MAINTAINING YOUR PLANTS:
The soil have several functions for our plants. It have to hold them
in position, supply them with water and the nutrition's within it. At
the same time, it have to let oxygen into the roots, and not harm the
roots in any way.
Different plants thrive the best in different
soils, but many can be grown in the
same. Besides from the Nutrition
the soil have to be able to hold sufficient
Water through the needed
period. At the same time, it have to drain enough to let fresh air get
to the roots with oxygen, and takeaway carbon-oxide.
There is a huge difference in the soil you find in the wild, and what we
are able to grow our plants in, in small Pots.
In the wild, the plants roots covers a huge area under ground, compared to a pot, and
that let the roots breath in a way more compact media. We need a way-more open compound, allowing
water to drain fast to let the air to circle around.
A mixture with small medium capillary
that hold the water till the plant absorbers it up, and larger capillary that
drains and let air through. At the same time, it have to be able to
maintain the right pH, and hold the nutrition. pH can be tricky, but a
neutral media and the right watering water usually does it.
sphagnum to lover the pH and limestone to raise it.
Unless you use fertilizer every time you water, you will need raw clay
to bind the ions that makeup the nutrition. About 3-5% usually does
If you are able to balance nutrition
and pH, you should be able to use the same soil for many years in a row,
just like in the nature. But it have to be structure stabile. If it
holds too much fast decomposing organic material, it will soon end up
choking the roots.
I have experienced how important
organic / mineral soil is to some species, but never found a scientific
explanation. Despite I fail to explain it, it have to be taken into
A lot of times, the origin give-up the soil, but sometimes, it is a bit
tricky. Plants living on alkali limestone sound like they need a pH
above 7, but they might grow in the small cracks, filled with acid
Others might live in rain forest, but only as epiphytes, way up in the
Which soil you chooses, will depend
on the species, the environment, the Pots
and how you are Watering - and what you can get your hands in.