Question
hi,my question is i have a mosquito plant that i have had for two years, i repotted it last spring and put it outside for the summer and it did very well,i brought it inside this fall and now it seems to be dying, i have put it in a spare room on the south side of the house by a window but it dosen't get full sun but it did great there last winter. i noticed that it had ants in the soil but i have not seen any in about a month.i live in northern michigan if that has anything to do with it.dose this plant have a life timeline or am i  doing something wrong.thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Dan,

Mosquito Plant is the common name usually applied to Pelargonium citrosum and sometimes called Citronella Geranium. It is called Mosquito Plant because the citronella aroma repels mosquitoes.

Geraniums can be grown and over-wintered indoors, but it is a bit of a struggle as they prefer lots of natural outdoor sunlight which is much more intense than indoor light. Of course, they cannot be overwintered outside in locations where temps fall below freezing. When overwintering indoors it is important to provide a sunny location to maximize light and to keep the soil on the dry side, allowing the top quarter of the soil to dry in between waterings. Cease all fertilizer during the winter months and keep it very potbound. It is also important to prune back Geraniums sharply every spring so they don't become tall and lanky.

Geranium tip cuttings can be rooted fairly easily at any time in plain water or a damp potting mix. Taking cuttings is a way to get a new plant to start again next spring. The original plant is often discarded after the cuttings are successfully propagated.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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