MONTCO w16

The Kitchen of your Dreams is waiting for you.
Handcrafted here for you at our workshop.
Pa Lic#16366
F U R N I T U R E , L T D.
hours of light a day.
The common geranium makes an
attractive houseplant. Not to be confused
with the true geranium, which is
a hardy perennial in our area, the common
geranium that everyone knows
and loves is actually an annual named
pelargonium. Both the upright and ivyleaved
varieties can be grown indoors
for their ornamental value, as well as to
maintain them for re-use in the garden
or container next spring. They do best
in full sunlight indoors but will tolerate
moderate light.
There are three basic methods of
over wintering geraniums: dry storage,
potted or cuttings. To over winter your
favorites using dry storage, carefully dig
V
isit our beautiful Bucks
County Showroom
filled with furniture
and accessories.
Hours:Tuesday thru Friday 10-5; Saturday
10-4:30
Closed Sundays and Mondays
911 S. Perkasie Road,
Blooming Glen, PA 18911
Between Route 152 & Blooming Glen
Road. Please call for directions.
215-257-5700
www.rswfurniture.com
whole plants before frost, tie them in
bundles, shake off the soil and hang
them by the root ends in a cool basement
or moist area for the winter. Storage
temperature should be between 35
and 45°F, and the humidity should be
80 percent or higher.
You can also store the plants in their
pots in a garage or storage area, provided
they won’t get below freezing.
Give them limited water and allow
them to go dormant. Next spring, water
them well, cut off the dead tips, and
they should begin to grow again.
To over winter pelargoniums as
houseplants, dig them up in the fall before
the first frost, taking as much of the
root system as possible. Follow the directions
above for reducing light and
eliminating pests. Use a container large
enough to accommodate the root system,
cut back to a height of six to ten
inches, place in a sunny window or
under fluorescent lights, and water
them as needed, once a week or so. They
will grow and even bloom during the
dreariest days of winter, and even if the
plants do get a bit leggy, flowers in winter
are always welcome.
To propagate pelargoniums from
cuttings, first select containers about
four inches deep and fill them with
moist houseplant potting mix. Cut off
shoot tips three or four inches long and
remove the leaves on the lower part of
the stem. Insert the cuttings into the
mix about an inch and a half deep. Put
the container in a clear plastic bag,
They will grow and
even bloom during the
dreariest days of winter.
twist-tie the top closed, and place the
container in a warm location that receives
bright but indirect sun. Check
the condensation on the plastic bags occasionally,
and open the tops of the bags
now and then to release some excess
moisture.
However you choose to overwinter
pelargoniums, wait until the danger of
frost is past in spring, then cut plants
back by about one-third before transplanting
them back into the garden.
Keep them shaded and well watered for
a few days as they make the transition
back to the outdoors.
Try the cutting method of over wintering
with other annuals like coleus or
begonia, or even shrubs such as acuba,
pussy willow, or burning bush. Have
fun, and enjoy the beauty of growing
plants even on the bleakest winter days.
LORI PELKOWSKI, THE MIDNIGHT GAR-
DENER, IS A TEMPLE UNIVERSITY CERTIFIED
MASTER HOME GARDENER.
60 M O N T C O M A G . C O M