Overwintering Geranuims?

I've heard several methods....barerooting the plant and hanging it upside down in a brown paper sack in the basement, and replanting in the spring......putting the container in the basement for the winter, then putting it back out in the spring......or just keeping it growing indoors over the winter. What do you all find to be the best method for overwintering geraniums? I've tried to keep them going indoors, and they do ok, but never great. Jenny zone 5

My mother in law just keeps them very cool ; above freezing and barely waters to sustain them till next spring. You could take cuttings in late August/ September and maybe you would have more than one the next spring. Good Luck irregardless.

Hi Jenny!

I've tried the hanging bareroot in the basement, they did live but it took a very long time to get re-established in the spring, if she tries this I would recommend potting them up in dirt REALLY early in the spring to give them a chance to get going..................Rita

I tried the keeping dry in the basement and lost most of them - our basement is too dark and too moist. They grew 2 ft. long skinny stems all winter. Now I keep them in our bedroom (the Martha Washington) and the rest are in the spare bedroom. I think they would be better off a bit cooler, but it's the best I can do. I only lost a few this past winter. The Martha Washington always survives the best, hardly looks any different. I take cuttings from it in the spring and share. It's getting to be a rather LARGE plant by now, 4 yrs. old.

I just brought mine into the house and let her continue to grow...

I also just bring mine into the house and let it go. I water very sporadically and only enough to keep it from dying. In the spring, I cut it back to the bottom, since it gets very leggy over the winter. It's on it's third year and looks great. I usually top dress it in the spring and late fall with compost.

Hi Jenny,
I started Geraniums from seed this year, and they did very well. I am in the process of taking cuttins for the first time. I have a few that have been planted for about two weeks and they are doing very well. Her is some infomration on taking cuttings.

Propagation
Geraniums can be reproduced easily from cuttings. The cuttings can be taken any time of year, but root most readily in spring or summer. Start with disease-free, vigorous plants. Take short, terminal stem sections two to three inches long. Place the cuttings in vermiculite or any well-drained sterile soil mix, rather than in water. If wilting is a problem, place a plastic bag over the pot. When roots are evident, slowly open the bag and move the plant into full sunlight over a period of days.


Geranium cuttings can be propagated by rooting them in vermiculite. Both pots should have drainage holes. The smaller clay pot is a water reservoir, so it must be corked tightly.



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Ironsides- what do you mean by" the smaller clay pot is a reservoir and must be corked tightly"- I don't see anything there about two clay pots? Thanks! (I'm getting ready to take cuttings of my geraniums)