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Spring is coming, the road to spring!
So it's time to transplant indoor plants. And for novice growers, the question arises, which earthen mixture to choose?
The soil contains all the essential elements for plant life. In open ground, it is constantly affected by external factors (weather conditions, microorganisms). Under indoor conditions, this influence is reduced, so you should seriously consider the choice of soil.
The main qualities of a good soil are the ability to retain moisture and contain enough oxygen.
Humus earth or humus - is the result of the decomposition of organic matter (foliage, manure, peat). Contains various mineral and organic elements that are essential for plant growth.
Substrate - is a mixture of different types of soil, minerals and soil. Used for growing certain types of plants.
In stores, you can buy ready-made substrates, both universal, used for most types of plants, and specialized: for conifers, for violets, for palms and dracaena, for seedlings and many others.
If the quality of store-bought soils does not satisfy, the substrate can be prepared independently at home according to well-known recipes using available components.
So what is included in indoor gardening substrates?
Mainly used for large deciduous plants that need a lot of nutrients and a strong base.
For use, the top layer of the earth is taken, into which fertilizers were regularly applied. It is not recommended to take the land of limestone or treated with herbicides.
Typically, 20 to 50% of the garden land is introduced into the substrate.
Retains water, 3 times more in volume than its own. Provides good air access.
Peat is formed from sphagnum mosses or sedge stalks. When watering, water flows down it.
High peat is suitable for growing any kind of plant. It is included in all potting mixes, is the cheapest and most widespread component. Its content reaches up to 50%.
Formed after the decomposition of the root system and heather trunks. It is a soil with a high sand content, has a high acidity (pH5.5). It is part of many potting mixes used to grow ferns, begonias, bulbs and gardenias.
Formed after 12 months of decomposition of organic waste (grass, leaves, branches, spoiled fruits, wood ash, and so on). It is not used in its pure form.
For indoor plants, quartz sand is most often used. The diameter of the grains of sand can be different: small - 1.5-2 mm, medium - 2-4 mm and large - 4-6 mm.
Small and medium are used as an additive to the substrate for small plants, and large is used for large-sized plants or for plants that need good aeration. Sand is also used as a powder for succulents and cacti, for bulbous and cyclamen seedlings.
It is used in a crushed and rotted form for the preparation of soil mixtures.
It allows air to pass through well, but does not retain water well and has a high acidity (pH 4-5).
The soil prepared from pine bark must be additionally enriched with garden soil or compost.
Hardwood bark is unsuitable as it contains a lot of tannins (restricts growth).
Non-decayed parts 10-15 mm in size make up the bulk of the substrate for growing orchids and epiphytic plants.
They are part of the substrate for epiphytic orchids. Nowadays, pine bark is used instead of fern. Fern roots are available in specialized stores.
When preparing soil mixtures, natural minerals and products of their processing are added.
Expanded clay - balls of a porous structure, with a diameter of 0.5 to 3 cm. They are made of clay by firing. Weakly retains water, is used as a drainage layer or as an integral part of a water reservoir.
Perlite - white or gray granules, very light. Replaces sand. Add to soil mixtures to improve air exchange (10-20%).
Pozzolan is a volcanic stone, crushed into particles of 2-5 mm. Possesses high hygroscopic properties. It is a substitute for pebbles.
Vermiculite - made from mica, at a very high temperature. It resembles shavings in appearance. Very lightweight material. Used instead of sand.
Dolomite - consists of calcium carbonate, manganese and lime spar. Reduces the acidity of the substrate.
Charcoal - used as an antiseptic. It is added to the substrate in the form of pieces, is used for processing sections on plants.
Let's separately dwell on expanded clay.
When buying flowers, brown balls of various diameters can be found on the surface of the soil - this is expanded clay. At the bottom of the pot, expanded clay acts as a drainage material, which helps to remove excess moisture.
When grown on a nutrient medium, expanded clay retains the roots. To maintain moisture, sprinkle it in a pan, with a little water.
A layer of expanded clay at the bottom of the pot, 3-5 cm thick, prevents the root system from closing the drainage holes. Isolates the plant from excess water that accumulates in the pan.
Variable in price and nutritional value. Low-nutritional ones are cheap, but they quickly lose moisture, cakes, are poorly saturated, and contain insufficient amounts of nutrients.
For indoor plants, the best substrate is considered that suits them in terms of nutritional value, acidity, moisture capacity, i.e. specialized substrate. Commercial universal soil is suitable for most plants.
The substrate for Mediterranean plants (mimosa, oleander) consists of garden soil, sand, high peat and humus bark taken in equal parts.
Ampel plants - garden soil, heather with sand and humus from the bark in equal parts.
Bonsai is heather land, leaf humus, river sand and garden land in equal parts.
Palm trees - fine river sand, humus from bark, brown and high moor peat, rotted manure in equal parts.
