How to repot Geraniums
Today's article delves into how to repot geraniums and discusses the details of the repotting process and precautions regarding green plants and flowers. Let's explore this together.
Large-flowered geraniums, also known as common geraniums and cranesbill, are native to southern Africa and belong to the Geraniaceae family, Geranium genus. When in bloom, large-flowered geraniums have large and abundant flowers with bright but elegant colors, and they bloom for a long time, from spring to autumn. They make an excellent choice for indoor potted plants. As large-flowered geraniums grow quickly, when the pot becomes too small for the plant, repotting is necessary. Let's learn about the method for repotting large-flowered geraniums.
1. Choosing a Pot
When repotting large-flowered geraniums, select a pot that is slightly smaller than the plant, with good water permeability and ventilation, and the ability to remove alkalinity from the potting soil. Terra cotta pots are ideal for this purpose. If the pot is new, it should be soaked in clean water for two days to remove excess lime. After soaking, place a piece of碎砖块 (broken brick or tile) over the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot to aid in drainage.
2. Soil Selection
Large-flowered geraniums prefer well-draining, loose, and fertile soil rich in organic matter. To make them grow stronger and more beautiful, a mixture of forest humus, mountain soil, peat soil, composted wood shavings, and dry mixed manure in a ratio of 1:1:1:1:1 can be used to create the potting soil.
3. Potting out
The best time for potting out is between late spring or early summer, August to September. Before potting out, prune the plant by removing dense, weak, and leggy branches. Leave 3 to 5 evenly distributed main branches and 3 side buds on the side branches. Shorten the side branches and main branches to reduce the plant's nutrient consumption, which can speed up growth after repotting. When potting out, carefully remove the plant from the original pot to avoid damaging the roots, which could lead to poor growth.
4. Repotting
After removing the plant, prune the roots with a disinfected pair of scissors by cutting away old, rotten, withered, and dense roots. After pruning, apply a fungicide such as carbendazim to the cut surfaces, let them dry and shrink, then place the plant in the center of the new pot, adding soil layer by layer until 2 centimeters from the rim. Press the soil down and then water the plant thoroughly by either immersion or浇水的方 (watering) to moisten the soil, completing the repotting process.
5. Care and Maintenance
After repotting, place the pot in a shaded area for 5 to 7 days to acclimate the plant. Keep the soil moist during this period. Once the plant has established, it can be managed as usual.
The comprehensive explanation of how to repot geraniums and the details of the repotting process and precautions shared above is hoped to be of help to you.