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Overwintering Pelargoniums

I have taken my pelargoniums into the greenhouse but they are shedding their leaves and look as if they are dying.  My husband says I should cut them back, but I think I should probably do this in the spring.  However, the palergoniums which I have left outside as I had no room for them in the greenhouse, and despite a couple of, admitedly mild, frosts, they are thriving and are still green and flowering!

Have I done wrong in taking them into the greenhouse?  I am watering sparingly but still feel that I am doing something wrong.  My geraniums are going the same way.

Any advice would be welcome

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    If it was me, I'd cut them back. Any excess moisture in the greenhouse can cause them to get damp and that's when you get problems. Make sure there's good ventilation and keep them quite dry Patricia. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Thanks. I'll take your advice and cut back and see what happens. I do have plenty of cuttings to fall back on should I loose them.
  • I agree, I'd cut them back and keep them almost bone dry.  image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,032

    When I used to overwinter pelargoniums they always shed leaves and went yellow with the shock of being dug up. I used to cut back, but only lightly. I don't keep them in the greenhouse as it's not heated in winter and gets too cold. The place where I kept them indoors is now full of other stuff and they got a moth with green caterpillers that ate them so I've given up with keeping pelargoniums. But I did it for about 15 years.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Thanks guys that's really helpful. I do heat my greenhouse to just above freezing and just keep an eye on things at the moment. I did cut them back this morning and found it let in quite a bit of extra light.
  • Rosie31Rosie31 Posts: 483

    Can I hijack this thread please Patricia?   This year for the first time I have had climbing geraniums / pelagoniums in the planters by front door.  They have been grand, and are now about four feet high (just beginning to lose their flowers and leaves now in the first cold snap). 

    Would people think it's right to cut these right back too, before I lift them and put them in greenhouse for winter?  There is a heck of a lot of top growth on 'em....

    Rosie

  • Hijack by all means Rosie.  I have some in large pots which are too heavy to carry into the greenhouse, they are still very green and do not seem affected by the light frosts we have had so far.  It will be interesting to see which fare the best, although I have taken the precaution of taking a load of cuttings in case I loose them.

  • I usually take cuttings and get rid of the parent plants but last year mine were so riddled with rust that I didn't dare take cuttings and left the plants in a dry sunny sheltered place without heat, the winter was so mild that all the plants survived and as I had removed the rust effected leaves throughout the winter they were rust free by spring and ready to repot. This year I took cuttings which are growing well on a north facing windowsill but I also kept the parent plants in the same location as last year, I also kept a couple of fuchsias and some busy lizzies. I do water them infrequently when the temperature is on the mild side and only enough to stop the compost from drying completely never getting the leaves wet, so far so good.

  • Rosie31Rosie31 Posts: 483

    Thanks everyone!

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