A few Tips from Leaf and Petal

A Few Tips On How To Get Your Pelargoniums Through The Colder Months….. by Ali Corcoran

Leaf and Petal is a plant nursery based in South Wicklow, specialising in scented pelargoniums, unusual dianthus and seeds for edible flowers you can find me at www.leafandpetal.ie The early season plant fairs are always difficult, but the pelargoniums look good here at the RHSI plant fair Bellefield in late March.

Minding your pelargoniums over the winter can feel a bit daunting. It’s what customers always ask about at plant fairs. There are a few things that are essential to do before and during the cold season. As they originate from South Africa and South Australia, they do need a little TLC.

1. The most important thing of all is to take your plants in BEFORE the first frost. So many people forget this, and the plants just won’t survive it.

2. Botrytis or Grey Mould is ‘persona non grata’! A fungal disease that spreads rapidly in our cool damp climate and can be as detrimental as freezing temperatures to overwintering pelargoniums.

3. Give your plants a good tidy up. This can vary in severity depending on if the plants are kept in a tunnel/glasshouse (where looks won’t matter) or if they will be in the house/porch/conservatory (where looks will matter) See photos for house and second for tunnel.

4. Reduce watering drastically, letting the compost dry out in between. It is always better to water in the mornings. Indoor watering can be tricky, due to central heating. However, it’s easier for the plants to recover from being too dry than being too wet.

5. Loosen and clean up the surface compost, removing leaves, dead flowers etc.

6. Remove flowers, as these can cause disease and put extra stress on the plant when it needs to rest over the winter. Remove any diseased leaves, this will be an ongoing process.

7. If your pelargoniums are kept in a tunnel or glasshouse, ventilation is still important. Open doors and windows when possible.

8. If you keep them as house plants decent light levels are required. Such as sunny or south facing windows. It’s also good practice to rotate your plants, both in room position and turning the pot.

9. Horticultural fleece is essential if your pelargoniums are kept in a tunnel or glasshouse. If you are overwintering them under minimal cover, such as an open porch, it is even more important. Even my sleepy spaniel finds fleece cosy.

10. When using fleece, moisture levels can build up, so it’s important to remove it during the day (if it’s not freezing) and replace it in the afternoon. This can be done at the weekends if work gets in the way of your pelargonium babysitting duties.

There is more you can do to winter proof your glasshouses etc. such as installing bubble wrap and/or heaters. However, I just use multiple layers of fleece, lifting it regularly to let everything dry out. I also don’t have any thermometers in the tunnels; I get stressed enough with cold weather. I do have customers who live by the sea on the east coast of Ireland who don’t have to do any of this, but they are the lucky few! Leaf and Petal pelargoniums have to contend with some adverse weather conditions.

Although these plants require a bit of fuss over the winter, they are worth it as they give such a fabulous show the rest of the year. With care they can last for many years. I have customers who still have plants from their mothers and grandmothers, one of the reasons these plants evoke such nostalgia for people. There is a nice collection of pelargoniums in Bellefield’s beautiful glasshouse.