Keeping geraniums etc. going over the winter.

[Astrabees]

Plants are now so expensive I think I need to make more of an effort to keep my geraniums and fuchsias alive over winter to go again next year, also some french lavender which I think is not as hardy as the english sort. Does anyone have any tips? The options for me would be to replant in plastic pots and keep them in a sheltered corner, maybe under some sort of plastic cover or to set them up on a picnic table in the garage where there is some light through the small windows in the garage doors. A few could come inside, but I'm not sure they would look good or be happy as house plants.

I don't have a greenhouse to overwinter my plants in, so I do what you have already mentioned. I bring them in from around the garden and put them in a corner against the house wall which is south facing. This allows sunshine but protection from winds and the worst of the weather. They are also individually wrapped in gardening fleece - Not plastic sheeting - which keeps them warm and allows air/light and water to come through.
They are placed huddled together in small groups until the frosts have passed and they can come back out for a trim. I still keep them near to the house for a few more weeks, or until their flower buds begin to appear.

I permanently keep geraniums inside at work. They propergate very easily. So if you took a cutting in, say, late Setember, and kept them inside over winter, they would be ready to go outside again come April/May?

I am South East, and have been just bringing in the pots to a sheltered part of the house under the eaves. If it is forecast very cold or snowy, I do cover them with fleece, but otherwise they just die back. This year most survived and I already had flowers in April! Actually I think I binned some which would have come back to life, as a couple looked dubious to being with, but now are glorious. I think they are pretty hardy generally. The french lavender is a bit leggy, and I am tempted to cut it hard back now, but maybe that would be the wrong thing to do. It is on it's fourth year in pots.

Take cuttings which you can keep inside and protect the main plants outside. Plants can be hardier than you think and last winter, where I live at least (NW), was very mild. Keep an eye on the sky and an ear on the weather forecast.

Early spring seemed to be worst, plants were tidal, washing in and out of shelter. I don't have a greenhouse so they spent the odd few days in the garage or the house in the dimness. They were fine but i would have worried if it had been a prolonged cold spell but if it's that or freezing. I've protected small in ground plants by covering with a bucket overnight.

I've got geraniums I've kept for years. Each year I trim them back hard to the main stems, pick off decaying foliage and flower buds. Repot in gritty compost mix to aid drainage, water sparingly, keep above freezing with fleece. They make very architectural plants with gnarly stems and look good in old terracotta pots. Best done to the nicer geraniums with coloured or patterned leaves.