Over-wintering Pelargoniums

Lyn Plant-Wells

I am hoping for some advice from all you wise ones on here!

I brought back lots of Pelargonium cuttings from France last year - mainly unusual pink/crimson splashed flowers, also some ivy-leafed ones (in a wall planter)  Amazingly (for me) 99% have grown into quite big plants. All are in containers.

A couple of my originals (not from French cuttings) have the blight (?)  dry scruffy, blotchy looking leaves. I have also had an invasion of caterpillars.  

My question is - what's the best way of overwintering? I have watched 3 different methods on the internet (bare root in newspaper hasn't been successful in the past)   Some videos show pruning right back to almost nothing and some cutting back by about half.  I don't have a greenhouse but do have a brick built shed with large windows on 3 sides & glass door. I've had the clear plastic roof replaced with black corrugated fibreboard type material + chipboard, a window from the house put in and it's all been cleaned out. Will this be suitable for them re light/temperature?  It was previously the outside lavatory/coal store when house was built and is only single skin brick.    

Perki

I pot mine up and take more cutting for a insurance policy,store them in a cold greenhouse, I dont water them over winter or give them the bare minimum. growth normally starts in March / April. I should think they be ok in the shed window.

If you are very worried bring them into the house, I bring mother plants into the house or special variety's.   

Lyn Plant-Wells

Thanks Perki. 

I will take cuttings of my pink splash varieties. I don't really have anywhere in the house suitable for keeping plants - apart from the guest bedroom where I could put some tiny cuttings. It depends how cold the winter will be, I suppose things can still freeze even in a shed.

Lyn Plant-Wells

Thanks Verdun. I do hope we don't get a very hard Winter. My brother had Pelargoniums go through the Winter in his garden last year - in a sheltered spot. (We live on the edge of Bournemouth.) 

Pete.8

Pelargoniums in pots outside for the last 3 yrs unpruned in any way - lost a couple of plants, but most seem to come through with no attention at all (if they survive I give 'em a chance the following year) - I'm in Essex
Very much weather dependent as to if they survive outside - a harsh frost would have certainly done for them.

Pete.8

This'll be their 3rd summer just on the patio. When spring arrives and it's time to clear out and replant I try and save anything that has shoots and compost the rest.

Pelargoniums, brachycome, fibrous begoinas all come through several winters and as an example of what appeared this spring in one of them - I cleared out all the dead bits in spring and there was a single shoot left - a couple of months later-

It's still in flower now

Last edited: 17 October 2016 19:30:18

Iamweedy

I remember the dreadful winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 I lost a few plants which were tucked away in my garage.

I am considering putting my several pots of pelagoniums in an alcove backing onto the  garage. I will wrap up the pots in fleece or hessian and keep them dryish. I will also try hanging  a hessian curtain in front of this alcove. I am waiting to get some heavy duty plastic shelving to stand them on.

I did weather some of the pots under my garden seat last winter. That is also sheltered by quite wide eaves.  They are not very expensive if I have to replace.

Iamweedy

Lyn Plant-Wells

Respect!  That s one very tidy gardener's shed. I dare not show mine at the moment.