|Written by Dena Bolton|
Intro:Â Bromeliads are tropical plants that are frequently grown as houseplants. These are easy-to-grow and disease and pest resistant plants. They do, however, need to be grown in soil that is humus-rich and that drains very well. Buying pre-packaged soil specifically for bromeliads can be rather expensive, though. It is much cheaper in the long run to make your own potting mix for bromeliads. There are many different recipes for potting mixtures for bromeliads, but this one is great for beginners and contains materials that are easily found in local garden centers.
Step 1:Â Empty a bag of coarse sand into a large plastic container, such as a trash can or plastic storage bin.
Step 2:Â Mix an equal amount of peat moss in with the coarse sand. Just use your hands to mix the sand and peat moss together.
Step 3:Â Add some pine needles from your yard.Â These help to promote good drainage plus add more acidity to the soil, which bromeliads like.
Step 4:Â Dump a small bag of partially composted tree bark into the mixture. This can be bought at any garden center. The tree bark will also help moisture to drain quickly from the soil, which is something else that bromeliads like.
â€˘If you do not have any pine needles in your own yard, visit a neighbor or take the family on a hike through the woods.
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Warnings:Â Never allow bromeliads to sit in a saucer of water.