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Geraniums - or, as they are botanically called, pelargoniums - come from the hot and rather dry climate of Southeast Africa and are therefore used to completely different weather conditions than are usual in Central Europe. Thus, the popular balcony flowers are not hardy, but - as many balcony gardeners do - do not have to be disposed of immediately in autumn. Instead, you can overwinter the plants quite easily - even without soil and in the dark.
Before overwintering, the geraniums are cut back
Geraniums overwinter best in the basement
In any case, geraniums spend the winter at best cut back, without leaves and bare-rooted in the dark basement at temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. Before the first frost (i.e. around mid-October), pot the geraniums out of their planter, cut off shoots, leaves and any flowers and buds that are still present, remove the soil around the rootstock and also shorten the roots a little. With regard to storage, you now have several options:
1. You wrap the rootstock in a plastic bag and hang the plant upside down.
2. You wrap the rootstock in newspaper and put the geraniums in a box.
With this type of hibernation, watering is usually not necessary.
tips
Instead, you can overwinter your geraniums in a pot or flower box (€16.99), but these must then be brighter and warmer.