Geraniums in winter are plants that must be pampered more than necessary to prevent frost from affecting them, since although they resist temperatures of up to three degrees Celsius below zero without problems, snow and hail can spoil their leaves making them look quite bad.
But What care do they require in this season?
The geraniums during the flowering need regular waterings and that they are fertilized of frequent way; However, when temperatures begin to drop, their growth rate slows down, the last flowers wither and the plants are left with only the leaves in order to save energy. When this happens, we will have to provide them with other care so that they can survive the cold winter that awaits them. They are as follows:
Irrigation
Irrigation has to be moderate, once every 4-5 days depending on the humidity of the substrate. To check it, we can do several things:
- Introduce a thin wooden stick. When we extract it, we will see if a lot of soil has adhered to it, in which case we will not water, or little.
- Use a moisture meter, introducing it at different points.
- Weigh the pot once watered, and again after a few days. The earth when it is humid weighs more than when it is dry, which can help us to know when to water.
If we have a plate underneath, we will remove it 15 minutes after watering to remove the excess water and thus avoid rotting of the roots.
Subscriber
Yes, yes, it is true that plants in winter with zero growth are not recommended to be fertilized, but ... If you live in an area where winter is especially cold (maximum temperatures of 10ºC and minimum temperatures of less than -3ºC), I recommend that you add a small spoonful of Nitrofoska or Osmocote every 15 days. More than as food, it will help them to keep their roots warm, which will undoubtedly help them not to feel so much fresh.
Protection
Geraniums must be protected from snow and hail, and for this we can do the following:
- If frosts are frequent: keep them indoors in a room where a lot of natural light enters and they are away from drafts (both cold and warm).
- If the frosts are light and very punctual: it will be enough to wrap them with transparent plastic or put them indoors in an area where the light reaches abundantly.
We hope these tips will be useful for your geraniums to endure the winter 🙂.