Repotting guide

When & how to repot Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine' (Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine')

Also called Scented pelargonium Lara Starshine, Star-scented geranium.

More about pelargonium 'lara starshine'

About Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine'

Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine' · also called Scented pelargonium Lara Starshine, Star-scented geranium · herb

A vigorous scented-leaved pelargonium whose soft, deeply divided grey-green foliage releases a spicy, rose-balsam fragrance when brushed. It carries airy sprays of small mauve-pink flowers through summer. Grown chiefly for its aromatic leaves, which can scent rooms and flavour sugars and infusions, it is tender and overwintered frost-free as a half-hardy perennial.

Mature size: About 40-60 cm tall and 40-50 cm wide, larger if unpruned.

Watch for — Overwatering / root rot: Soggy compost yellows leaves and rots roots. Let the surface dry between waterings and use free-draining pots and mix.

How to tell pelargonium 'lara starshine' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For pelargonium 'lara starshine', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot pelargonium 'lara starshine' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot pelargonium 'lara starshine'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Vigorous, bushy scented-leaved pelargonium with finely cut aromatic foliage and an open, spreading habit; responds well to pinching and pruning to stay shapely..

What size pot to step pelargonium 'lara starshine' up to

Pot pelargonium 'lara starshine' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot pelargonium 'lara starshine'

Pot pelargonium 'lara starshine' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting pelargonium 'lara starshine'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check pelargonium 'lara starshine' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh free-draining, loam-based compost at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water pelargonium 'lara starshine' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for pelargonium 'lara starshine'

Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine' wants free-draining, loam-based compost. John Innes No. 2 or a peat-free multipurpose mix with added perlite or grit suits it. Like all pelargoniums it needs sharp drainage rather than rich, moisture-retentive soil. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting pelargonium 'lara starshine' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot pelargonium 'lara starshine'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for pelargonium 'lara starshine'. Pelargonium 'Lara Starshine' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into free-draining, loam-based compost so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does pelargonium 'lara starshine' need?

When is the best time of year to repot pelargonium 'lara starshine'?

Can you put pelargonium 'lara starshine' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing pelargonium 'lara starshine' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise pelargonium 'lara starshine' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting pelargonium 'lara starshine'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.