Although geraniums (which, by the way, are actually called pelargoniums) are very common on German balconies, they actually come from the rather dry and hot desert areas of south-eastern Africa - so it's no wonder that the popular flowers are not hardy here. Many balcony gardeners do not hibernate, but you can bring geraniums through the winter in a very space-saving manner and in the dark.
To save space, the geraniums can simply be hung up for the winter
Overwinter and hang geraniums to save space
This requires a drastic pruning before the first frost, in which you remove all leaves, flowers and buds and also shorten the half-ripe shoots. The naked geraniums are now removed from the planter and carefully separated. Now remove excess soil from the rootstock and then cut back or thin out the roots. Finally, the rootstock can be packed and sealed in a clear plastic bag (e.g. a freezer bag). Now hang the geranium upside down in a suitable place - for example in a dark and cool basement - with the roots pointing upwards.
tips
If you hang the geraniums, this should definitely be done upside down. This allows the residual moisture from the roots to flow more easily into the plant, so that it is supplied with moisture throughout the winter and does not have to be watered.