How can I protect my geraniums outside from frost?

HappySad

Do you know any cost effective or purchased solutions, so I can protect my outside geraniums from frost?
Thanks

lostinrates

HappySad wrote: »

Do you know any cost effective or purchased solutions, so I can protect my outside geraniums from frost?
Thanks

Do you mean geraniums or pelargoniums?


Pelagonimums I just pot them up and bring them inside. My geraniums have to tough it.

HappySad

lostinrates wrote: »

Do you mean geraniums or pelargoniums?


Pelagonimums I just pot them up and bring them inside. My geraniums have to tough it.

Geraniums. I have no room to bring them all in.

I have heard of fleece protection sheets. Are they any good? Can I just get blankets or sheets from the charity shops to use as a fleece protection for the plants instead?

peter_the_piper

If you really mean (hardy)Geraniums then they need no protection but I think you mean the tender plants which you will be very lucky to have survive outdoors no matter what fleece you put on them. Unless you are in a very warm area which never gets a temp below 10C then you will be very lucky to get any to survive. Taking cuttings and keeping them indoors or heated greenhouse is the only way.

Davesnave

Not the easiest method or foolproof but I used to do this. I used a plastic dustbin with holes in it and I kept that in a stone shed attached to the house, so virtually frost free.


1.Get a sack of compost, empty it onto a suitable surface, tarpaulin or WHY and ensure it is it slightly damp, not wet

2.Take your geraniums that are actually pelargoniums and cut them down by 50%.

3.Remove most, but not all compost/soil from the roots. They may have vine weevil larvae on them, so check for and eliminate these.


4.Put some compost into the sack. Add a pelargonium or two, then add more compost. Keep mixing compost and plants until the sack is full.

5.Poke a few holes on the sack to allow it to 'breathe.'

6. Put the sack somewhere cool but frost free. I doesn't need light.

7.Some time in late April empty the sack out and use the compost to pot the plants up. They will be straggly, devoid of green, look awful, but should be alive. Do whatever tweaking seems necessary, probably more cutting back. Don't overwater.


If you can leave them in a spare room for a week or so to recover a bit, so much the better.


8. Bring these plants in temporarily if frost or cool nights still threaten.


9. Don't expect 100% success.

Tiffany_Aching

lostinrates wrote: »

Do you mean geraniums or pelargoniums?

Possibly a stupid question from me, but here goes.....

How would I tell which is which - and no, there isn't a label to read!:p

lostinrates

Tiffany_Aching wrote: »

Possibly a stupid question from me, but here goes.....

How would I tell which is which - and no, there isn't a label to read!:p

No stupid questions


These are pelargoniums

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pelargonium&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=LLzrUpbdK-OP7AakyIGwBA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=672

They are what we think of in sunny window boxes in Southern European countries in glowing red colours, but are quite varied.....but pretty reconisable. Here we use them as bedding if we leave them out or like I do, put them in pots and haul them in and out each year. They are superb house plants IMO.

These are hardy geraniums.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hardy+geraniums&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uLzrUtnYM4Py7Aaz_YGgAw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=672

, invaluable in boarders. One of britains most loved plants.

Tiffany_Aching

Thank you, lostinrates.

It would seem that the plant that I believed to be a geranium is actually a pelargonium but the pink and blue 'weeds' that self seed all over the place and are quietly driving me insane are , in fact, geraniums!

You learn something new everyday

peter_the_piper

I heard that Queen Victoria so loved her red Pelargoniums, which she called geraniums, that everyone would also call them geraniums. I think they were Cramden Red or Crampells Master, not sure which.
Surprisingly good piece from the Daily Mail.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardening/article-2334781/Reds-beds-Queen-Victorias-favourite-flowers-geraniums-superbly-dependable-summer-plants.html

Davesnave

Now I want 'Paton's Unique' again! (A casualty of our move!:( )

peter_the_piper

lLost our stock plant so can't help you. Used to keep about 400 varieties but have cut right down as people rarely want named varieties and just buy the commercial ones. My favourite one is Triste (bought back in the 1600's) grows more like a carrot so you can't take cuttings. Only geranium with a scent in the evenings.