Gardening
Gerald Filipski
Autumn Questions
Autumn is my favourite time of year . There is no better place to spend a fall than in Alberta , where crisp sunny days and fall colours make it a special place . Work in the garden begins to slow , affording more time to enjoy the fruits of your labour .
Different seasons bring different gardening questions , but I ’ m asked certain questions regularly at particular times of the year . I thought it worthwhile to look at these questions and answers for the fall .
The number one question I ’ m asked is how to overwinter geraniums To overwinter potted geraniums , or technically Pelargoniums , prune the plants back to half to one third of their original height . Carefully dig each plant and place in a 15 to 20 cm pot . Water thoroughly and place the plants in a bright , sunny window . Geraniums prefer cool indoor temperatures ; ideal daytime temperatures are 18 ° C and night temperatures are 13 ° C .
Geraniums become spindly when grown in poor light and warm temperatures , so a southern exposure is always best . If the only choice you have is a western exposure , move the pots as close to the window as possible . During their stay indoors , water the plants thoroughly when the soil is dry to the touch . Occasionally pinch or prune the geraniums to maintain stocky , well-branched plants .
Another way to overwinter dormant geraniums is to dig them out , carefully shake all the soil from the roots , then hang the plants upside down in a cool ( 7 – 10 ° C ), dry place . During the winter months , periodically take the plants down and soak the roots in water for one to two hours . Most of the leaves will fall off during the winter , but the stems should remain firm or solid . Cut back the geraniums to a third their original height and pot indoors in late
winter or plant outdoors in May . This method of overwintering does need special storage conditions .
The last alternative is one that my British mother-in-law uses , one that goes back to Victorian times . She wraps her geraniums in newspaper and keeps them indoors over the winter ; she says this is a very successful method .
The Victorians would remove some of the bottom leaves , then shorten the top stems with pruners . The next step is important . All the soil needs to be removed from around the roots . Then wrap the entire plant in newspaper . If you were back in Victorian times , you would have “ stuck them under your bed .” In the spring you will see new growth starting from the remaining stem .
My mother-in-law does not put them under her bed , but she does keep them in a cardboard box in a cool spot under a window in her kitchen .
20 | arta . net MAKING IT