“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” — Oscar Wilde
Indeed, the long languid days of summer are giving way to softer light and a crispness in the air. We savor these last days of summer as our gardens transition into warm autumnal colors and we enjoy the harvest bounty.
Gardeners might want to bring tender perennial geraniums (Pelargonium) indoors for the winter; perhaps they’re a particular color you might not see again or maybe you want to save buying new plants next year. Whatever the reason, there are three ways to overwinter tender geraniums. Make sure you start with healthy, pest-free plants.
The first way to save geraniums is by taking cuttings. Select 3- to 6-inch firm green stems from growing tips, cutting above a node (where a leaf emerges from the stem). Remove lower leaves, leaving the top two leaves on the cutting. Dip the cut end in root hormone and insert 2 inches into a pot containing perlite or vermiculite. Water well, allow to drain, and cover with a clear plastic bag or dome to prevent the foliage from drying out. Place in bright indirect light or under grow lights. Roots should form in six to eight weeks. Transplant the rooted cuttings into individual pots containing all-purpose potting mix and position in a sunny window.
Secondly, simply bring your potted geranium indoors after pruning back by about one third. If they were planted directly in the ground, carefully dig up, getting as much of the root ball as possible, and plant in a pot. Water thoroughly and place in a sunny, west- or south-facing window away from drafts. In spring (March), cut plants back by at least a third to encourage new growth.
A third way to overwinter geraniums is by removing plants from the ground or pot, carefully removing the soil from around the roots, and cutting the foliage back by half. Allow to dry out a bit to lessen the chance of mold during storage, and place one or two plants in a large paper bag or cardboard box. Store in a cool, dry location (45-50 degrees). Foliage will die back. Check the bare root plants every few weeks throughout winter and spritz with water if they seem to be drying out too much. Allow to dry and place back in bag or box. In March, remove all dead, withered foliage and stems, and prune back to firm green tissue. Pot up in containers of moist potting soil, water thoroughly, and place in indirect light. Once the plant begins to come out of dormancy and produces new growth, move to a sunny window.
In all cases, you’ll need to harden off the plants in spring by placing outdoors in a protected location on warm sunny days for a few hours, gradually increasing the time each day. Bring back indoors overnight. When the danger of frost is over, your geraniums can return to your garden to be enjoyed for another summer.
Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=66eedc82363d4ec0b67c2cde6e786a2c&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgazette.com%2Flife%2Fyear-round-gardening-steps-to-overwintering-geraniums-in-colorado%2Farticle_076f7026-75c3-11ef-a81c-a7cd16845130.html&c=5453401296292348037&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2024-09-21 02:47:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.