Expert: C.L. Fornari - 11/10/2005

Question
Hello: I am about 400 miles north of Minneapolis,and would like to save some geraniums and spikes over the winter.I have them growing in large pots at the front door.
I can move both pots into the house,but I would like some advice as to preparation of these plants for winter "storage".
Each pot has a spike in the center,and three geraniums around it.
Do I cut down the geraniums? Do I water them through the winter?
What do you recommend for the spikes?
Thanks!

Answer
Michael,
Both geraniums and dracena spikes are easy to keep alive over the winter, and there are several ways you can do so.

1. The easiest would be to pull the pots into a place that is as sunny as possible.  Don't fertilize until late January (when the sun starts to shine longer) and water only when dry.  Indoors, if the room is heated to around 68, that would probably once a week.  If the plants are in a cooler location you might only need to water them once a month.  Just let the soil dry well in between watering but not to the point where it pulls away from the edges of the pots.  In February, clip the geraniums down by at least half.  You can root what you cut off by putting the stems in moist soilless potting mix.  Start to fertilize and pinch the new growth once each stem has started to form its fourth leaf.  (once 3 leaves have formed pinch the top growing tip which has the fourth leaf developing in it - this will cause the plant to bush out so that it will be full.)   If you don't cut the plants down they will be stringy next summer.

2.  Another method is to pull the plants out of the soil and pot into smaller pots - more work but they might take up less room.  Treat as above

3.  The third option is to take cuttings from the plants and grow them in pots as above.  (pinching and fertilizing)  This will produce many more plants that will be fresh and vital in the spring - similar to the first method but you don't save the original plants.  If you do this method, dig up the spikes and keep them in smaller pots in a cooler, bright location.

Your  spikes will be larger next year.  In future years, you can cut off the tops of these plants and root them over the winter in order to have smaller plants every summer.

I hope this helps!

C.L.
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