4 GENERAL INFORMATION 
Potting soil for geraniums should be of a texture to 
give good drainage and aeration, but of sufficient body 
to allow firm potting. Ideally it should be slightly acid, 
about pH 6.0-6.5, but good growth can be had over a 
range of pH 5.5 to pH. 7.5. Most potting soils fall in this 
range. 
A wide variety of soil mixtures have been recommended 
and used successfully for geraniums. Apparently the 
preferences and habits of the grower are as important 
as the requirements of the plants. Any soil that gives 
good results is a good soil, and in such cases there is 
not much point in trying other mixtures. Actually the 
soil mixture is not at all critical. Rather heavy soils 
with a low proportion of organic material are generally 
considered best for geraniums. Such simple mixtures as 
2 parts garden soil and 1 part coarse sand, or 3 parts 
garden soil, 1 part coarse sand, and 1 part peat moss are 
good. The amount of sand to use depends upon the 
quality of the garden soil. The suggested amounts are 
for a medium heavy clay loam. More sand should be 
used with very heavy clay loams, less with lighter soils 
of small clay content. The soil should be a little moist 
when potting. It is difficult to pot properly with soil 
that is either too dry or too wet. 
Geraniums that are to be grown in pots will do best if 
put into 3-inch pots when received. When they are well 
established in these pots and have made good growth 
they can be shifted to 4-inch pots. 
Before potting a little soil should be scraped from the 
top of the root ball to remove any moss or algae on the 
surface, and a little soil should be crumbled from the 
top and bottom shoulders of the ball to loosen some of 
the roots. If the soil is dry and hard, it can be mois- 
tened a little for this operation, but care should be taken 
that the soil does not become so wet that the ball falls 
to pieces. The plants should be potted a little deeper 
than they were grown, but no leaf stalks should be 
buried. The potting should be firm. A small stick may 
be used to tamp the new soil around the original ball. 
The finished soil level should be about % inch below 
the rim of the 3-inch pot. The first watering must be 
thorough enough to soak all of the soil, both new and 
old. If the water runs through very rapidly, more water 
should be given, so that it is certain that all of the ori- 
ginal soil is wet. 
Potted geraniums usually can not be watered on a fixed 
schedule. They should be watered only when water is 
needed. They use lots of water when they are growing 
well under favorable conditions. It is best to water 
geraniums thoroughly when they are watered, and to 
allow the soil to get moderately dry before watering 
again. Geraniums usually do not wilt when they are 
too dry, so that it is necessary to judge moisture by the 
appearance and feel of the soil. Serious damage may 
occur if the soil is allowed to get too dry. Such damage 
appears a day or two later with a sudden yellowing (and 
eventual loss) of the lower leaves. In extreme cases, all 
of the roots and the lower part of the stem may be killed. 
Such plants continue to grow at the top for a time, but 
eventually rot at the base. Such losses are often attribu- 
ted to over-watering, but the real cause is over-drying. 
Young plants, and some of the Fancy-Leaved and Dwarf 
varities are most easily damaged by lack of water. The 
soil in small pots dries out quickly. The plants should 
