geranium: did I just kill them?

I have had my geranuim for almost a year, kept inside. Yesterday it was realy nice out so I put them outside in the sun and forgot to bring them in before the cold came. When I brought them in they were serverly wilted. I have been keeping them inside in the sun today and they seem to be doing a little better. Any suggestions to get them to perk up again? Thanks for any help, I really don't know much about this but am sad I hurt them.

John L2008-03-26T16:01:57Z

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Geraniums are fairly hardy plants, and they should be OK with what you have done, it's said in some of my old gardening books : Geraniums like to be kept fairly dry, over watering will kill them, if any shoots seem to be dead, after a few days it would be a good idea to cut the down to the base.

Paul in San Diego2008-03-26T14:10:59Z

You might have sunburned them. Or they just got dehydrated. If just dehydrated, a good watering will snap it back to life.

Plants that are not used to being out in the full sun (even if they get full sun through a window) can get sunburned if they aren't acclimated to the full, direct sun over time (you can even sunburn a cactus that way). The sun actually damages the chlorophyl in the leaves, turning them kind of whitish in the affected areas. They eventually turn brown and drop off.

But, a sunburned plant can be nursed back to health. Keep it in the shade, in indirect light for a while. Don't try to fix it with excessive watering. That will hurt it more. Eventually the leaves will come back. Then you can get it reacclimated to the sunlight.

?2016-12-17T14:24:46Z

New enhance reducing will root in water in 5-7 days. Sorry Fluff, you do no longer could desire to enable cuttings dry - shrink, to water as we communicate. substitute the water if it gets cloudy. Grape leaf geraniums won't root in water, could desire to apply rootone, place in damp potting soil.

salvatrucha_linda2008-03-26T14:00:26Z

Geraniums are pretty sturdy and hard to kill. I say fertilize them as a treat! :) It will help them get a perk!

pondlady2008-03-26T14:19:11Z

Don't overwater or fertilize. Plants under stress don't do well with fertilizing.
I think they will fine soon.