I grew some geraniums last year and they were great. But my question is do they grow back? Heres mine how they are now. Should I cut them to an inch of the soil or just dig them up ? Thanks Baz n Hels
Those are pelargoniums which are not frost hardy. They are sometimes called geraniums but this leads to confusion with the many varieties of Hardy Geranium which is a different plant.
I would take out the best of those pelargoniums, pot them up and overwinter them in a frostfree spot ... cool greenhouse, conservatory, even a garage as they will not be growing so they can cope with minimal light.
Hope that helps 😊
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
they're pelagoniums, they're not frost hardy so i'm surprised they're not a pile of mush by now. yes they will continue growing (as long as the frost doesn't get them) you can cut them back lightly to above a leaf joint around late April (use the trimmings as cuttings)
I didnt know they were pelagoniums even though the packet said geraniums but if you say a hard frost will see them off I'll probably just dig them up and put them on the compost. AnnieD I havent quite mastered cuttings yet I will try one and see how it goes. Thanks Everyone
Sometimes I dig them up and put them on a window sill in a cool room, such as guest bedroom. I find they are better plants if they have some light. My garage didn't work. I prune the plants in March and use the prunings as cuttings. Really easy just fill a decent size flower pot and stick about 6 cuttings in it pruned just below a joint where leaves come out. I pinch off all the lower bigger leaves. They can be potted on if they get crowded. Then in late May I plant out the big plants and also the cuttings, which are small plants by then.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Totally agree with Dove. Some years back in the realms of horticulture, the idea to chop and change plant classifications took off.
Yes in todays nomenclature, the photo's show Geraniums as we tend to accept them. However. Geraniums is a name also given to members of the Cransbill family. The Cranebills are on the whole hardy and will usually reappear year after year.
Geraniums as we have come to accept them, were at some stage renamed into two types. What we might call the common geranium, this was then sub divided to give us the Zonal types, simply due to the zonal leaf marking.
The Pelargonium came about with the introduction of the more bushy and different shape/style of foliage and to a much more pleasing and attractive flower. Out of all mentioned types. The Cranesbills remain the only winter hardy type.
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You could try taking cuttings from them. We've been lucky so far in that it's been a fairly mild winter, but a good frost might well see them off. Most people take pelargonium cuttings in the autumn to overwinter, but it's worth trying now.
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-take-cuttings-from-bedding-geraniums/
AnnieD I havent quite mastered cuttings yet I will try one and see how it goes.
Thanks Everyone