I have spent a bunch of money on annuals for my new window boxes this year. I used red vining geraniums, white petunias and asparagus fern.
Someone told me if I take out the geraniums this fall and keep them in my basement, that they would be good as new next summer. Has anyone tried this and does it really work?
I overwinter annual geraniums and plumbagos in my garage and they stay dormant, no watering or fussing all winter and after frost, fertilize and they are as good as new - hope that helps ( I got this off Garden Forums, it is not my own personal experience. But, if you Googe over wintering annuals you will get info.) Linda Jonson Bellevue, Ne.
I have kept my geraniums a few times over the winters...most times they have "made it" one time they didn't
When they are done blooming, pull them out and clip most of the flowering part off, put them into brown paper bags and store them in the basement, where they will not freeze
I just leave my geraniums in pots and bring them in. I put them in a sunny window and water them all winter. They stay nice and green all winter, and are happy to be planted in the spring. I've tried over-wintering by the other methods suggested, but have never been successful. Thanks for asking about petunias. I've never thought about planting them from seeds, so I did a little research. This is what I found: forums.gardenweb.com/
I have kept my geraniums in my closet. They are beautiful again this Summer. I did lose one, but think it was some kind of hybrid. I also keep one of mine in kitchen all winter and water it like any house plant it does great in Summer outside. I have heard of people pulling geraniums from pots and hanging them to keep all winter. Mine were just kept in their pots.
Thanks loftworks! That was great info. I have some beautiful white waves that I hope I can get seeds from for next year. I cant believe all the petunias and geraniums I've thrown away over the years!
I had the pleasure of seeing standard geraniums kept over winter in a sunny picture window in Idaho. They had grown to over six feet tall, and were blooming in January. They were tied up to nails at about one foot intervals. The lady also kept parakeets in several cages, and it was just like being in the Garden of Eden!
If it weren't for the possiblity of bugs, I could really see me doing that! Or something similar with sun flowers or even black eyed susans. I have pictures of geraniums and some "nearly real" silk ones throughout the inside of my house already.
I pulled them out with the dirt with their roots and layed them on newspaper in a low sided box, and then put them in a dark basement. In the spring, I planted them whenit was warm enough, and cut them back to the green parts. They came back, but not as big as the first time.
I pulled my up one year and put them in the basement in a Brown Paper bag, hung them upside and left them all winter, then I put them back in the garden next spring and they took right off just fine, But I forgot to water them one week and they didn't make it, I neglected them, learned my lesson. Lord Bless
Yes you can grow wave petunias from seed but you need to start them indoors in the spring.
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Before the first frost sets in, take cuttings from annuals like coleus, begonias, fuchsias, and impatients. Remove any buds, then dip the ends in rooting compound, and plant the cuttings in a mixture of vermiculite and peat moss.
