How to Hang Geraniums Over the Winter in a Garage

When the weather begins to turn chilly, it’s time to consider how to deal with those plants that you’d like to save for next season. Geraniums are one plant that many gardeners hope to save, either by taking cuttings or storing them indoors over the winter. Geraniums are interesting plants in that they will go dormant and survive without any soil around their roots. Humidity levels during storage are critical, so you may need to use a portable humidifier if your garage is dry.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• Shovel
• String
• Bucket or bowl
• 6-inch flower pot
• Plant hanging hook

1. Dig up the geranium before the first frost in your area. Lightly brush the soil from the root-ball.
2. Tie a piece of string around the main stem, just above the geranium’s crown. Don’t tie it so tight that it cuts into the stem, but tight enough to hold the plant when it is hung.
3. Hang the geranium upside down, by the string, from the garage rafters. Keep the temperature in the garage between 35 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit with 80 percent humidity.
4. Take the geranium down once or twice during the winter and soak the roots in a bucket or bowl of room-temperature water for two hours and then rehang it.
5. Replant the geranium after all danger of frost has passed. Cut the geranium’s top growth in half before planting.
6. Cut the geranium back to 1/3 of its size, if you prefer to leave the geranium in a pot. Carefully dig up the geranium and place it in a 6-inch flower pot. Water it thoroughly and hang on a hanging hook inside the garage.

Tips & Warnings

• It may take up to three weeks for the geranium to come out of dormancy and begin producing new growth.