Geraniums need sun and warmth
Grow in the dry and warm climate of Southeast Africa Geraniums wild - the cultivated ornamental geraniums in our native regions also need a similar climate. on Temperatures below 10 ° C the plants react with a growth stoppage and die in a light frost. Also the The location should be as sunny as possible and be protected from rain, because geraniums react to excessive moisture and lack of light with blooming rottenness and various diseases.
also read
- Protect geraniums from cold temperatures
- Can geraniums be overwintered outside?
- Geraniums overwinter even without a cellar
There are no hardy "geraniums"
Sometimes “hardy” geraniums are offered in various shops. As a rule, however, it is not the type of pelargonium - which is botanically correct in German actually called pelargonium - but ours domestic cranesbills (lat. Geranium) . These are related to the pelargoniums, but in contrast to the flowers from Africa, they are actually less sensitive to frost and hardy. If, on the other hand, “hardy” pelargoniums are offered, they also only tolerate very low freezing temperatures for a very short time.
The right date for planting out
Because of their sensitivity to frost, geraniums should only then brought into the open when no cold snaps or even frost are to be expected - night frosts in particular are dangerous. The flowers can withstand temperatures of up to five degrees Celsius for a short time, but at lower temperatures you should bring the plants indoors. According to an old farmer's rule, geraniums and other summer flowers belong outside after the ice saints in mid-May at the earliest, but better from the end of May.
Bring geraniums to the winter quarters in good time
What applies to spring is of course also relevant in autumn: geraniums should be used before the first frost moved to winter quarters - this time usually comes in mid-October, but no later than the end of October. The plants should, if severely pruned, overwinter in a cool and frost-free place at temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. As long as you have removed all the leaves, geraniums are also great for wintering store in the dark cellar.
Tips
If even cooler nights are ahead in May, but you no longer want to bring the geraniums into the house, then set them up Window boxes(€ 7.99 at Amazon *) or tubs are best placed directly on the house wall and cover the plants with an insulating fleece. If necessary, one will also stop thick layer of newsprint quite a bit of cold.
