how to find out if zonal-geranium (pelargonium) is dead

15 years ago

excuse me for non-wintersowing questions but this forum is full of experienced gardeners so i thought i can ask another small question.

there are many small zonal-geranium plants in the bed which are now without any leaves or some deadly looking leaves. are these plants dead or will they come back in spring?

if there is a chance of life coming back to those shall i pot them up and keep at a sunny location? currently they are in a part sun location.

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Comments (9)

morz8 - Washington Coast
15 years ago
Daisey, thinking that you are about the same as a US Z8, if they were in the ground without protection over winter they are most likely dead. Sometime in the next 4-5 weeks, if alive, they would begin to show little bits of green at the old leaf axils - new growth beginning.

Mine in my similar climate will usually endure about 5 years average on my semi protected (partly glassed) porch before the temperature drops just low enough to wipe them out, even though I cover them with old tablecloths in the worst weather....I would surely lose them to a few nights below 28F (-2.2C?) in the ground.

We had a rough winter, my own in 24" pots, semi protected, are showing no signs of life here either, I'm almost certain I've lost them this year. Giving the stems a pinch between fingers reveals firm tissue closer to the soil line (soft further up) but I'm not holding out much hope and expect to be shopping for replacements.
pitimpinai
15 years ago
Are the stems still green, Daisy?
If so, you can pot them up and keep them on your south/east facing window sills or a greenhouse or hoop, that will protect them when the weather turns much colder. But I suspect that it is not very cold where you live, correct?

I potted mine up in the fall and keep them on my east window sill in my insulated but unheated attic. They are still doing well. Mind you, our winter is much colder than yours.

Good luck.
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I just happened to find this forum and thought I would tell you my story. Mother used to shake the dirt off, drop them, leaves and all, into a open large plastic pail, leaving them in the garage all winter. In the spring, the stocks would start to change into a sort of translucent green or you would see little red nodules on the older stocks, signaling the time to replant. She would clean up all the dead leaves and cut off the dead portions of the stocks, put them into soil and start to lightly water. Outside they would go when it warmed up enough. She gave me some a number of years ago and while I have good success using her method, I've managed to keep some very old pelargoniums year after year but in a different way. I have three that I leave in pots. Stopping all watering as the outside temp gets colder, I bring them into the house when it starts dropping to about 40 - 45 degrees F. The coolest room in the house is best but I have kept them in rooms with the daytime temp as high a 65 F. Of course you want to keep them away from any heat source. I water, but very little and only when I see the plant asking for a sip. Trust me, you'll know. A fair number of the leaves will yellow through the winter season and I just pick them off when they appear. I pick off any flower buds and even do some pinching. As long as you keep them clean of dead leaves, they don't look too bad! I get them outside as soon as possible, when the days get longer and hotter. I won't put them out too early because the cold will slow the growth. I continue to pinch off the flower buds as this seems to trick the plants into growing more leaves...so they can form more flowers...that I continue to pick off. I'm watering more often now and fertilizing. When I think the plants are "green" enough, I let them flower. And boy...do they flower. My pride is a pelargonium "bush" that I estimate to be about 9 years old. It's almost 5 feet tall with a main stock that's two inches in diameter. Happy gardening everybody!
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how to find out if zonal-geranium (pelargonium) is dead
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Where are these pels, outside or inside? The first time I showed my brother-in-law what I had saved from the previous season of half a dozen geraniums, he was convinced the 3 he gave up on were first rate plants that will enjoy another season. They looked like they were candidates for the garbage heap but that's what needs convincing people the plant is still very much what will return. Not all annuals can be so saved, but geranium and a few others are able to come back even when they are dried up clumps of .... The cue is to help them avoid any stress by cutting them back --to as little as 3" - 4", and giving them fresh potting soil, into a clean pot (clay is good) giving them as much sunlight in a window (south or western exposure is ideal...eastern will do too) watering them to drainge, then not watering again until new leaves form. Turn the plant a quarter turn every day or so to give all parts equal sunlight. Within two weeks, new growth should be well under way. Whether new flower buds appear before going out in May, not to worry, new flowring is a guarantee---as good as it was...maybe even better.
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If there is ANY life in thar, I'd gamble on the one that has been left to dry out....hopefully, completely. That's how they are to be kept over winter....dry, dark, and as cool as possible....and I'll add lonesome. Pelargonium, along with a few others, are able to be let alone, kept moisture from, no light, no heat. When you return those needs to the plant when conditions favor, the plant recovers fully to bloom again. You should then give the plant fresh potting soil, a clean pot, water to drainage and the best sunlight you can find. The potted plant should have something between the roots and the bottom of the pot...something to keep the roots away from the bottom so t can drain without being soaked. Shards of clay, a chewed up pop can, or stones can suffice. It will, if there's life in it, show some start of budding within a week....two weeks and will carry on from that. Chances are there's not enough in the plant to bloom this year...bloom takes an awful lot of energy out of the plant so maybe this is good. Count on this recovery for next year. In that regard then, if it comes back treat it like a houseplant until fall when you do not allow it to be touched by frost. Instead, it goes into the basement, into the darkest area, where it is put and not ever touched by water or light or heat. Got an old fridge? That's an ideal place to winter over plants as long as you don't keep fruit in it. Then in February, bring it out, cut it back---if it has done anything, give it that fresh potting soil, water to drainage, the best window for sunlight and watch it take off. Do not let it dry out. Stick a finger down to the first knuckle...if it feels damp, let it go another couple days. Turn it every other day to ensure all parts get equal sunlight. Water to drainage only to keep it damp...never wet. As the plant grows water accordingly. The one that has been kept wet..and shows nothing is probably dead as a doornail but, given that plants come back when they show no sign of recovery, try giving it the same treatment as above. Sometimes, plants that have been kept in a wet or damp condition constantly show signs of mold or mildew. If this is the case, then spray a little "no damp"...a fungicide on it when you first water it. Thereafter, just keep it damp and always, when you water, water to drainage. Never let it dry out. Oh, one other thing. Never feed a sick plant. Food is only given a plant when it can use it, when its growing.
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vera_eastern_wa
15 years ago
Same here. I bring a few indoors in the fall and keep them in my west facing windows and treat like every other houseplant. One has been blooming now since about 1st of March and today have noticed their leaf coloring starting to return.
Soon I will be taking cuttings for rooting so they can be planted out when it's warm enough.
March 5th
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daisy08(London UK)
Original Author
15 years ago
beautiful geranium flower.

mine are all dead. i don't have any space indoor and did not know other techniques of saving these plants. anyway i have sown some seeds and tiny-mini plants are coming up in bottles.
tosser
15 years ago
Every time I see this thread the old parrot sketch from Monty Python comes to mind.

"The pelargonium is dead! It has passed on! It is no more!
daisy08(London UK)
Original Author
15 years ago
LOL!

by the way i did check yesterday night the stems if there is anything greenish and everthing was black/brown inside and confirmed their death.

when i read about people hanging them (till death?) upside down in cellars and they still survive, i wanted to confirm they are dead and not just pretending :D

replacements are my wintersown plants not a slug.

Here is a link that might be useful: old parrot sketch from Monty Python
mmqchdygg
15 years ago
poke it with a stick.
mnwsgal
15 years ago
"He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker!

'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace!"

Daisy08, LOL. Thanks! I love Monty Python.
mnwsgal
15 years ago
Found it on You tube.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monty Python Dead Parrot

how to find out if zonal-geranium (pelargonium) is dead

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morz8 - Washington Coast

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how to find out if zonal-geranium (pelargonium) is dead

Comments (9)

morz8 - Washington Coast

pitimpinai

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