Revive Overwintered Geraniums | Quick Easy Sustainable Gardening Hack
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- I will give you step-by-step directions on how to take bare root geraniums out of winter dormancy and get them growing once again.
I love saving money and overwintering my geranium plants. Both of these plants would not survive my New Hampshire zone 5b climate.
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Let's chat! Leave a comment if you have a gardening-related question that I can answer or an idea for future videos!
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#geranium #gardenhacks #overwintering
I started over wintering my geraniums, dipladenia, lemon balm, and ferns quite by accident. I'm in zone 6b. We had an early frost onset one year and my potted plants were still in full bloom, so I brought them in and put them in my SW facing laundryroom. I thought I'd water them until they showed signs of coming to the end of their cycle but they continued to flourish right through to January when we went on vacation. When we returned in late March, aside from a mess of dropped leaves, the plants were all showing new growth. So, I cleaned them up and gave them a hard prune. Late April, when the weather was warm enough, I began hardening them off. That was 6 years ago. I've been doing the same thing every year since, so far so good. Last fall however, due to a lack of space, I had to store all the ferns in the garage. They look fine, but we'll see in April how they made out.
Wow! That's great! Do you have any issues with fungus gnats or any other pests? I'd like to try overwintering a Dipladenia this winter. They are so pretty! ♥🌷
@@budgetgardeningvita No, luckily not, at least not so far. I do keep a watch out for any developing issues but, because we vacation in the winter, all the pots/plants sit unattended for at least 2 months. Obviously they don't need my assistance 😉
I brought my boston fern inside last fall to overwinter in my plant room. It has a lot of light and I water it frequently. I have been trimming off the dry sprouts, so it is not nearly a full as it was when I bought it last yeay. Do you have any tips for hardening it back outside this spring?
@@courtneyclark8276 I'm not an "educated" gardener, I learn through trial & error and sometimes by mistake. Anyway, I have a mix of Boston and Kimberley Ferns. They both look a bit sad by the time our weather warms up. Before I start hardening them, I cut them back quite hard, sparing any new growth, and then leave them in a sheltered, sunny, warm spot away from any wind. I drag them indoor and outside for about 7 -14 days depending on the Spring weather. And, then just leave them to fend for themselves aside from watering them. 🤞 so far they survive inspite of me 😉
@@courtneyclark8276 I suggest hardening it off about 1 week before you last frost. Start with about 1 hour in the shade, then two hours in the shade, and each day gradually bring it outside with a little more sunlight until you feel it can handle the outside elements.
I brought mine up today to pot up. I lost a couple but I have 14 left. Some of these were very small...I did see a bit of new growth... I put the plants in a sunny south basement window. This is the first time I did the dry root method thanks to you!!!! Thanks!!!
Wow! 14 left is great! I can't wait to hear how your geraniums do. Since they're in the basement, I recommend watering them sparingly. Eventually give them half strength fertilizer when you water just to help them along. Good luck! ❤️🌺
Hi, I've been over wintering my geraniums for the last 3 years, I enjoy it too, they always do so well, I live in Ohio, and will be bring them out in mid March, I just use a 3 tier shelf on wheels in my kitchen & use the sun that comes in thru the patio doors, happy gardening 🙂, Ann
How wonderful! Your geraniums must be nice and big after 3 years. That's awesome! ♥🌷
Hi! This is my first time overwintering my geraniums in paper bags so this video was very helpful and I'm on my way downstairs to start the process of potting them up! Thanks so much!
You're very welcome! I hope you have great success with your geraniums this year! ♥😊
I over wintered two big pots with 3 or 4 in each. I cut most the leaves off, put in black garbage bag, watered lightly, and put in garage. They have leaves now!
Yay! That is very exciting! 😊♥
I just repotted mine 2 days ago. I always do the same thing, which is shake off all the dirt in the fall, and remove the flowers, and put them upside down in a box, and put them in my basement. I have at least a dozen. This year they are 4 years old. Because they are that old, they were quite large, so I cut them way back just to make it easier to fit into a pot. They look extremely dry and brittle, but my fingers are crossed. Daytime temps are in the 40's here in zone 7b in Maryland, so when the sun is shining and it's above freezing, I put them in their pots out on the deck in the sun. I do this same thing every year, and they come back just fine. Even so, I actually started new seeds this year also, just in case there was a problem being rejuvenated. The new seedlings are doing fine also.
I'm going to try your putting them outside. I'm in 7b Virginia and it gets pretty warm on the deck. I can just bring them in at night!
It sounds like you're going to have a great collection of geraniums this year between your older plants and your new seedlings. Very exciting! I like your idea of putting them outside on those warmer days. Thank you for sharing! 🌷♥
Hello, Did it work with the cutting back ?
I'm glad I saw your video, because it reminded me that I have four paper bags full of geraniums in the crawl space under my house. They are ready to be potted up so thanks for the reminder
You're very welcome. I love seeing a little more green on my geraniums each day as they wake back up. So exciting! 🌷🌸
I followed your video from the fall and overwintered mine. I'm not ready to bring them out yet because I have no "light" to put them in. But, it will be a fun experiment. May the sticks sprout green!
How exciting! You can also put them in a sunny south-facing window when you pot them up. Happy gardening! 😊♥
EXCELLENT video!!!! Thanks!
Thank you! 🌸❤️
I over wintered apple blossom geraniums and just potted them up. Hopefully, they will start getting new growth. Also I have lavender geranium seeds sprouted on heat mat. Thank you Vita!
That all sounds so lovely! I can't believe that I used to buy geraniums year after year. I love hearing all these stories about others overwintering geraniums or starting them from seed. 😊♥
I've been overwintering geraniums for over 20 years. I used to bring in my 10-12 trimmed hanging baskets and some zonals and they'd spend the winter under fluorescent, now LED lights. 2 years ago I rooted all the trimmed cuttings in oasis cubes and transplanted to soil in pots in the spring. Last year, I yanked up all the plants in the hanging baskets, trimmed for cuttings and planted the old geraniums in 4' pots plus planted the cuttings in oasis cubes again, the cubes of rooted cuttings have since been planted in 2" pots and they're all growing under LED's. I have WAY too many geraniums! :)
How interesting! I had never heard of oasis cubes so I had to look it up. I might have to try them for my geranium cuttings! You have had wonderful success with your geraniums. Thanks so much for sharing! ♥🌺
a case of cubes from Greenhouse Megastore is reasonably priced
@@budgetgardeningvita
I bought 3 10” geraniums this season & they are very pretty in my lamp post garden, but I could’ve used 2 more so I’m going to try to take cuttings & add to my existing plants. It’s kinda cool that I can get more plants from ones I already have! Fingers crossed the original 3 over winter safely. Looking forward to seeing your video on how to propagate from geranium leaves!
My only question is, if I don’t need to pot up the bare root plants until 8 weeks before last frost, February seems a month early for Memorial Day transfer to the garden. I’m in zone 4-ish which seems like I’d need to pot up earlier than someone in zone 5… I suppose it wouldn’t hurt them to be woken up 12 weeks before planting, but that is extra time having to baby them over the winter. We’ll see, I guess. Mom used to over winter her geraniums so I know it can be done, I just don’t remember the timing of it all. 🤷♀️
Hi there! Please check out my How To Take Geranium Cuttings video (czcams.com/video/Umf6jZEQyr8/video.html) as well as an update video (czcams.com/video/H_wjaYUO1Dw/video.html). I hope you're successful with both your cuttings as well as with overwintering your plants. 😊
I potted mine up on the earlier side just because I wanted to make a video of the process and get that instruction out there for everyone. However, I suggest potting them later than February because you're right - why baby them for that long if you really don't need to? As long as you pot them up 8 weeks before you average last frost date, you'll be fine. 🌺
I bring ours in pots, soil, and all. most go to basement, but I always take a couple pots and put them into the window.
Nice! Do you run into any issues with bugs, fungus gnats, etc.?
Fungus Gnats, for sure.@@budgetgardeningvitaI don't know of ANY bagged soil starter, or potting mix that doesn't come in, without the eggs. I've tried a million brands, now, and they ALL DO!.
Now, I shop the cheapest, and add my own vermiculite/perlite. Sometimes, even my own Peat.
Oh, wehen I bring them in late fall, @@budgetgardeningvita ? no, no issues then.
This is my first year bringing my potting geraniums inside. I have kept mine in my plant room in a window all winter in fromt of light. I have also watered it once a week. In your experience will they bloom this spring?
mine have a couple times now!@@courtneyclark8276
As soon as they go outside, they're already bigger. They do need to get adjusted to sunlight again, even tho they've been in a window. Hardening them off doesn't need to be a big deal, but, they need to go outside for a short period of time the first couple days, getting longer each day, until you can leave them outside, period.
oh I must get busy! I have not looked at my boxed up plants in garden shed since last Autumn and never spritzed them! Plenty of windowsills that get the sun to get them to next level. I am in Ireland and been wettest winter on record etc but otherwise it was mild with little frost.
Definitely just check on them to make sure they are ok. I'm sure they are fine. Enjoy your geraniums and sending some dry weather vibes your way! ♥☀
@@budgetgardeningvita Sadly they are all RIP but one survived in a pot outdoors. Our past winter was quite mild but maybe one in seven years would be severe frost that would kill off outdoor plants.
My stems look completely shriveled brown and dry😔. I'm so sad they look pretty bad. I planted them right before a driving rain so I hope it works
Oh no! Had you checked on them during the winter? Had you given the roots some water? I'm just trying to figure out what might have happened. This winter, instead of spritzing the roots once a month, I'm going to try soaking the roots for an hour once a month. The big thing is to shake off the excess water before storing them again so that they don't rot. Don't give up, friend. It's worth trying again if this year it did not work out for you. ♥
Should I add fertilizer to the pots with the dormant geraniums that I just potted. If so what type of fertilizer and how much.
Hi there. I started adding fertilizer once I saw some green leaves appearing on a majority of my plants. I added half a strength of Miracle Gro fertilizer, but you can use whatever plant fertilizer that you have on hand.
When do you start feeding these beautiful sticks?😊
Lol. I love it - beautiful sticks! 😂 I usually start feeding them with a half strength of liquid fertilizer as soon as they start producing leaves. 😊🌷
Thank you. Mine look dead-fingers crossed
Oh no! Fingers crossed for sure! 🤞🏼🌺
@@budgetgardeningvita Latest news--50% survived. I think I should have sprayed some water on them over the winter.
Question: Do you happen to know about how long before we start to see growth on the geraniums that were dormant?
You should start seeing growth about 1 week after you bring them out of dormancy. It's amazing how quickly they bounce back! I'll be sure to do update videos showing the progress of mine. ♥
Thank you
Trying this for first time. Only have four geraniums. I live in zone 6 and will still have snow until 3rd week of April. And no grow lights. When should I pot them up? Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.😀
@@susanbusching8165 I suggest potting up your geraniums 6-8 weeks before you last frost. Since you don't have grow lights, I recommend that you put the plants in a very sunny window, optimally a South facing window. 😊♥
How often should I feed my revived geraniums? 1/2 strength?
Hi there! I would say feed the revived geraniums 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer about every 1-2 weeks. I use Miracle Gro but any liquid fertilizer will do. 😊🌸
I brought my hanging geranium in but just left it in the pot and ysed a grow light. It is tall and lanky with green on the top. I'm not sure what to do.
Hi there. Is there new growth / leaves at the base of the plant? If so, I suggest cutting the plant back a little. I did that and my geranium plant was much happier. You can then take those cuttings and try rooting them to make more geranium plants. I did that recently and showed my process in another video: czcams.com/video/Umf6jZEQyr8/video.html. Also, here's an update video: czcams.com/video/H_wjaYUO1Dw/video.html
I over wintered mine I brought them in 2 weeks ago they’re all still bare no buds but it kills me throwing 7 of them out
Oh no! Just a few questions. Did you overwinter them bare root? What was the temperature of the room that you overwintered them in? If you did overwinter them bare root, did you spritz the roots with water once a month during the winter? Just curious.
I lost several of my smaller geraniums ...they never got new growth..😢
Awww. I'm sorry to hear that. Did your bigger geranium plants make it?
@@budgetgardeningvita yes the larger ones look fine! I still have 6 or 7