November 11, 2025, 11:31 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Choosing the right location will reward you with a bounty of bright geranium blooms in the summer. However, as temperatures drop, these delicate plants need timely protection. Originally from South Africa, pelargoniums do not tolerate cold and are sensitive to frost. With some preparation and a few simple steps, they can be easily overwintered, allowing them to flourish again next year.
Pruning Geraniums or Pelargoniums Before Winter
To successfully overwinter the plants, pelargoniums must be pruned before the first frost. This should be done quite robustly: use sharp pruning shears to cut off all the leaves. Trim the side shoots back to two or three nodes. Then, gently lift the plants from the flower box, pot, or bed. Remove any clinging soil, being careful not to damage the fine roots.
Place the pruned plants in a flower pot and cover the roots with fresh potting soil, ideally mixed with some sand. Alternatively, you can wrap the bare-root plants in newspaper and store them in a box. For overwintering, place the pot in a cool but bright location. An ideal room temperature is between 41 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. During the winter months, water pelargoniums moderately, keeping the roots slightly moist. However, they can quickly rot if waterlogged.
Extra Tip
“To prevent waterlogging, it’s worth creating a drainage layer in the flower pot. It’s not complicated. Typically, expanded clay or pebbles are used for the drainage layer. However, if you don’t have these materials on hand, a sponge can also be helpful. Simply cut the sponge into smaller pieces and distribute them at the bottom of the pot. Then, add the soil as usual.”
Overwintering Geraniums or Pelargoniums by Hanging
For this method of overwintering, you’ll need a freezer bag, wire, and string. Slip the bag over the root ball of the uprooted and pruned plant. The shoots should protrude from the bag. Then, close it with some wire or string. Hang it upside down with another string, so the exposed shoots face downward. This works well on a wooden beam in a basement or tool shed. The freezer bag prevents the roots from drying out. In their winter quarters, these stored plants do not need water and do not require fertilization.
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When Can Geraniums Go Back Outside?
With the onset of spring, the plants are repotted in fresh potting soil and placed in a warmer and brighter location. A windowsill or greenhouse is ideal for this. Gradually, new shoots will form. After the late frosts around the Ice Saints, pelargoniums can go back outside, such as in a balcony box or bed. A little liquid fertilizer for flowering plants will further pamper the newly planted pelargoniums.
Geraniums in a Greenhouse or Conservatory
Pelargoniums can also be well cultivated in a conservatory or greenhouse. However, a bright location is also important here. The room temperature in the conservatory should not exceed 63 degrees Fahrenheit.