A proper soil mixture is of utmost importance to a house plant because the roots are restricted by the pot. A good potting soil should have the capacity to retain some air and moisture and yet drain well and hold nutrients. Sand or perlite added to the soil will improve aeration and drainage. Clay or organic matter will help retain water. Organic matter, plus commercial fertilizers, will maintain adequate nutrient levels. Modern “soil-less” potting medias do not contain soil so the addition of fertilizer is required to provide all essential plant nutrients.
Just like gardening outdoors, soil plays a vital role in the survival and growth of your houseplant. The potting soil or media in which a plant grows must be of good quality. It should be porous for root aeration and drainage but also capable of water and nutrient retention.
Plant roots must have air, food and water and potting soil must be porous enough to allow drainage of excess water and to admit oxygen (soil aeration) needed by the roots. Garden soil may appear ideal for potting indoor plants but actually causes problems. This soil may be wonderful for outdoor gardening under natural conditions, but after a few months garden soil becomes hard and almost rock-like in a plant pot. Plants in garden soil grow satisfactorily for a month or two, but soon the lower leaves turn yellow and the plants become unthrifty. This problem is the result of poor drainage and the lack of soil aeration due to improper soil structure. Most garden soils become compacted with time and house plants grow poorly in compacted soil.
Potting Mix Recipe
- All Purpose Potting Mix
Ingredients:
1 Part – Red Soil
2 Part – Cocopeat fine mixer
1 Part – Sand
1 Part – Vermicompost
1 Part – Cow dung manure
Method: Mix all the ingredients properly and make sure that soil and cocopeat mixer is dry or moist avoid wet soil or cocopeat.
Used For: All kind of Indoor Plants, Outdoor potted plants and flowering plants.
- Flower Potting Mix
Ingredients:
1 Part – Red Soil
2 Part – Cocopeat fine mixer
1 Part – Sand
1/4 Part – Bone meal
1/4 Part – Neem Khali
Method: Mix Bone meal and Neem khali together and keep aside also mix separately Red Soil, Cocopeat, Sand properly and make sure that soil and cocopeat mixer is dry or moist avoid wet soil or cocopeat. While Planting add a layer of gravels on the bottom than add some layer of prepared soil mix hold the plant above that soil and add bone meal = neem khali mixture near roots and then cover the whole plant with remaining mixture of sand, soil & Cocopeat.
Used For: All kind of Flowering Plants.
- Succulent Mix
Ingredients:
1 Part – Cocopeat fine mixer
2 Parts – Sand
1 Part – perlite
1/2 Part – Any Compost or manure
Method: Mix all the ingredients properly and make sure that the cocopeat mixer is dry or moist avoid wet cocopeat.
Used For: All kind of Cactus, Succulents, dessert rose, Bonsai.
- Orchid Mix
Ingredients:
1 Part – Coco Chips
1 Part – Coal
1 Part – Tree bark (sterilized)
1 Part – Brick pieces
1 or 2 piece of stone
Method: Mix all the ingredients properly and make sure that the mixer is dry before using it. Before Repotting put stone pieces on the bottom and then repot the plant.
Used For: All kind of Orchids.
- Seed starting mix
Ingredients:
4 parts compost
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
2 parts peat moss or Cocopeat
Method: Mix all the ingredients properly and make sure that the mixer is dry before using it. Before Repotting put stone pieces on the bottom and then repot the plant.
Used For: All kind of Seeds.
