How to winter geranium plants

Last Updated on November 11, 2020 by cmoarz

How to winterize geranium flowers

Pelargonium hortorum, P. Domesticum, also known as geraniums, is a perennial plant that tends to grow well in zone 10 and 11. However they need a bit of help when it comes to the colder times of the year, that’s why it’s good to learn how to winter geranium plants before the first frost hits.

It’s fairly easy to accomplish this, simply remove the geranium from the ground or pot that it is growing in, use a shovel or a trowel and try not to damage any roots.

Gently shake the excess dirt that’s still attached to the roots, using your fingers to get the stubborn clumps.

Cut about 50% of the head growth off the plant with a pair of gardening sheers. Don’t worry about the angle you cut it at.

Place in a paper bag (1 plant per bag), and put in a cool dark cellar or shed that has a temperature between 45 and 50F.

Be sure to let them soak in water at least twice a season. This will keep them from dying.

And that’s How to overwinter geranium plants. Here are some related questions and answers.

How cold can geraniums tolerate?

Geraniums prefer the area between 50 and 60f (10-16c) to be kept happy and growing. But they are also a fairly hearty plant and can survive temps as low as 32f (0c).

Keep in mind an overly damp plant in 0c weather unprotected could cause death as ice will form on and inside the plant, destroying plant cells.

The same is true in reverse for being too dry, and shrived plant’s should be tossed at the beginning of each season, as they will not survive transplantation. Although they could potentially be revived with care.

Do geraniums like coffee grounds?

Yes they do! At the beginning of every season feel free to add some dried coffee grounds to your plants surrounding soil before replanting. Careful not to over do it.

Water as you normally would.

Are eggshells good for geraniums?

Yes! Just like coffee grounds, Crumble up eggshells into as fine a powder as you can muster, and spread it into the planting soil. Than water it as you normally would.

Eggshells are very good for your plants, as it adds a nice boost in available calcium your plants need to grow.

What can I cover my plants with to prevent frost?

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of digging up, storing, and eventually transplanting your geraniums, You have some potential alternatives.

Entirely depending on your growing zone, and the extremity of the winter seasons coldness, you can simple cover your plants. Bed sheets, blankets, and even plastic sheets and burlap can be used to protect your plants from frost damage.

At a certain coldness level, however, This might now always be an option. You can bolster the protective layers over your plants by adding additional coverage to cope with the increasing levels of coolness.

Does spraying plants with water prevent frost damage?

While it might sound counter productive, spraying your plants with water is a valid strategy of winterizing for many types of plants.

If sprayed just before the first bellow 0 day happens, the water will freeze over the plant and create a protective layers against frost which inside is warmer than the winter air outside.

This is not a long term solution for all types of plants, but does work.

Learning how to winter geranium plants doesn’t need to be a complex 1000 word instructional process. It’s as easy as 1 2 3, we hope you enjoyed reading.