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Yeah! Over-wintered Geranium

vera_eastern_wa

16 years ago

I brought one in and treated it like my househplants, only watering a little less. I just finished watering plants and noticed a few small flower buds starting to form!! YIPPIE!

I was going to take cuttings from it here in about 3 weeks, but think I'll wait :D

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Comments (12)

drippy
16 years ago
I do it that way, too, Vera, although some people cut them back and hang them in paper bags, then pot them up again in late winter - there's more than one way to do it, I guess. I have a "Martha Washington" type and a regular one wintering over now. They're getting a bit leggy, so I was considering doing some cuttings.
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northforker
16 years ago
I watched a video (here?) on boxing them up in the basement and you all are reminding me I'd better go down and check if there is any sign of life!

I am somehow doubtful but, hey, I would have lost em anyway (only had windowsill room for a couple)

I'll let you know if this boxing up thing works!
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What I do is the same thing my mom did. I make sure the soil is relatively dry - no watering, no rain for a couple of days. I dig out the plants, shake off as much soil as I can. I then lay the plants out on old newspapers to dry for a couple of hours. Damp plants will go moldy!! Shake of any more soil that will fall off, remove all yellow leaves and spent blooms. Wrap each plant in newspapers and place in a cardboard box. NO PLASTIC STORAGE BOXES! I have had good luck in the past 2 years using paper garden waste bags, since I didn't have boxes big enough to hold all the plants. I just duct tape them shut at the top. If you want to keep the colours straight, either label the newspaper bundles, or store them in separate boxes. I keep my package of plants in my unfinished and poorly heated basement. Cool and dry is the key. About 6 weeks before they can be planted out, I collect up my buckets and any old containers large enough to hold the plants. Set them up in the basement, or anywhere that they can get some light - they don't need a lot, sometimes I just leave the basement lights on for a couple of hours. Fill the buckets/containers with water deep enough to just cover the roots. You don't want to drown the plants. I put as many as will fit into one bucket, but don't pack them so tightly that they can't be easily removed to check on root growth. Change the water daily for at least the first week, removing any debris that falls from the dried plants. The water will smell!! When you see that a plant is sprouting green leaves and roots, you can plant them into pots. I sometimes just keep them in water long enough to plant directly outside - small house, not enough window sills LOL!! Hope this helps. Good luck - let me know how you make out.
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I'm assuming you are referring to pelargonium geraniums. If you wish to take cuttings from the plant just before any frost hits it, then that is one way to over-winter the plant. Take the slip by cutting just below a node. Each cutting should be about 4" long. Allow to set for a couple hours before putting it into freshwater, sharp sand. Sharp sand is the type builders use....not the beach variety or the sand from the kids sandbox. Dip the cuttings in some rooting hormone, shake off any excess and plant in the medium. Remove all but a couple of the top leaves. Put them then into cool light--no harsh sun--water as necessary to keep damp. Don't fertilize. Let them get some roots first, let them show you something before trying to force feed them. After they have rooted, put them into 4" pots. If you wish, start them in 2 1/2" pots before transplanting them into the 4"ers. Begin fertilizing according to their growth. Do quarter rate until they grow to size. Have you tried to over-winter them by simply putting them somewhere where they can be left alone....to dry out..completely. Don't think that plants to overwinter must be kept watered, kept moist, kept in light. That's nonsense.....where geraniums are concerned. If you can put the plant somewhere in a cool environment...cool being above freezing, below 55 or so. An old fridge will do...it must be tho kept running thru winter. That can be a problem for the cooling unit if the outside temperatures are near the zero mark. If you have such a place....then all you have to do is remove them from the container (or bed) they're in. Shake off any loose soil. Take them to the cool area and hang them up, upside down to stay there until we want them to grow again. No water, no light, no nothing....should touch the plants. They should be allowed to remain where they are, untouched by anything....then in mid February, they come out, are cut back, put into fresh potting soil, put into a sunny window, watered well... and watch.....they'll come back better than ever. If you follow this....don't be tempted to spritz them with water---what would that do ...we dont want them to grow...we don't want them to have light put on them...they don't need either. They need to be left alone....until we want them to grow again.
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I don't know whether I'd trust an unheated garage to store a plant over a northern winter but if you have a basement that stays above 40ÃÂº, can be put where it can be left alone....no watering, no giving light of any kind, no feeding....it can come back better than ever. No thinking a little sprinkling will do it some good...it wont. When we give plants light, we are expecting it to do something....like grow....same with heat....same with food. Leave the poor plant alone....do not do anything to encourage growth. In February--or March....bring the plant out...remove it from its pot if you left it there, or you might have hung it--upside down...which is equally the way to leave it.... cut it back to about 4"....removing all dead branches..inspect the roots and remove any that appear dead or damaged. With a clean pot, put something in the bottom to keep the soil away from the drainage holes---the pot MUST DRAIN....fresh potting soil, place the plant in, water it to drainage, then place it in a sunny window where it is left to gain leaves. Turn it every other day to ensure all parts receive adequate sunlight. Do not feed it until sufficient foliage returns and then only as it requires. Do not let the drainage sit under the pot longer than 5 - 10 minutes.... Within 6 weeks your plant should have foliage that will signify its beginning to return to its old self.
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It will take a month or 2 for them to start growing well if they've been stored right- in the dark and just above freezing and haven't dried out too much. They have to put down new feeder roots. Pot them up in damp not wet potting soil and place where it's warmer with indirect light. Gradually over a period of 2 to 3 weeks move them closer to direct sunlight. Watch the water too much and they will rot until they have put down new feeder roots. I have never had success doing things this way. I think because my basement is too warm. However my Sister-in- law always stores her geraniums in a cold cellar and it works for her. I grow my geraniums under lights all winter and take cuttings in the spring. As with all gardening it's whatever works for you
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dorisl
16 years ago
me too! Ive got two nice big ones is really good shape and a smaller one that looks a little.... tired?

I tried cuttings during the winter and NOTHING happened. It only really works in the spring?
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vera_eastern_wa
Original Author
16 years ago
dorisl,

Late summer to early fall and again in spring is when herbaceous plants root fastest.
Winter isn't a good time because most plants take a rest and the hormone auxin that tells the plant to put out new growth is not that active.
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dorisl
16 years ago
Thanks, Vera, Ill try again!
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northforker
16 years ago
Report from the "overwinter in a box" front: - - - NG.

I have about 5 that aren't totally dried up and gone (out of about 15 in the box), so I am putting them in some soil but I am NOT hopeful. oh well...win some lose some. I'tll be a miracle if these bounce back.
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plant-one-on-me
16 years ago
I have been overwintering a geranium like you did for over 8 years now...a snipping I took from my grandmother's house when she passed away. I have 5 flowers starting to bloom. It always reminds me of her especially when it starts to bloom. After the blooms die off, I make several cuttings that I root for the following years garden.

I made a cutting a couple months ago on an area that just got too leggy...it took over a month to root but it will soon be ready to pot up. Enjoy! Kim
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vera_eastern_wa
Original Author
16 years ago
Nice Kim!!

So far only just the one flowering stem...starting to show some color in the last few day. I've given a light feeding the last two times I watered.
I think if I have time today I will take a few cuttings anyways...I don't think I want to wait any longer if I want blooms on time in the garden. New leaves are being produced almost daily so rooting should be fairly quick now :D

Vera
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northforker
16 years ago
None of my boxed geraminums "bounced back". Oh well. I have one that I overwintered in a coolish room and THAT one I'll take and root cuttings! Good thing I have 165 jugs of other stuff out there! so no point to whining!
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plant-one-on-me
16 years ago
Here is a picture of my granddaughter holding one of the blooms off my plant. I wanted to get more cuttings going for spring planting and had to take from the blooming stems. Jordan loves to "sniff sniff" flowers. Kim

{{gwi:29859}}
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shimla
16 years ago
I pulled 6 out of my compost pile last year, tossed them in a plastic bucket and forgot about them. I remembered them after I saw this posting and drudged them up from the basement. I planted and watered the dead sticks a couple of weeks ago and the darned things have started to leaf :)! I can't wait to see when they start to bloom. I'm always lacking annuals early in the season. This just might be my solution!
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dorisl
16 years ago
Tried again and I GOT ROOTS! Yippee!

:)
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