by Spring.
The only time that housework comes before sewing is in the dictionary!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl
1818 Posts
Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2005 : 5:52:08 PM
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Many gardeners around here swear by the method of hanging geraniums, uprooted, upsidedown in the basement, but I take cuttings and root them in sand -- for angelwing begonias, I root them in water. That gives me little plants to pot up, and those take up less room for me (detatched garage is way too cold, and house has no basement). In spring, I cut back any leggy growth and fertilize faithfully when putting back outside. It's hard to say goodbye to all the lovely annuals at this time of the year, isn't it?
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2005 : 6:29:05 PM
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Hi Tatiana! I have a geranium that is now three years old. Each winter I cut it back hard, bring it in the house, (we have a very cool family room- it stays about 65 degrees!) and water it sparsely throughout the season. It will form new leaf growth, but no buds. I move it outside in the spring when the last frost has passed and it just takes off. So far this method has been successful- but I have a new little Sheltie who likes to dig and guess what his favorite thing to dig into is? If it survives him, it will survive anything!! Good luck!
Karin |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2005 : 09:30:16 AM
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| I'm attempting to keep my geranium alive this winter by bringing it inside on the cold days and leaving it outside on the warmer ones. They like sun so much - this one hated its one week indoors that it had already. I don't have any full sun windows either for the poor thing. |
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Tatiana
True Blue Farmgirl
98 Posts
Tania
Boise
ID
USA
98 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2005 : 5:41:44 PM
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Thanks girls for your advice. I think I am going to go for the upside down method and see how many I end up with in the spring that take hold again. I am sure that the time to get them planted and coming back again will come soon.
Tania |
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Garden Gate: Overwintering Geraniums |
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Overwintering Geraniums
