There are several ways to overwinter geraniums (Pelargoniums) from your garden. With some newspaper, a cardboard box, paper bag, or a sunny windowsill, you can keep these tender perennials for the winter and have fresh blooms next spring and summer. I’ll walk you through the options and provide winter care tips.
If you have trees in pots, this shows how to overwinter a potted tree to keep it safe for the winter.
Overwintering Geraniums
Geranium | Genus: Pelargonium
The Geraniaceae family of plants includes Geranium (430 species), Pelargonium (280 species) and Erodium (80 species).
Pelargonium common names include: zonal, scented, ivy-leafed, and Martha Washington geraniums.
Misnomer: We commonly refer to Pelargoniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) as ‘geraniums’ but that’s not their botanical name. At this point it’s more like a misplaced nickname that won’t go away.
Geranium (Pelargonium) Growing Tips
Long-living flowering annual
• Hardiness zones: 10 to 11
• Full sun
• Soil: well-draining
• Propagation: grow from cuttings or division
• Cold climates: overwintering tips
• Grow indoors or outdoors
Gardeners have all sorts of ways to keep geraniums over the winter and regrow them in spring. I like to save particularly beautiful specimens, knowing I may not be able to find similar ones at plant nurseries next spring.
Some gardeners save them as family keepsakes, both overwintering the plants and taking rooting cuttings to ensure they survive for years.
There is some name confusion with these plants. The Geraniaceae family of plants includes Geranium (430 species), Pelargonium (280 species) and Erodium (80 species).
We commonly refer to Pelargoniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) as ‘geraniums’ but that’s actually another genus in the family. I’m using the two words interchangeably here.
Many Pelargoniums grow as bush-type plants with thick, succulent stems, which is why they are good candidates for winter storage.
The flowers are traditionally red, salmon, violet, white, or pink.
While they are sold as annuals, they are actually tender perennials, and tolerate temperatures down to about 45°F (7°C). Their sweet spot is between 55°-65°F (12°-18°C), which is ideal for indoor growing as well.
Contents
4 Easy Ways to Overwinter Geraniums
1Bring Inside as Houseplants
If you have room for the pots in a sunny location, you can bring your potted geraniums (Pelargoniums) into your house for the winter.
While they need sun, they do best with moderate temperatures 55°-65°F (12°-18°C). I have great success with a west-facing window that is slightly drafty, keeping the air around them a little cooler than the rest of the house.
Dig Up and Repot if Desired
There is some preparation necessary to ensure they are happy, healthy, and insect-free.
- If your geraniums are in the ground, dig them up and pot them about six weeks before first frost.
- If they are already in pots, you can repot them if desired but hard prune and do your bug inspections first (see below).
- While potting, trim back any super long roots or any gnarly root balls.
- Use potting mix suited for flowering plants in containers.
Tag by Colour
- Sort your geraniums by color and tag them if you want to keep track.
Hard Prune
- It is commonly advised to cut back the entire plant by one-third to one-half.
- You should also remove any dead, damaged, moldy, unhealthy, or diseased parts.
- While this hard pruning is best in the long run, you can try keeping any buds or flowers if the plant is otherwise nice and healthy.
Bug Inspection
- Check for aphids, spider mites, fungal gnats, and other sneaky beasts.
- Apply an insecticide spray made specifically for transitioning plants indoors.
Bring Inside
- Water moderately, and get your plants settled in a sunny but not hot location.
- See How to Grow Geraniums Indoors as Houseplants for more tips.
Winter & Spring Care
- Keep moist, not dry or damp.
- Mist of humidity is low.
- Pinch back shoots.
- Fertilize lightly in spring.
- Begin to harden off (prepare plants for life outdoors) a few weeks before last frost.
2Take Cuttings
Instead of bringing the entire plant indoors for the winter, you can also take cuttings. This is a good solution if space indoors is limited, or you want more plants.
For step-by-step instructions, see How to Take Cuttings from Geraniums.
3Cool Storage
I find this method is unreliable—some years the geraniums do fine, other years they don’t—but it’s not a bad choice if you just want an easy option and don’t mind if the plants die.
You’ll need a cold storage space like a garage, shed, cold cellar, or unheated basement that does not dip below freezing. It’s the soil temperature that matters and you can measure that with any simple kitchen thermometer like this one with a probe.
Clean up your potted geraniums by removing dead, damaged, moldy, diseased parts, and cutting the entire plant back by one-third to one-half.
Check and treat for insects.
Water deeply and place in storage.
I like to place some rods in the soil and hang a blanket over the whole thing.
Winter & Spring Care
- Check monthly or more often and remove any moldy or dead parts.
- Water lightly every now and then.
- In spring, gradually reintroduce to outdoor light and normal watering routine.
4Dormant Bare Root Storage
This is a popular method that has been done for generations. You’ll need a garage, shed, cold cellar, or unheated basement that does not dip below freezing or go beyond 45°F.
We call it ‘bare root’ storage because the plant is removed from the soil, pruned, and placed in cool storage. Pelargoniums can handle this because of their thick, succulent roots, which survive so long as they do not dry out or become diseased.
Here’s what you do.
Label Your Plants by Color
- First, plan to label your plants if you want to keep track of the flower colors.
- You could store them in groups by color or place tags (loosely) around their roots.
- I write the details on little strips of cardstock and staple it like a wristband around the stems.
Dig Up or Unpot
- Gently shake off all loose soil.
- You can air dry the plant for a few days and then shake off more soil.
Storage
Whatever you do, you don’t want the plants to get damp or sit on moisture because they are prone to mold.
You do, however need to keep them watered, and not allow them to dry out (they’ll die).
There are several options:
- Suspend the plants from ceiling hooks.
- Place in paper bags and hang from hooks or set on shelf.
- Wrap in newspaper and sit on shelf.
- Place in cardboard box.
As far as I can tell, the advice to always hang the plants upside-down for better results seems to be a wives’ tale.
Winter & Spring Care
- Check on your plants every week or two. I put a reminder in my computer calendar.
- The plants should remain firm, not withered or unhealthy looking.
- Remove any mold, black parts, or dead matter.
- Soak in warm water for one to two hours each month.
- Allow to dry before returning to bags, newspaper, or box.
Six Weeks Before Last Frost
Reviving Dormant Geraniums
- Prune as needed and remove any excessively long roots.
- Pot in moist potting mix, burying the plant two leaf nodes deep (these will form roots).
- Gradually re-introduce to light.
- New growth should appear in 1-2 weeks.
- Gradually introduce to life (harden) outdoors in anticipation of last frost.
Watch Geranium Tips
Resources
- Overwintering Geraniums | Iowa State University
- How to Take Geranium Cuttings | Thompson & Morgan
- How to Buy and Care for Pelargoniums | Oregon State University Extension Service
Frequently Asked Questions
1Can I overwinter my geraniums in Canada? The United States? UK?
- Yes, it does not matter where you are, it matters what conditions you can provide during the colder seasons. With all options (listed above) so long as the plants do not freeze, they can survive the winter.
2How to I winterize my geraniums indoors?
- You can keep them as houseplants, keep cuttings, or store the bare roots in a dry, cool location.
3Can geraniums survive a freeze?
- No, geraniums (Pelargoniums) are tender perennials, hardy down to about 45°F (7°C)
- True geraniums (genus geranium) like cranesbill are hardy perennials.
4Can I grow geraniums (Pelargoniums) from cuttings?
- Yes, you can take cuttings any time in the growing season and root them for new plants.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
How to Overwinter Geraniums
Supplies & Materials
- 1 Geranium plant (Pelargonium) Healthy
- 1 Paper bag or cardboard box
Equipment
Instructions
- Remove plant from container and gently shake off soil.Air dry for a few hours if needed for more soil to fall off.
- Remove any dead or dying leaves or flowers.
- Place plant in paper bag or cardboard box in cool, dry location.
- Check every two weeks to ensure plant remains healthy looking not moldy.
- Six weeks before last frost, return to clean container with fresh potting mix. Water.
- Gradually reintroduce to light and warmth indoors.New growth should appear in 1-2 weeks.
- Gradually reintroduce to outdoors after last frost.
Catherine says
If you’re hanging the dry root Geraniums, do they need water at all? Mine will hang for 5 months
Melissa J. Will says
It’s all about the humidity: if it’s moderate (50%), they do fine. If you have exceptionally dry conditions, you can mist them every few weeks.
John Robinson says
Hi Melissa,
Can I overwinter 2 large geranium hanging baskets there is still a few flowers in both baskets. After looking at your geranium advice I propose to cut them back by about a third.
I have a frost free large garage with a east facing window where I am going to hang the 2 baskets.
Could you please give me any more advice.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi John,
There are several approaches to this. I would cut back as you described, water deeply and allow excess to run off, then put in large bag with air holes and hang it up. You want darkness and air circulation, but never allow the soil to totally dry out. I set an alert on my phone to check monthly during the winter and water as needed. They don’t always survive with any of the storage methods but this gives it a good shot.
John Robinson says
Thanks for your reply.
Will a plastic bag be ok with holes in or does it have to be a paper bag
Melissa J. Will says
They can get moldy in plastic. You could wrap loosely in paper towel or newspaper and then place in plastic with air holes.
John Robinson says
I have 2 very large hanging baskets with beautiful geraniums in they are very healthy.
Can I overwinter them in the baskets as they are, I have a very large garage with a big window which is facing east in the UK and I will hang them there.
At the moment they are very healthy with still a few flowers on.
I will cut them down as you suggested by a third have you got any more tips for me?.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi John, You need decide whether you want to keep them growing indoors (provide warmth, light, water) or keep them dormant (cool temperatures, darkness, minimal water).
For growth, the right temperatures are 55°- 65°F (12°-18°C). More indoor growing tips here: https://empressofdirt.net/grow-geraniums-indoors/
If you will keep them dormant in your garage, water minimally and cover them (no light) but allow air circulation. Sometimes they go moldy, other times they do fine.
Cheers,
Patti LAW-POGGI says
Can I take cuttings and put them in a tote under a sunny porch. It may get down to freezing but I can close the tote at that time and at night.
Melissa J. Will says
However you do it is fine: just don’t let them freeze or develop frost.
Mary Ives says
I prepared the geraniums and placed in a paper bag as you suggested. Do I need to provide any light? My garage has no windows.
Thanks
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Mary, No light is needed: you’re keeping them dormant in darkness.
Dianne Marlowe says
This article introduced a variety of ways to winterize my geraniums and the videos showed how to it…I was especially interested in taking cuttings after reading and watching…I’ve not done this before so it’s great to have Clear instructions and the visual! Looking forward to trying using the paper bags and also taking cuttings. Thanks!
Beverly’ R. Kramer says
excellent & simple
Trevor Siddall says
I have taken a lot of geranium cutting, they seem to have taken but some have small flowers appearing, do I have to take them off ? Many thanks
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, if you are propagating the cuttings to grow new plants, remove the flowers and their stems.
Beth Countryman says
Hi! I’ve brought in my potted Geranium and it seems to be sprouting new blossoms and perking up. I do have a sunny area for it. I’ve picked off all the dead leaves and blossoms, so it looks pretty bare other than the new leaves and blossoms at the end of the thick stems. Should I cut the whole plant down? Or will all the bare stems sprout new leaves?
Thanks!
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Beth,
Assuming you want a houseplant through the winter (and do not wish to make the plant go dormant in storage), you can leave it as it is or trim it back to encourage a fuller plant.
If you leave it, you’ll have flowers soon based on what you described. Trimming back will delay the bloom time. Either way is fine for the plant. A pelargonium can last for many years.
Ron Haberman says
For years I pull mine, bare root them, place in open bag under my house, tell them to do the best they can and take then out in 6 months. No water, nothing, I have some that are over 10 years old. I live in Idaho.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Ron,
When things work that easily in gardening it means you have the right conditions for storage.
Another person doing the same thing in another location (different humidity or temperatures) will not fare so well.
It’s great when it works effortlessly!
LTW says
Should you prune before bareroot storage? I’ve pulled mine but they’re a bit “long.”
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, it’s fine to tidy them up with a trim before storage. Always use clean clippers.
Mabel Goddard says
Thank you for for sharing how to store geraniums. I have one plant that I have brought indoor with new soil and it does well. Lucky me! Using a brown paper bag, it will be a new experiment. Wish me luck. 👩🌾
Patti LAW-POGGI says
I would like to bring my geraniums inside BUT i don’t have a sunny windowsill.
do I have to bring the cuttings in also. We get down to below freezing.
Melissa J. Will says
I’ve kept them indoors over the winter by a north-west window and they did fine. I just left them in their flower pots.
Kathleen Kerzner says
I just read your tips for bringing my geraniums inside over winter. I’ve been meaning to try this for a while. What temperature do you recommend I bring them inside. I’m in NY, so by Halloween evenings can get pretty cool. Thank you.
Melissa J. Will says
Around 40F is optimum and never let the soil get below freezing.
Melissa J. Will says
See several ways to keep your geraniums (Pelargoniums) alive during the winter and bring them back in spring for another growing season.