"Phil L" wrote in message
...
[...snipped...]

Also, I remember that geraniums have to be taken indoors over winter, what
is the best time to dig 'em up?
will the first frost kill 'em stone dead or can they resist a bit of light
frost?
- how do I store them? - some of them are in baskets/planters etc which
will
be easy to shift, but the majority are planted directly in the beds..


TIA

Hi Phil,

I'm assuming that you are talking about the tender pelargonium rather than
true geraniums. Most geraniums are UK hardy, dying back in the autumn and
regrowing in the spring. If you don't have a greenhouse or conservatory, try
to dry them out as follows:

Best time to dig them up is before the first frost. If they get caught with
a hard frost they will turn black and die, but the extent of the damage will
depend on how dry they are and how heavy the frost is. Depending where in
the country you live this is likely to be sept/oct.

Put it in a plastic or preferably a paper bag, allowing the soil to dry out
completely. Remove the dry soil as it drops off the root ball. You'll also
find that any remaining flowers and leaves will fall off.

Loosely tie the top of the bag and store in the shed, porch or spare room.

Check the plant regularly, if the stems begin to shrivel, mist with a water
spray.

If there's signs of mould, open the bag, allowing any moisture to escape.

In the spring, plant up, water well and cut the stems to 6ins (15cm).

If you do have an unheated greenhouse, pot them up and water sparingly
though the winter, trimming them in the spring.

HTH

Nick
http://www.ukgardening.co.uk