You would have to check the roots to see how badly dried out they were. If there is still green in the tops, I would try to salvage it. Do you store them in pots or hang them upside down? I store mine in pots. If I found some I wanted I would take it home, put it in water to try to rehydrate it. Once stored in pots, just water enough to keep it from completely drying out-I water mine about once or twice during the winter. It's worth a try. Another alternative is if the geranium still looks healthy, take some cuttings. Marg

I was going to hang them bare root in the cellar but I could plant them in a box in soil, if that would be better. I'm going to look tomorrow, when I go looking for bags of fall leaves to take home.

I used to have neighbors who thought I was nuts, but then I also garden in the dark at 5 in the morning. (I have no neighbors at all now). Maybe I am nuts...

So you drove the neighbors away? (just teasing!) One year I tried pulling all the geraniums out of the flower bed, placing in one container (bunching together) and surrounded the roots with soil and placed in a cool crawlspace. They survived fairly well. Some plants won't survive totally but enough of the stem survives to stick into soil in spring and get it to root.

One question though, do the usual storage methods apply to every type of geranium? I have a scented geranium (coconut) which I would just like to store in a dark spot for winter. I tried making cuttings but it didn't seem to work.

Glen

I have overwintered geraniums for many years. Take paper bag, shake out soil, put up-side down in bag, cool place till March. Then repot in good soil. Cut back till you see green.But in sunny spot. All the leafs will have fallen of, After a while new leafs will appear, of you go for another year. Very easy.

I have always wanted to to what you do (picking up leafs on the side of the road) Never had the courage. Good for you, great compost.

The first year I overwintered geraniums I did by placing them upside down in a box. I soaked them in water once during the winter months then placed them back in the box. When I repotted them in march, they sprouted slowly but once they got going, they were fine. This year I decided to keep them as houseplants. But it's important not to overwater them. If you do, they develop blisters on their leaves.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photography and gardening

Thanks for the hints everyone...geraniums are getting expensive at the store so I'm going to try some of your methods. Growerjo...did you put the box with the upside down geraniums in your fruit cellar? Mine is kind of cold..and when you said you soaked them once...did you soak the root or the whole plant?
Ladybug6a, do you close up the whole plant in the paper bag including the roots? Do you use a large size paper bag like the yard waste ones and put a bunch of plants in there or only one per smaller bag? Where do you store the bag? Thanks so much, in advance, for your responses.

Every year for the last 30 I stored about 50 geraniums and every spring I have lost 2/3/4 plants.I store them by colour,each colour has its own bag,each bag formally held fertilizer,top soil,potting mix.I dig,shake off soil,put in bag,leaves and all.Stand bags on shelf 6 FT from furnace.Check once a month through the winter,Pot up and cut back in early March.Cuttings are potted 20 or more to a pot,95% root.
Bill A very long time gardener.

Thank you for your reply otnorot...just a couple of questions...are these bags you put your geraniums in paper bags? How many plants do you put per bag...I'm wondering if I can use those large outdoor paper leaf bags...or are these paper grocery bags that you use? Do you put the plants upside down on right side up in the bag?..I've read so many different techniques..lol.

Thank you for your reply otnorot...just a couple of questions...are these bags you put your geraniums in paper bags? How many plants do you put per bag? I'm thinking of using those large paper leaf bags...or do you use the store grocery type bags? Do you put the plants upside down on right side up in the bag?..I've read so many different techniques...wondering which one is best...lol.

Hello,
I have a newbie question....what is the process to store geraniums over the winter? I have some currently in planters on my back deck. I'd love to keep them over the winter. Any advice would be welcome, thank you!