One of the gardening jobs that has concentrated my mind this autumn has been preparing the growing pelargonium collection for the winter. I have been following the Pelargonium Society’s Website Here. advice on reducing the size of the plants so that they will fit into the space available. They recommend to reduce the risk of botrytis infecting plants
when they are cut back to a node to ensure the growing medium in the pots has dried out.
Having followed this advice it is disappointing to be seeing infected plants even after treatment with yellow sulphur.
The pelargonium society has recently posted on their YouTube Channel that this is one of the worst autumns for this problem due to the extremly mild, wet weather in the UK this autumn.
A gardening friend has recommended spraying with a fungicide.
Young plants growing on for next year.
Pictures from the greenhouse this October.
Some other greenhouse Winter residents.
Gardeners are traditionally an optimistic breed so here’s looking forward to a colourful pelargonium 2023.
How do you prepare your pelargoniums for the winter?
brimfields.com 
How do we prepare our Pelargonium? Well, we don’t. They slowly get shabbier through winter, but unfortunately, start to grow before the end of winter. Consequently, I must cut back the old stems with new stems growing through them! For some of the weedier sort, I just cut them all the way back, and let them start over.
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Our problem is the mild damp weather Tony, ideal conditions for botrytis.
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So they rot more than they freeze. Ick!
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I took my plants out of the shed today to give them all a good blow and a bit of sun. I only have a few so it is relatively easy. Ventilation is the answer, and I agree that it has also been a challenge to dry them out.
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I ventilate the greenhouse every day Noelle because the weather is so warm.
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Good to hear from you Brian – it’s been a while, and I hope you have both been OK. It was really interesting to read this today. I bought my scented-leaved pelargoniums from Fibrex and have followed their advice, cutting them right back – but somehow didn’t get round to it last year and they lost their vigour by spring when I tidied them up, and didn’t really recover well. They will certainly be cut back this year!
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Hi Cathy,
Irene has not been very well so blogging has had to take a back seat to my nursing duties!
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Sorry to hear that Brian, do give her my best wishes. I hope her condition is improving
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I am trying the paper bag method of keeping pelargoniums over winter. Take them out the pots, plop in a paper bag, and keep in a cool dark spot until spring. No idea if it will work, but I don’t have space for them all at a cool temperature indoors!
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Pelargoniums and begonias are very popular in France but I do not have any. If the bees don’t like them they don’t get planted :). Amelia
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I have never noticed if bees visit pelargoniums, perhaps other pollinators do?
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I don’t think so, but that is something for you to check on next summer :).
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