When Do You Start Geranium Cuttings in Upstate New York?

Cuttings in Autumn

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone map places the state of New York in USDA zones 3 to 7, with upstate New York in the coldest zones of that range. This translates into a relatively short growing season and consistently below-freezing winter temperatures. Geraniums are not hardy in this region and must be overwintered indoors to survive until the next spring. The process of starting cuttings should begin as soon as you bring your potted geraniums inside for the winter, usually in mid-September, and before the first killing frost. This way, the newly rooted cuttings have all of the long northern winter to grow and develop strong root systems in preparation for spring planting.

Hardening Off

• Once you have rooted your cuttings, which takes about a month, they can be planted in individual pots and tended indoors for the rest of the winter. The next timing consideration is when to begin the process of transitioning your new plants back outdoors in the spring. In upstate New York, the last frost is usually occurs during the end of April or early May, although it can be late as early June farther upstate. As long as the daytime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, often by mid-April, you should be able to begin to harden off the new geraniums by taking them outside for increasingly longer periods.

Time to Plant

• After the risk of frost has passed, roughly mid-May to mid-June depending on where you live in upstate New York, the hardened-off geraniums can be planted into your garden in an area that receives full sun. Alternatively, they can be kept outside as container plants, where you can enjoy their cheery blooms on your deck or front entrance way and they are ready to be brought indoors when the weather cools again in the autumn.

Propagation Tips

• The process of propagating plants from cuttings of an existing plant is quite straightforward. Make certain you read the instructions on the rooting hormone you use and that your rooting medium is lightweight and drains well. Perlite, vermiculite, sand and peat moss all work well, as does a 50-50 combination of two of these media. Once the cuttings are planted into the rooting medium, make certain to keep the medium moist and the humidity high around the cuttings by covering the container with a plastic bag.