The end of summer ...

[Peggy Sue]

Seems to me you could do both at once!

[Martina]

I am a little disheartened as we actually had our first touch of frost here in Ontario. So whatever I have now is resigned to be compost for next year. Soon I'll be wrapping up the berry bushes and that's it: Officially winter (all five months of it).

Martina

[cochlear_nerve]

Marigolds and geraniums: leave them in the ground over winter, put in the garage and protect them or chuck them on the compost?

[Millymollymandy]

French marigolds are annuals and not hardy so chuck on compost when they have died in the frost, the other kind are semi hardy and semi perennial so wait and see what happens!

Geraniums definitely take out of the ground and put indoors or in a heated greenhouse as they aren't very hardy at all, and too expensive to just buy each year then chuck away.

[snapdragon]

Marigolds and geraniums: leave them in the ground over winter, put in the garage and protect them or chuck them on the compost?

Depends - IME pot marigolds will have seeded and you'll get some next year somewhere - or save the seed if still on the plant, the tops will go over with hard frosts. African or french varieties are annuals too but less hardy, you'll need to save seed for subsequent years
-Hardy [perennial] geraniums (not pelargoniums) will be fine in the ground year after year, just tidy up the dead leaves/cut back. But pelargoniums need protecting and you'll possibly need to take cuttings for next year (I think)

[snapdragon]

Aah - what is a geranium? - a perennial question

[Millymollymandy]

Ah but - those ones are Cranesbill geraniums.

My French marigolds have already self seeded and the babies are still alive in the veg patch!