Your pelargonium is indoors: what will help it survive winter?

For a pelargonium already indoors, the winter aim is to keep it alive until spring rather than encourage strong growth. It does best somewhere bright and preferably cool, around 10–15°C if you have a suitable window or room. Normal room temperature can work too, but it then needs as much light as possible to avoid becoming long and weak.

As autumn begins in Västernorrland, Sweden, reduce watering noticeably. Let the compost dry out between waterings and give only enough to prevent the rootball remaining bone dry for a long time. Do not feed during winter. Remove yellow leaves and lightly shorten long, straggly shoots if needed, but leave hard pruning until late winter or early spring if the plant still looks reasonably well.

The most common indoor problems are too little light, too much warmth above a radiator and overly wet compost. Pale new shoots or long gaps between leaves indicate a need for more light. If the compost feels damp for several days running, water less often. Check occasionally for aphids and whitefly too, as indoor pelargoniums can develop infestations over winter.

As light returns towards late winter, you can prune more thoroughly, increase watering a little and begin gentle feeding once you see healthy new growth.