Geranium care in winter

[anon33]

This is the first year since having children that I have been able to think about having a nice garden so I am still very new to things.

I planted a lot of geraniums in pots and they have put on a fab display. Due to excessive rain and now wind they are starting to loose petals and not look that attractive. I have been doing some research in how to preserve them for next year and have come across the paper bag method, hanging and planting in sunny windowsills etc.

My question is, rather than dig them all up is it an option just to cut them back and leave in a sheltered spot? I don't have enough sunny windows for 20 or so plants so that isn't an option. Will they regrow next year?

Take some cuttings now (easy from non-flowering shoots in well-drained compost) then you'll only have small plants to manage over the winter. Keep them dryish then start watering more in the spring and they will soon grow to repeat this year's display.

Or in autumn you could cut the plants back, keep them dryish and frost free until spring, then begin to water and take cuttings for new plants from the fresh growth. I would go for the first option though.

Are you dead-heading? The current plants should keep flowering until the end of the summer.