All being ready, put the drainage in a suitable sized . Place first a suitable crock, or a large oyster shell over the hole; then lay a few large crocks upon that, and smaller upon those, so that the drainage may occupy about three fourths of an inch.
Place a thin layer of moss upon the drainage, and upon that a sprinkling of soot or charcoal dust; after that a thin layer of the rougher parts of the compost, and finally a layer of soil. n turn the plant out of the old
, pick out the old drainage, and loosen part of the old roots, spreading them over the new soil as much as possible.
n see that the collar of the roots is just be
the rim of the
, and fill in around the ball with the fresh soil, pressing it down gently as it is put in. When the
is full, give it a smart stroke or two upon the bench to settle the soil; level it neatly, leaving it about half an inch be
the rim of the
. This finishes the
ting.
n give a good watering of tepid water, perhaps with some kind of patio fountain. For four or five weeks, while new roots are running into the fresh soil, they will not need a large supply of water; but when the roots reach the sides of the
s, and the leaves and shoots are advancing in growth, then water will be required in abundance.
y should never be al
ed to flag.
After a hot, sunny day, let the plants, in addition to the water at the roots, have a gentle syringing. Exercise discretion, however, on this point. geranium is a spring and summer blooming plant. It is very difficult to obtain a f
er from December to April; therefore, during the winter it should be kept cool, and moderately dry.
About the first of February re- the plants, give more heat, sun, and water, and your plants will bloom profusely in May. A wall water feature may be helpful in accomplishing this.
varieties grown only for their leaves may have more generous culture during the winter months.
VARIETIES
Ivy-leaved geranium (P. lateripes), is a pretty trailing species, with ivy-shaped leaves and purple fers in the summer.
re is also a variety with white f
ers. It is a pretty window plant, and always does well. It needs
plenty of light, sun, and generous culture.
varieties of horseshoe geraniums (P. zonale hybrids), are all good window f
ers, and will often bloom in winter.
fol
ing are the best old varieties: Scarlet, Dazzle, Tom, Thumb, Defiance, Cerise, Cerise unique,
Pink, Bosa mundi, White, Boule de Neige, Lady Turner, Variegated Leaved, Fer of the Day, Golden Chain, Alma, and Bijou.
se latter varieties need a greenhouse to develop the rich colors of the foliage, yet they do well as bedding plants in the summer. P. graveolens is the common rose geranium.
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