Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Geum 'Prinses Juliana' (Geum 'Prinses Juliana')
Also called Prinses Juliana avens, Princess Juliana avens.
More about geum 'prinses juliana'
About Geum 'Prinses Juliana'
Geum 'Prinses Juliana' · also called Prinses Juliana avens, Princess Juliana avens · flowering
A long-flowering hybrid avens prized for warm orange to apricot semi-double blooms held on wiry stems above mounds of soft green foliage. Flowering from late spring through summer with deadheading, it brings hot colour to cottage and mixed borders. Hardy and easy, it reaches roughly 50 cm and is a magnet for early pollinators.
Preferred mix: Fertile, moist but well-drained loam, neutral to slightly alkaline or acidic
Watch for — Floppy stems: Tall flower stems can splay in rich soil or shade; site in sun and provide light support in exposed positions.
Why geum 'prinses juliana' needs this mix
Geum 'Prinses Juliana' flowers hardest in a rich but free-draining loam — fed enough to fuel the display, open enough that the roots never waterlog.
- Flowering is expensive for geum 'prinses juliana': producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
- A loam-based mix holds nutrients and water far more evenly than a light peat mix, which means a longer, more reliable flowering period.
- It still needs sharp drainage — most flowering plants resent cold, wet feet far more than they resent being a little lean.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons geum 'prinses juliana' struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives geum 'prinses juliana' weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel.
- A heavy, badly drained soil rots the roots or crown, often over a wet winter, and you lose the plant before it ever flowers again.
- Over-rich, high-nitrogen mixes can push lush leaf at the expense of flowers — balance, not excess, is the aim.
Either starving geum 'prinses juliana' in a thin mix or drowning it in a heavy, badly drained one. It wants the rich-but-free-draining middle, plus a flowering (higher-potassium) feed in season.
pH — does it matter for geum 'prinses juliana'?
Most flowering plants, including geum 'prinses juliana', do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A quality bagged compost works for geum 'prinses juliana' in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Drainage and the pot
Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. When the time comes, our repotting guide for geum 'prinses juliana' covers the timing and technique step by step.
Geum 'Prinses Juliana' soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for geum 'prinses juliana'?
3 parts good loam or quality peat-free compost : 1 part well-rotted compost or leaf mould : 1 part grit or perlite. Flowering is expensive for geum 'prinses juliana': producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
Can I use normal potting soil for geum 'prinses juliana'?
A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives geum 'prinses juliana' weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel. A quality bagged compost works for geum 'prinses juliana' in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Does geum 'prinses juliana' need a special pH?
Most flowering plants, including geum 'prinses juliana', do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for geum 'prinses juliana'?
A quality bagged compost works for geum 'prinses juliana' in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
How often should I refresh the soil for geum 'prinses juliana'?
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
Keep reading
- Geum 'Prinses Juliana' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water geum 'prinses juliana' — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting geum 'prinses juliana' — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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