Can I prune my geraniums ( pelargoniums) now?

[whataboutbob]

I’m overwintering them in the bathroom as I don’t have a greenhouse and my windowsills aren’t suitable. One has died apparently of rot, the other two are horrendously leggy and wispy. I’m itching to give them a good prune, is now an ok time? Some websites say now, others say spring so I’m not sure, thanks in advance.

I'm no expert. But it's probably not either/or; they are quite resilient plants. Prune a bit now then prune a bit more later.

I take some cuttings at this time of year: Cut so that the end of the cutting is just below a leaf node, take off the bottom few leaves, stick it in water and wait for it to grow roots all by itself!

I have, in the past, found February to be quite a good month for this. You prune and create new plants in one go. Win / win!

Mine are still outside is that bad?

I have just pruned mine as they were leggy. I cut them to just above a leaf joint and they look to be ok. I had left a couple in the greenhouse and they froze so are now sadly dead!

They say to prune by a third when you begin overwintering them. if you water too much they'll carry on growing. I always trim they need it tbh! Just before putting them out for the summer usually.

The temp. and the light level is important with them. boys if they're sheltered (out of heavy wind and frost\rain) it's fine. It does depend on the type though. I bought some of the scented leafed and small pink flowered ones and I've killed one outside , the others are ok indoors but not too happy!

Mine outside were fine until this weekend when they have upped and died. My living room ones are all good to go out in April.

For the first year mine all seem to have been killed off by the cold weather 😭

Thanks everyone, I’ll do a moderate tidy and maybe another one just before putting out.

Where are all these people whose Pelargoniums are still OK outside?

Where are all these people whose Pelargoniums are still OK outside?
Not here.
I used to bring them in but realised, one year, that they were OK outside so I had taken to leaving them in situ. This winter's snow caught me out, although I did bring some in so I can start propagating again.

I am suspecting different types mine are completely over the top Attar of Roses and were ok until the snow.

Yes Christopher They are a lot more a bit more delicate than the majority of them. Lovely scent though Some of mine are ok on an indoor windowsill but I accidentally left one outside, it's dead Our terrace is very exposed.

I do have a South facing cave where they have been happy, (not completely covered but light and sheltered) Also in a lowset stone surrounded garden.

Mine are OK in the porch, which stays mostly above freezing but does dip below sometimes. But it's a dry atmosphere and they're not being overwatered - they wouldn't survive outside in the wet clay.

I've got scented perlagonium which I originally bought nearly 23 years ago and have been propagating ever since. Most of the plants are kept indoors, I hack them down and put the cuttings in water whenever in the year they look too tall. I don't really keep track of whether the cuttings are more successful at any particular time because there's no shortage of them.
Now I've got a cold frame I might try overwintering one next year just as an experiment.

Yes Errol They do grow fast. I feel guilty about trimming them, the scent is soo lovely (I tried to make essential oil with them) . I was going away for over a month in the winter and knew that dh wasn't going to nurse the cuttings properly but the oil hasn't been successful.

ppeatfruit You'd probably have been OK. Make sure the soil was moist, and seal the whole pot and cuttings in a plastic bag and put out of the sun, and they wouldn't have needed any attention for 6 weeks.

I've just cut one back in a hanging basket but I've got another one in a pot which is in full flower and looks really good!
I'm right down in the south and they are in a very sheltered spot.
I would cut back if they are in a state but not too much.

I tried to infuse a load of leaves in oil once but it didn't really work. However, just letting them dry in a basket they make a decent pot pourri - not pretty but still a good scent.

Thanks Mere I'll remember that tip.

Errol I wasn't there to change the cuttings in the oil after a few days or so, that would've been the right thing to do I think. I'll use them as pot pourri in the future Thanks.

Lucky you Abstract I'm in MSW Fr. Weather just a bit more extreme than S. Eng. where dm lives.

Mine are mostly bog standard hanging basket trailers which stay out, but some of the scented ones are very tender. They get put in the plastic greenhouse and told to take their chances, a surprising number do make it through, I think wet as much as temperature is their enemy.

If ever you get the chance visit the Chelsea Physic garden, one of their greenhouses is filled with beautiful specimens from all over the world, some absolutely tiny and delicate , I don’t think they heat the greenhouses at all but it looks as though they are all planted in very free draining medium.

Thanks Mere I'll remember that tip. And if you'd otherwise throw away the prunings you have nothing to lose!

Never 'throw' away Mere I always compost but I know what you mean.

Yes Viques too much water is definitely no friend of pels. Dsis and I planted up a huge pot of the normal ones for a large light windowsill in the communal hall in dm's flats. There was a problem in December with the lighting staying on all night for a few nights, they flowered their sox off! they're certainly not overwatered!

Never 'throw' away Mere I always compost but I know what you mean "and if you'd otherwise put the prunings into an environment unconducive to their continuing existence" Better?