Overwintering Geraniums

One of the common questions we are asked is how to overwinter geraniums? Many people know that geraniums are one of the easier plants to try this with, so giving it a shot is something that we would certainly encourage.

After all, what do you have to lose? In our climate here in northern Wisconsin, geraniums aren't going to survive the harsh winter, so why not dig them up and try this simple and easy method to really test out your green thumb?

So here are the steps to saving your geraniums:

1. Dig your geraniums out before the first frost
2. Gently knock off the soil from the roots (this can be messy, so do it over some newspaper.)
3. Remove any dead leaves and flower buds, be sure to remove any mold growing on the stems.
   
4. Put your geraniums into a cardboard box with the roots facing upwards, air should be able to circulate so do not pack the box tightly. Close the box but do not seal it.
5. Mark your box so that you know what color or type of geraniums are inside.
6. Store in a cool dry place such as a basement or root cellar.
7. Check your geraniums about once a month and look for any mold occurring. Take off any moldy stems if discovered.
8. New growth and white roots will start to appear about February.
9. Re-pot your geraniums in fresh soil and move into a sunny location until it is safe to plant outside.
10. Be sure to start fertilizing with our Beat Your Neighbor fertilizer in spring and throughout the growing season.

Here is a great video that covers the basics of geranium cleaning:

Good luck!