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Overwintering: Geraniums and Begonias
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Author:  CHF3 [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Overwintering: Geraniums and Begonias

Ok so I reallllly do not want to start all over in my geranium bed next Spring. I have a rock retaining wall bordering the alley and built a 4' flower bed that goes for about 30' and it is FULL of the most gorgeous Geraniums that are giving an encore performance after the heat of summer. Rather than yank'm and start all over, I want to yank'm and save them for Spring since they are all HUGE at this point. Anyone had any success bringing them in and letting them go dormant for the winter? I had read about it elsewhere - if I lose 20-30% I will still have 80-100 plants to re-start come Spring and they will be the high dollar size.

Also, I've had luck getting begonias (fibrous rooted, not the tuber type) to come back ABUNDANTLY after a mild winter when covered with a bit of compost and mulch but last year that didn't go so well and I'm expecting a very cold winter. Can they be dug up and replanted in the spring? Anyone tried this? Again, I've got a few hundred monster begonia plants right now and the thought of starting over with seedlings next summer isn't exciting if I can keep'm alive through winter.

Side note: I hate winter.

Author:  Dirt Face [ Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overwintering: Geraniums and Begonias

I had a neighbor who just cut them down about 2 inches from the ground and she used to cover them with some carpet then mulch over them all. It looked to me like they always came back. But she could have added some when I wasn't looking. lol I guess what you would do with elephant ears? I don't know though. I never could talk to her very long as she was really grumpy. lol

Author:  CHF3 [ Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overwintering: Geraniums and Begonias

I can't understand grumpy gardeners, lol - that's WHY I garden. My wife is a genius, rather than gripe about my time in the yard she had me build her a sitting area in the garden. She sits there with a glass of wine in her chair and watches me play in the dirt - everyone is happy.

I can't do carpet because I am putting winter/spring flowers in their spots so ...it's either plant over them (didn't work well last year), yank'm, store'm, plant'm in Spring (no idea if that works) or plant new ones next year.

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