jbd@duke.UUCP (Joanne Bechta Dugan) (10/04/85)
Its getting near the time of the first frost, so I've been thinking about trying to save my impatiens and geraniums for next year. If I pot them and bring them inside, will they continue blooming? Even in my office (typical office lighting)? Thanks, Joanne Bechta Dugan Duke University (duke!jbd)
nemo@rochester.UUCP (Wolfe) (10/07/85)
> Its getting near the time of the first frost, so I've been > thinking about trying to save my impatiens and geraniums for > next year. If I pot them and bring them inside, will they > continue blooming? Even in my office (typical office > lighting)? > > Thanks, > Joanne Bechta Dugan > Duke University (duke!jbd) I don't know about impatiens, but as a shade-lover they may do well in a less-lit environment. Geraniums are actually tender perennials, and may be wintered over by either potting & bringing inside or by digging when the first frost has killed the tops and storing the roots, dirt-free in a cool, dark, slightly moist place (ie: root cellar, or wherever you keep your dahlia tubers). This latter method appears in this month's Rodale's Organic Gardening, but I have not tried it. They recommend taking cuttings before it gets too chilly for rooting and potting rather than digging up the plants' roots (possibly getting pests and diseases at the same time). I've done both, with good results. They will get leggy if they don't get enough light, so I put them in a southern window (which does fine even up here in Ra-cha-cha). If you don't have that luxury, you can supplement with grow-lights, but remember that these need to be fairly close to the plants for the plants to get much from them. In a sunny window, with feeding every other month, watering about once or twice a week (less than in summer, let them dry out a bit between waterings), I get blooms all winter long. It certainly cheers the place up a bit when skies are gray (ie: 80% of the 6 winter months). Good luck! Nemo -- Internet: nemo@rochester.arpa UUCP: {decvax, allegra, seismo, cmcl2}!rochester!nemo Phone: [USA] (716) 275-5766 school 232-4690 home USMail: 104 Tremont Circle; Rochester, NY 14608 School: Department of Computer Science; University of Rochester; Rochester, NY 14627