Repotting guide

When & how to repot Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy' (Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy')

Also called Lemon Fancy scented pelargonium.

More about pelargonium 'lemon fancy'

About Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy'

Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy' · also called Lemon Fancy scented pelargonium · herb

'Lemon Fancy' is a vigorous scented-leaf pelargonium with deeply cut, rough green leaves that give off a sharp, true lemon fragrance when brushed. It bears small lavender-pink flowers and is prized as a culinary and aromatic herb. It needs bright light, sharp drainage, warmth and frost-free overwintering.

Mature size: Up to 45-60 cm tall and 30-45 cm wide in a pot if unpruned.

Watch for — Botrytis (grey mould): Damp, still air greys and spots the foliage; remove affected leaves and increase airflow around the plant.

How to tell pelargonium 'lemon fancy' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For pelargonium 'lemon fancy', 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 'lemon fancy' 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 'lemon fancy'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Vigorous, upright-bushy scented-leaf pelargonium that can grow tall; pinch and prune to keep it shapely and well-clothed in aromatic foliage..

What size pot to step pelargonium 'lemon fancy' up to

Pot pelargonium 'lemon fancy' 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 'lemon fancy'

Pot pelargonium 'lemon fancy' 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 'lemon fancy'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check pelargonium 'lemon fancy' 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 or peat-free compost with added grit 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 'lemon fancy' 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 'lemon fancy'

Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy' wants free-draining loam-based or peat-free compost with added grit. Add perlite or horticultural grit to keep the mix open and fast-draining. Use a well-drained container; the fleshy stems rot in standing water. 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 'lemon fancy' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot pelargonium 'lemon fancy'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for pelargonium 'lemon fancy'. Pelargonium 'Lemon Fancy' 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 or peat-free compost with added grit 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 'lemon fancy' need?

When is the best time of year to repot pelargonium 'lemon fancy'?

Can you put pelargonium 'lemon fancy' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing pelargonium 'lemon fancy' 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 'lemon fancy' after repotting?

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