How to make potting soil? Practical tips for growing flowers at home
There are many kinds of potted flowers, originating from different places, and their requirements for potting soil differ as well. According to the requirements of each type of flower, the needed materials should be mixed in certain proportions. The conventional potting soil for general potted flowers is mainly made in 3 types, and the mixing proportions are:
1. Loose potting soil: 2 parts garden soil, 6 parts leaf mold, 2 parts river sand.
2. Neutral potting soil: 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts leaf mold, 2 parts river sand.
3. Clayey potting soil: 6 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts river sand.
Different types of potting soil can be chosen according to the requirements of different flower species. Generally, seedlings and succulent plants should use loose potting soil; herbaceous perennials and bulbous plants should use neutral potting soil; woody plants and bonsai should use clayey potting soil.
When making potting soil, adding a certain amount of organic fertilizer as base fertilizer should also be considered. The amount of base fertilizer should be determined by the flower species and plant size. The base fertilizer should be mixed with the potting soil one month before use.
The materials for making potting soil must be disinfected before use to kill pathogens and pests. For summer disinfection, generally spread the materials for making potting soil on a cement yard and expose them to the sun for about 10 days, that is, using high temperature and ultraviolet rays to kill pathogens and pests and achieve the purpose of disinfection. 50% formaldehyde or 0.5% potassium permanganate can also be used for disinfection.
How to make potting soil for home flower growing
Most indoor and greenhouse flowers are planted in pots. Because the volume of a flower pot is limited and the plant growth period is long, on the one hand the potting soil is required to have enough nutrients, and on the other hand it is required to have a good structure, with large and small pores properly matched, a certain water- and fertilizer-holding capacity, and good aeration. Therefore, mixed soil needs to be prepared artificially, and this soil is called potting soil. There are many kinds of flowers with different growth habits, and the potting soil should be blended according to the habits of the flowers and the properties of the materials. The general potting soil formulas are as follows:
① General potting soil formula for herbaceous flowers: 30% leaf mold + 50% garden soil + 20% river sand, or 3 parts pond mud + 1 part compost + 1 part rice husk ash.
② Potting soil formula for woody flowers: 40% leaf mold + 50% garden soil + 10% river sand.
③ Potting soil formula for sowing: 50% leaf mold + 30% garden soil + 20% river sand, or 2 parts garden soil + 1 part rice husk ash + 1 part river sand.
④ Potting soil formula for greenhouse flowers: 40% leaf mold + 40% garden soil + 20% river sand.
⑤ Potting soil formula for shade- and moisture-loving flowers: 2 parts leaf mold + 1 part river sand + 1 part sawdust or peat.
⑥ Potting soil formula for acid-loving flowers: 2 parts mountain soil or garbage soil + 1 part sawdust or peat.
⑦ Potting soil formula for cuttings: 50% garden soil + 50% rice husk ash.
For flowering and fruiting plants, a small amount of bone meal or superphosphate should also be added to the soil to supplement the phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in the soil.
How to make potting soil in home growing
Artificially prepared potting soil is the most ideal soil for greenhouse flower cultivation. Below are several commonly used methods for preparing potting soil for greenhouse potted flowers.Acidic or slightly acidic potting soil: The soil in northern regions is mostly alkaline or slightly alkaline in reaction and is not suitable for directly cultivating greenhouse potted flowers that prefer acidic or slightly acidic soil. To grow this type of potted flower well, artificially composted leaf mold must be used. The composting method is: collect some fallen leaves and green grass at ordinary times, and compost them in layers with alkali-free mature vegetable garden soil; the size of the pile can be determined by how much leaf mold is needed. The outside of the pile should be sealed with mud plaster, with a concave hole left at the top, and some human waste and liquid fertilizer water should often be poured into the hole. After a summer of high-temperature fermentation, it becomes fully decomposed. When it is taken out the next spring, break it up, sift it, then mix in 20% fine yellow sand, and after thorough mixing it is ready to use. The coniferous humus soil of the cypress family is strongly acidic soil, especially that of the cypress family needles. Coniferous soil can also be artificially composted, in the same way as leaf mold. In addition, ready-made coniferous soil can also be dug from nearby mountain coniferous forests, sifted, then mixed with 10% garden soil, 20% fine yellow sand and a small amount of sifted decomposed manure powder, and after thorough mixing it is ready.
Neutral or slightly alkaline potting soil: Use 3 parts mature vegetable garden soil or loess, 4 parts fine yellow sand, 2 parts leaf mold and 1 part fully decomposed manure powder; after sifting and thorough mixing, it can be used. Old pot soil from repotting can also be broken up, sifted, mixed with a small amount of decomposed manure water, and used after mixing, but it is not as ideal as newly prepared potting soil and is only suitable for cultivating succulents such as cacti.
Potting soil for transplanting newly propagated seedlings: Use 1 part garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold and 5 parts fine yellow sand; after sifting and mixing, it is ready to use.