During the summer, most of our geraniums live their best lives in window boxes, brightening up our balconies with those iconic, colorful blooms. But since these perennials are actually tropical plants at heart, they can’t handle a frost. Once autumn rolls around, they need a cozy spot indoors to survive the winter. If you’re wondering if you can just bring the whole window box inside—good news! It’s actually pretty convenient.
It’s All About the Space
Whether or not you can overwinter your geraniums (technically *Pelargoniums*) right in their boxes mostly comes down to how much room you have. You can’t stack the boxes on top of each other, and the plants shouldn’t be touching their neighbors.
Quick Tip:
Only keep them in the window box if they are sharing it with other geraniums. If they’re mixed in with different plant species, it’s better to pot them up separately.
Finding the Perfect Winter Spot
Geraniums staying in their boxes need a spot that is cool but bright. A basement with a window, a cool hallway, or a frost-free garage are all great options.
- The sweet spot for temperature is between 40°F and 50°F (5-10°C).
- Avoid warm living rooms (unless you’re growing Regal Geraniums).
- Place the boxes near a window.
- Keep them out of harsh, direct sunlight.
- The warmer the room, the more light they’ll need to stay healthy.
When to Bring Them In
Autumn often gives us those gorgeous sunny days that we (and our plants) want to soak up. Geraniums love that late-season sun and will keep blooming until the very end. Don’t feel like you have to follow a strict calendar; just keep a close eye on the weather forecast starting in October. As long as there’s no frost in sight and temperatures stay above 40°F (5°C), your geraniums are happy staying outside.
Moving Day and Winter Care
Before you move them in, do a little “housekeeping.” Remove any spent blooms, new buds, and any wilted or damaged leaves. This helps prevent diseases and pests from hitching a ride inside.
If your winter storage spot isn’t very bright, you should cut the stems back to about 4 inches (10 cm) and strip off the remaining leaves. During the winter, give them a little water every now and then—just enough so the soil doesn’t bone-dry. This is also a great time to double-check that they’re still looking healthy.
The Long Winter Nap
Wait until the danger of frost has passed—usually around mid-May—before moving your geraniums back to the balcony. If April is looking unusually mild, you can sneak them out early, but be ready to grab them and bring them back inside if a late frost is predicted!
Pro Tip:
In the spring, you should repot your geraniums or at least swap out some of the old dirt for fresh potting mix. This is also the time to prune them back further and remove any “leggy” growth that happened over the winter.
Running Out of Room?
If you realize you don’t have enough floor space for all those window boxes, don’t worry—you don’t have to get rid of your plants! You can actually save space by overwintering them without soil. You can wrap them in newspaper or put them in a bag and hang them upside down. Just keep in mind that for this “bare-root” method, the room should be dark.
