Planting time

 

These are some of last year's geraniums brightening up the front porch.

I'm an enthusiastic recycler so they aren't tossed out at the end of the season; instead they enter into my easy-going seldom-fail method of saving for next summer.
Just before heavy frost season, I pull them out of their pots and shake out the dirt. It's best to spread them out for a couple of days so the moisture from the adhering dirt can dry out; after that I stuff them loosely into plastic bags and store them in a bin in the darkest part of the basement.
A cool garage is best but around here, they would freeze and that would be the end of them.

Here they are after they've been tucked away all winter.

This morning. I pulled off the dead leaves and other debris and kept only the ones with green stalks or some signs of life. I haven't any idea what those corms are on the right --they were in the bottom of some of the geranium  pots last season so I'll plant them to see if anything happens.

Now the geraniums been potted and they're sitting in a sunny spot. They'll soon develop fresh, green leaves and begin to plump up.

When the time is right, probably in May, I'll re-pot them into  outdoor planters and they'll start the cycle once more. 

I dream of a glass conservatory attached to my house--. heated of course--no point dreaming small. Seems to me the English seem to manage this more easily or I read misleading garden  magazines.

Oh well, dreams are free.