The air is feeling chillier by the week, which means it’s time to start pruning certain plants before the real cold sets in. Should you cut back geraniums for winter, though?
Well, if you want to conserve your plants’ health and energy for a fresh flush of growth next spring, it’s a good idea to prune before overwintering geraniums. Of course, there are two main types of geranium: hardy and tender (which are actually pelargoniums, but often grouped with geraniums anyway).
I spoke to a few plant experts to find out if we need to cut back all geraniums for winter.
What you’ll need
So, should you cut back geraniums for winter? If you’re growing a hardy, or perennial, variety (like Geranium ‘Rozanne’ from Crocus), the answer is a resounding yes.
‘Cutting back geraniums before winter is highly recommended,’ says Dr Suzanne Lux, plant expert at Pelargoniums for Europe. ‘Trimming the plants by around a third not only keeps them more compact and manageable indoors, but also helps to remove any weak, straggly, or diseased growth before the colder months.’
If you’ve been learning how to grow geraniums for the first time this year, cutting them back before winter will keep the plants in tip-top condition.
‘This makes overwintering easier and encourages stronger, healthier regrowth in spring,’ Dr Suzanne adds.
So, if you’ve been wondering what to do with geraniums after flowering, you’ll need to cut them right back before winter arrives. But what about pelargoniums?
‘Tender geraniums, known as pelargoniums, should be taken indoors to avoid the cold and sharp winters,’ says Monique Kempermann, horticultural expert at Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland. ‘In late autumn, remove old flowers and damaged leaves to prepare for fresh plants next spring.’
You’ll need to move other geraniums to a more sheltered spot after cutting them back, too.
‘After pruning, place your geraniums in a cool, frost-free spot with as much light as possible,’ says Dr Suzanne. ‘A bright windowsill, conservatory, or unheated spare room are all good options.’
If you’re growing hardy geraniums, mulching will help protect the roots from frost, too. From that point, you’ll need to give your geraniums an occasional water. Keep the soil a little moist, but never soggy.
‘By resting the plants in this way, they conserve their energy and are ready to burst back into flower once days lengthen and temperatures rise again,’ says Dr Suzanne.
Cutting geraniums back for winter is a crucial pre-overwintering step if you want your plants to remain healthy and disease-free until spring. It’s worth learning how to take geranium cuttings, too.
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