Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Plant Species >> Annuals

Amending Red Clay Soil for Gerbera Daisies

Mix 1 part sand to 3 parts potting soil for drainage. Add lime per package directions to balance pH. Gerberas need excellent drainage — clay alone will rot their roots.

Annuals: Gardening in Oily Sand: Improving Water Penetration; Why Sandy Soil Repels Water and How to Fix It; Identifying Your Soil: Sandy Loam Over Clay Subsoil; Building a Timber Retaining Wall on Sandy Soil: Key Questions to Answer First; Perlite Alternatives for Sarracenia Soil: Silica Sand from North Carolina Coastal Plain; Soggy, Smelly Garden Soil: Diagnosing Anaerobic Conditions and Drainage Fixes; Improving Sandy Soil for Vegetables: Organic Matter and Drainage Testing; Horticultural Sand vs. Building Sand for Turf Leveling: Don't Layer; Building a Lawn on Pure Sand: Soil Amendment Recipes for a West Michigan Sand Dune; The Jar Test for Soil Texture: Identifying Sand, Silt, and Clay Layers

Garden Articles

Neighbor's Paver Sand: Use in Garden, Not on Lawn

Gardening in Sandy Soil: Opportunity, Not Deficit

Why Perlite Beats Sand for Carnivorous Plant Soil: Weight, Aeration, and Purity

Herbs for Florida Zone 9 Sand: Amending Soil and Choosing Heat-Lovers

Sandy Soil Analysis for Bradenton, FL (Zip 34205)

Eliminate Sand Spurs Organically with Sugar

Sand in New Topsoil: Diagnosis and Organic Remediation

Plants

Understanding Soil pH: What It Is, Ideal Levels, and How to Adjust It

Building a Stable, Fertile Berm for Privacy Plantings

Raising Soil Grade Around a Foundation for Better Drainage

Seeding a New Lawn Over Former Paver Base: Remove Sand and Fabric

Cephalotus Soil Mix: Substituting Pumice with Silica Sand

Construction Sand vs. River Sand for Garden Soil

Preparing Sandy Soil for Sod in Southeast Georgia