THE GROWING OF PLANTS IN POTS 



25 



soil should contain some moisture, but not enough to 

 make it stick to the hand. If the pots are new, soak 

 them before using; old pots should be washed. The 

 plants must be well watered two or three hours before 

 transplanting. 



Place a layer of pebbles 

 in the pot, then half an 

 inch of the coarse mate- 

 rial that would not pass 

 through the screen. Add 

 enough soil so that the 

 pot will be half full after 

 it is well packed. With 

 a table knife lift a plant 

 from the pot in which the 

 slips have been growing, 

 taking up as much earth 

 on the roots as possible. 

 Set it in the middle of a 

 four-inch pot and fill in 



with soil. Push the soil down with the thumbs so that 

 the plant will be between them. Give it an even pressure 

 on all sides, taking care to disturb the roots as little as 

 possible while the soil is being packed in firmly. Leave 

 half an inch at the top for holding water. Water the 

 plant with a garden sprinkler and set it in the shade 

 for several days. 



Repotting geraniums. Geraniums bloom best in small 

 pots, but plants that have been growing in four-inch 



FIG. 18. Section of a Flowerpot con- 

 taining a Geranium Plant 



