How to Overwinter Geraniums Indoors

Geraniums are a regular in many summer gardens. They come in a range of colors and can be planted in pots, hanging baskets, window boxes, and even in garden beds. But they’re not cold-tolerant. When the temperature drops below 30 to 40°F, geraniums don’t survive unless protected over the winter. For geranium lovers, this often means replacing the plants every season, and that can be expensive. 

There’s another, more cost-efficient way. Take cuttings of your favorite geraniums at the end of the season, store them as bare roots, or bring them inside and put them on a bright windowsill over the coldest days of the year. Here’s how to overwinter geraniums. 

Overwintering Geranium Cuttings

Taking geranium cuttings is easy! Start by snipping several four to six inch portions of the plant’s stem just above a node on the stock. This is a small crease in the stem where new leaves are forming. Remove any buds or blooms above the node and leave one or two sets below it. 

Place two or three cuttings into a small garden pot filled with potting soil and compost. Place the pot near a bright window and water thoroughly. Never let it dry out over the winter. The cuttings will root in six to eight weeks, and you can continue to grow them all winter as a houseplant. When spring arrives, harden off the new plants by leaving them outside for extended periods until you are ready to keep them outdoors permanently. It’s that easy! 

Overwintering Bare Roots 

Another approach to overwintering geraniums is to store their bare roots in a dark, cool place over winter. Dig up your geraniums before the first frost and get rid of the soil around the roots. Let the plants dry out for a few days and then store them for the winter. You can use a closed cardboard box with air holes or loosely tied paper bags to maintain airflow. 

Check the plants every few weeks and if the roots appear to be shrivelling, spray with water and then let them dry out again before returning them to the box or bag. Six to eight weeks before the last frost, snip off the plant’s dead leaves and cut the stems back by a third. Re-pot the geraniums, making sure that at least two nodes are below the soil surface. Water thoroughly, and in a couple of weeks, new green leaves will begin to show. In four to six weeks, the plant will look the same as it did in the fall. 

Selecting Geraniums for Overwintering

To overwinter potted geranium plants, first check for signs of insects or disease. If the leaves appear yellow or the plant hasn’t bloomed extensively during the growing season, it may indicate that it has been struggling. In that case, consider taking cuttings or letting it go dormant as a bare-root plant over the winter. Otherwise, move it indoors before the first frost, pruning it back by one-third before placing it in a cool but well-lit part of the house. In spring, remove any leggy bits or dead leaves and return them to the garden.