United Kingdom
I have a wooden shed - how do I keep my geraniums
alive over the winter
- 18 Oct, 2010
Answers
Yes, I totally agree - and if you can store them in there, watch out for 'any' sign of grey mould (botrytis) on any leaves - remove the affected leaves at once, as this spreads and you'll lose all of them.
18 Oct, 2010
That's useful, Bamboo. Do you mean COMPLETELY dry?? I'm leaving some newly potted-up cuttings in the greenhouse, and have been keeping them moist. Should I refrain from now on? :)
18 Oct, 2010
I would keep newly potted up cuttings in a spare bedroom or somewhere cool!!
I have never had any luck keeping them in a cold greenhouse the frost always gets them! the only way I did it was removing all soil and stripping flowers and dead leaves !wrapping up separately in newspaper like fish and chips!!put in a cardboard box and pack with more newspaper I had a 50% success.
18 Oct, 2010
That's a difficult one, Sheilabub - obviously as baby plants, they need moisture to grow on a bit. I'd be inclined to stop watering in November - keep a close eye on them, remove all mouldy bits instantly, and give them the tiniest drop occasionally, if the compost has shrunk away from the pot and the plants are absolutely gasping. Alternatively, you could bring them into the house and treat them as semi houseplants - by the time they're properly grown, it'll be almost time to plant them outside. That's if you have the room, of course.
18 Oct, 2010
Many thanks Bamboo and Maggy!
18 Oct, 2010
Previous question
You could put them in the shed, provided there's some daylight in there - they still need light, even though they're not doing much during winter. Most important thing is to keep them dry - what kills them overwinter is wet , they rot and die. They will tolerate up to 10 degrees of frost for short periods, but the mould/mildew is what gets 'em.
18 Oct, 2010