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An Amateur Gardening report published October 7, 2026, recommends preparing vulnerable plants before winter weather arrives. It advises lifting pelargoniums and gladioli for frost-free storage, and says tender bedding plants may be potted up and kept in a greenhouse. Timing depends on local conditions; the report says gardeners in warm, dry areas can wait a few weeks.
Amateur Gardening published advice on October 7, 2026, urging gardeners to prepare vulnerable perennials for winter by lifting pelargoniums and gladioli and storing them in protected conditions. The report says the work can help protect plants from cold and damp, but recommends that gardeners adjust the timing to their local weather and exposure.
The report says pelargoniums rarely survive winter outdoors, while gladioli corms can rot in damp soil. It recommends lifting gladioli, cutting their stems back by half and storing the corms somewhere dry and frost-free. New bulblets attached to mature corms can be kept; old corms that are shrivelled or soft should be discarded.
For pelargoniums, the article advises lifting plants and potting them in peat-free multipurpose compost, then watering them well. It recommends cutting shoots back to the lowest healthy leaf bud, both to limit mould risk and to shape the plant for renewed growth. Removed shoots can be potted in seed or cuttings compost and kept on a light indoor windowsill.
The author also reports having overwintered petunias, lobelia and calibrachoas in a greenhouse. Her approach was to pot them up, trim their leaves by about half, water them, and then water sparingly until growth resumed in spring. These are the writer’s reported results and method, rather than a guarantee for every plant or greenhouse.
Protecting Plants From Winter Damage
Acting before severe weather arrives may help gardeners preserve plants for future growing seasons, rather than replacing them after winter damage. The advice focuses on two different risks: frost exposure for pelargoniums and rot in wet soil for gladioli. Moving plants or corms into protected storage can reduce their exposure to those conditions.
The guidance also offers a way to retain plants that might otherwise be treated as seasonal bedding. Taking cuttings from pelargoniums gives gardeners a chance to grow replacements indoors, while storing selected plants in a greenhouse may allow them to resume growth in spring. Results will depend on the plant’s condition and the conditions available for storage.
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Timing Depends on Local Conditions
The report was published on October 7, 2026, during the early-autumn period when it says some tender perennials need attention. It describes several possible winter patterns, including heavy rain and a late cold snap, but does not predict which conditions will occur. Its main point is that winter preparation should be based on local weather, not a single nationwide date.
According to the article, gardeners in northern or exposed locations may want to act sooner, while people experiencing warm, dry weather can leave plants outside for a few more weeks. That advice reflects the author’s guidance; the report does not provide region-by-region forecasts or a specific temperature threshold for lifting plants.
“Whatever the elements send, there are a few perennials that need looking after in the early autumn to keep them alive for future summers.”
— Ruth Hayes, Amateur Gardening
Winter Conditions Remain Unpredictable
The article does not forecast the coming winter or state which weather risks are most likely. It refers to possible heavy rain, dry conditions and a late cold snap, but provides no forecast, probability or temperature threshold. The timing recommendations therefore remain general and should not be read as a precise schedule for every area.
It is also unclear how well the suggested storage methods will work for plants in different homes and greenhouses. The writer shares personal experience with several bedding plants, but the report does not provide controlled comparisons or guarantee that the plants will survive. Gardeners will need to judge conditions and monitor stored plants through winter.
Monitor Weather and Stored Plants
Gardeners should watch local conditions and decide whether to lift plants now or wait, following the report’s distinction between exposed or northern gardens and areas that remain warm and dry. Once lifted, gladioli corms should be checked for softness or shrivelling before storage, while potted plants should be kept in the recommended protected setting.
The article’s next seasonal milestone is renewed growth in spring. It advises keeping watering low for dormant pelargoniums and tender bedding plants, then responding when growth resumes. The report does not give a fixed spring date or a further update on winter conditions.
Key Questions
Which plants does the report recommend protecting?
It specifically discusses pelargoniums and gladioli, and describes the author’s experience overwintering petunias, lobelia and calibrachoas in a greenhouse.
How should gladioli corms be prepared for storage?
The report advises lifting them, cutting the stems back by half and storing them in a dry, frost-free place. Keep new bulblets attached to mature corms and discard old corms that are shrivelled or soft.
When should gardeners lift pelargoniums?
The article recommends acting sooner in northern or exposed gardens. In places where the weather is still warm and dry, it says gardeners can wait a few more weeks. It does not set a universal date or temperature threshold.
Can pelargoniums be propagated while preparing them for winter?
Yes. The report suggests potting removed shoots in seed or cuttings compost and growing them on a light indoor windowsill.
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