I have this amazing deep red geranium potted in my back yard, and for whatever reason this particular geranium loves the spot I gave it. This geranium has impressed me all summer with its deep green leaves, and phenomenal blooms! I got to thinking a short time ago that I should take it inside for the upcoming winter, but unfortunately I have no space and oh yeah…a 3 yr. old! However, I remembered a recent conversation I had with my father, where he told me it was possible to dry geraniums and plant them in the spring.
I decided to do a bit of investigating, and it seems he was not only right, but it turns out you can do the same with other potted plants! So, I thought I’d put together a quick post to share a few options I think will be successful in saving geraniums and other potted plants through the winter.
One important thing to remember is that geraniums like 10-12 hours of sunlight per day, so if you want to save them through the winter you must have a location that will provide the sun! If you’re like me and you live in an area with very short winter days you’ll most likely need to supplement with grow lights or simply let them go dormant until spring.
Option #1
Dig your geraniums just before a frost shake all the soil from the roots, and hang them in a dry location where the temperature will remain in the 40s or low 50s. Once every month you should soak the roots for about an hour or so to prevent them from completely drying and dying. All the leaves will die but the stem will remain thick, and healthy. In the spring plant the geraniums in pots and remove any dead stems. I also suggest feeding the plant right away with Authentic Haven Natural Brew for a nice boost, which can be found at http://www.manuretea.com.
Option #2
If your geranium is located in a flowerpot like mine is, bring it inside and don't water it. Store it in the same environment you would uprooted plant. Check on the plants occasionally, and add a little water to the soil once in a while to keep them barely alive. Next spring, remove the dead areas and begin watering, again I suggest Authentic Haven Natural Brew for a nice boost, which can be found at http://www.manuretea.com. Place them in a sunny window, and voilà!
Option #3
First, cut the top 4-6 inches off each branch. Remove and discard any flower stalks, even if they have buds on them. Next, take off all the leaves on the bottom 2-3 inches of the stem, and dip the cutting into rooting hormone powder or liquid. Finally, Place the stem in sand or perlite, add water, and place it/them in a sunny window. Once the roots start to develop, you can either pot them inside or wait until spring to plant them outside.
Many of your other favorite outdoor potted plants can be saved through the winter in the same ways. However, the proper research should be conducted for the best results. As I said I think the methods above are going to be most successful for my geraniums, and if you have your own favorite geraniums I would recommend trying at least one.
Thanks to:
Creators.com
Ourlittleacre.com (Image)
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