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Gardening in the UK

Pelargoniums and hardiness

18 years ago

I am wondering if some kinds of Pelargonium are less hardy than others. I've got 3 different types of pelargonium in containers in the garden. Zonal, ivy-leaved, and Pelargonium tomentosum, the one which is velvety-leaved and smells minty.

The P. tomentosum is looking a bit miserable at the moment. Just in the last week the leaves have started to curl up slightly. Now it was a bit dry so I've given it a watering, but the leaf curling has coincided with a slightly cooler period of weather. Nothing anywhere near frost, but I think one night it may have dropped to about 9 degrees.

Does anyone else have this type of pelargonium and have you noticed it being a bit more tender? For that matter, how do ivy-leaved pelargoniums normally fare in comparison to the zonals? I've only overwintered the zonal before, I've had those a few years and just stick them in a cold greenhouse and don't water much if at all. Some people seem to get away with keeping them outside all year here if in something like a windowbox, although they end up looking tatty.

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Comments (2)

garden_nerd
18 years ago
I've left zonals out and if they survive they are pretty slow to recover in spring. As they are cheap and readily available it hardly seems worth it. A well-organised gardener would probaly have taken cuttings of all of them in July/Aug, of course!
I'm going to dig some of mine up, cut off the tops, pack into a box and overwinter in a cool, frost-free shed or the greenhouse. Less bulky and mildew prone that way.

I have left P. tomentosum out in a pot with a bit of bubblewrap over it and they made it through, but again, very slow to come back. Last winter they didn't make it, but no worries, I DID have cuttings of that because it is too gorgeous to be without. I find them quite prone to wilting which surprises me because they look very drought resistant. I do cram them into pots, though, maybe that's why.
To answer your question, I don't think the temps we have had so far would bother it, it would take a proper 0 degree or less one to kill off the tops.
lori_londonuk
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for that. It can't be the temperature, then. At any rate the P.tomentosum seems to have perked up again now after a good watering the other day, so as you say, it could have been wilting. Mine is also in a pot - a big one but with rather crappy compost from B&Q which seems to dry out incredibly quickly. I'm definitely not buying any from there again. I'd like to overwinter the P.tomentosum as I am now addicted to the scent!
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