Winterizing a Geranium (Part One)

I got a beautiful geranium in May that gave me so much pleasure all summer. I did a little research on the internet and found that I could winterize it and it will bloom again in the spring. Here are the steps:

1. Turn the geranium upside down and tap the bottom of the container to remove it.

 
2. Carefully comb your fingers through the soil to remove the soil surrounding the roots.

 


3. Cut half of the top growth off with a gardening shears.

 
4. Put the geranium in a paper bag, and leave the top open.

 


5. Store in a cool (40-50 degree Farenheit) place over the winter. Mine will be stored in my basement.

 
6. Twice during the winter, check the geranium. Take it out of the bag and put the roots in a bowl of water for two hours, to prevent the roots from drying out.
7. Replant after danger of frost is gone.

NOTE 1: If your plant stems shrivel during the storage period, discard it, as it will not survive replanting.

NOTE 2: I am up to step 6 and will post Part 2 when I am ready to replant in the spring.