What to do with these plants over Winter

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I've got a number of geraniums, (or should I say pellergoniums, (sp)) dotted about on various window ledges. They've all been lovely throughout the Summer but don't seem to be putting up any more buds. What do I do with them over Winter please? Also I have a Chocolate Cosmos in a pot by my front door, quite sheltered in among other plants. Can I leave it where it is or if not what's best to do.

Pelargoniums won't survive the winter outside, the first frost will tune them black.
If possible move them somewhere frost free such as a greenhouse or garage/spare room.
You can cut them back first and don't water them.

its a bit late for cuttings, so if you want to keep them, I'd cut off any dead growth and keep them somewhere coolish, but not where the frost will get at them. Hardly need watering as they'll basically go to sleep.
The cosmos should die back, remove old growth. If you get hard frosts, lift the tubers. Let them dry out somewhere (garage is good for this), then store them away somewhere cool and dark, but where the temperature wont drop below freezing. Unless, of course, its an annual, in which case it's time to say goodbye.

Hell, thank you for your replies. I should've said that the Pelargoniums are indoors, still some flowers and a few buds coming. I think I'll over winter them in my utility room.When you say cut them back, do I just get rid of any straggly bits? The cosmos is a perennial I think, smallish flowers and long straightish leaves.

I'd just cut off any straggly/dead bits now. when they start growing in the spring, re-pot them as the compost will be exhausted.

If they are indoors they will continue to grow. But be more straggly due to lack of sun. Also central heating will not help. So you could tuck some away somewhere cool, leaving them quite dry or the roots might rot. And put one or two on a sunny window ledge, but water them only occasionally.

I was just going to start a thread asking the same thing so sorry for butting in. I've just cut my potted geraniums down to about 3" and taken off all the leaves. They were hanging over a first floor balcony all summer. I live in Yorkshire so it does get cold but the balcony is sheltered (has a roof bit). Could I leave the pots on the balcony floor over winter? If so would I need to cover them with anything to keep them warm? And do I just not water them at all now till spring - total plant ignoramus here . Thanks.

'Shelter' in gardening terms generally refers to protection from wind and cold. The trouble with things in pots on a balcony is that they could potentially be quite vulnerable to both - pots have a tendency to freeze right through in really cold weather, and the wind may whip around a balcony as well. However, if you can huddle the plants in a protected corner where they will get a bit of heat from the house and are sheltered from the wind but still get lots of light- this is important, they may be able to make it! Quite a lot of protection might be needed, however, as many varieties aren't hardy below about 5 C.

In terms of watering - dry but not dessicated is the rule. You might need to give them a bit of water very occasionally, i.e. once or twice, but water creates problems of rot particularly if the geraniums are in a place where air doesn't move around, so don't give them too much.

Thank you SO much for this Shove. I will take them to my friends to put in her conservatory over winter I think. I thought the balcony would be a safe haven for them but they sound 'at risk' out there.

I have a pelargonium on my west-facing kitchen windowsill, it quite likes it there, and flowers all year round. It has tomato fertiliser in the summer, and the rest of the year a little shot of houseplant fertiliser about once a month and it is as happy as Larry so if you have any which are a particular favourite, then you could give that a go. They don't like damp soil much in the winter though and I wait until mine is pretty dry before watering.