In summer it shines red, pink or white from afar from numerous balconies - it's geranium season! The popular summer flowers are ideal for keeping in buckets and beautify many balconies and gardens. However, the plants are quite demanding in terms of temperature and location - the sensitive plants in particular do not tolerate frost at all.

Geraniums do not tolerate sub-zero temperatures

Geraniums need sun and warmth

Geraniums grow wild in the dry and warm climate of Southeast Africa - the cultivated ornamental geraniums in our home regions also need a similar climate. At temperatures below 10 °C, the plants react by stopping growth and dying off even with a light frost. The location should also be as sunny as possible and protected from rain, because geraniums react to excessive moisture and a lack of light with flowering laziness and various diseases.

Hardy "geraniums" do not exist

Sometimes "hardy" geraniums are offered in various shops. As a rule, however, this is not the species Pelargonium - which is actually called Pelargonium in botanically correct English - but the cranesbills (lat. Geranium) that are native to us. These are related to the pelargoniums, but in contrast to the flowers that come from Africa, they are actually less sensitive to frost and hardy. If, on the other hand, "hardy" pelargoniums are offered, these also only tolerate very low temperatures for a very short time.

The right time for planting

Due to their sensitivity to frost, geraniums should only be brought outdoors when no cold snaps or even frost are to be expected - night frosts are particularly dangerous. The flowers can tolerate temperatures of up to five degrees Celsius for a short time, but you should bring the plants indoors at lower temperatures. According to an old farmer's rule, geraniums and other summer flowers should be outside after the Ice Saints in mid-May at the earliest, but preferably from the end of May.

Bring geraniums to their winter quarters in good time

What applies to spring is of course also relevant in autumn: geraniums should be moved to their winter quarters before the first frost - this time is usually mid-October, but no later than the end of October. Cut back heavily, the plants should overwinter cool and frost-free at temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. If you have removed all the leaves, geraniums can also be stored in a dark cellar over the winter.

tips

If the nights are still cooler in May, but you no longer want to bring the geraniums indoors, then it is best to place the balcony boxes (€109.00) or tubs directly against the house wall and cover the plants with insulating fleece. If necessary, a thick layer of newspaper keeps some of the cold out.

Category:

Indoor plants