Pretty geraniums provide consistent color from late spring until fall. Although these plants are perennials, many flower lovers treat them as annuals since they can't survive hard frosts. If you know how, you can keep them alive in a dormant state through the cold months but they must be replanted and brought back to life in late winter and early spring if you want to enjoy their flowers again this year.

Overwintering Basics

There are many ways to overwinter geraniums indoors, but my preferred method is to dig them up, shake the dirt from the roots, and store them in a closed paper bags. I keep mine in the unfinished part of our basement where temperatures remain near 45 degrees Fahrenheit all winter. You must check on them every four weeks or so to make sure they don't dry out too much. If the stems aren't firm or look like they are withering, soak them in warm water overnight before returning them to storage.

Waking Up Geraniums

Eight to 12 weeks before the last spring frost, bring your dormant geraniums out of storage. Pot them up in individual pots, planting them so the crown of the plant is even with the soil surface. Water thoroughly and place the geranium in warm room where it receives bright, indirect sunlight. Within a week or two new growth should show up. Once the plant begins sending out new leaves I pinch back the stems a bud or two. This helps the geranium put on full, bushy new growth and leads to increased flowering during the summer. You can leave them in pots or transplant the geraniums to a garden bed after frost danger is past.