Lynne,
I purchased some Ivy Geraniums from Ohio and planted them in cocconet matt (don't know what they're actually called) hanging baskets in South Georgia. It gets darn hot and humid here starting in March through October. They did great considering the high humidity and heat here. I was surprised that they bloomed all summer and are still blooming. As you would know, they are much happier when the temperatures go down. I fertilized with the slow release about three times and watered them early in the morning--almost every day. Now my watering is less frequent. I spray my plants with Neem Oil on a regular basis, as fungus and insects are a problem here. I will be repotting them soon and have in mind to use something in the pots to help keep the soil cooler. I think that will help. I put them on stands that I wheel into the garage to protect from the frost, and wheel them out every morning.
My pelagonians did very well except the little catapillar guys drove me crazy. I ended up putting them all in pots with new soil mix.
Pat

Just dropping by to follow-up on my last post. I want to add that the plants would have done better if I had started the spraying routine with Neem Oil earlier on in the summer.

The Pelagonians and Ivy Geraniums are responding and very robust! I want to add that before I re-potted all the plants into cleaned pots, I washed the entire plant--including the roots, and I check them often to remove any flower bud, or damaged leaves. I keep the watering to a minimum. If I suspect there is any chance the weather will fall near frost temps, I wheel the plants inside the garage. I bring them inside if it gets a bit too windy. I've kept up spraying with Neem oil about every ten days.
I'll take cuttings fairly soon.
Pat

Hi Brass Tacks,

Thanks for the follow up. What you are doing obviously works.

My experience in zone 5 is that the geraniums are fairly cold hardy. Things such as impatiens would die as soon as it hit 32. It would have to be around 28 or lower before the geraniums would bite the dust.

Regards

My Ivy Ger. is going nuts growing this winter. I'm in S. Bay Area of California and I never winted my ivy ger. She's been out ALL spring, summer, winter long and she's flouishing. I think the lowest it got here wass almost 30 I think. But she's having a ball out there blooming and all!

Valerie,
How hot and humid does it get in your area? Do you heavily mulch? It's not unusual for it to be 100, and very humid here in South Georgia--just north of Jacksonville GA.

I think I'll heavily mulch come this spring--maybe then I won't have to water so much.
Pat