The Rural Voice, 2019-02, Page 45 February is a great time to assess
houseplants, resolve any problems
and head to the shed for the seed
starting equipment.
My African violets are the first to
wave at me and indicate something is
amiss. Reduced number or no
blooms, and unhappy leaves that lack
the vibrancy of a healthy plant are
good indicators. I will tell you I am
not a great fan of repotting my
violets. As it is an inside job it
involves dirt all over, broken leaves
and less-than-happy plants for a few
weeks. But the effort soon pays off
with new growth and wonderful
blooms. Some of my plants had little
soil in the pot yet the pot was a
perfect size for them. They needed
some good soil. I took a pail of
compost and carefully teased several
tablespoons of it into each pot around
the plant and gave them all a good
soaking. A burst of activity and now
a few buds quickly tell me they need
a proper repotting in the spring – not
a recommended solution as the soil
contains fungal spores and bacteria
that can populate the soil and cause
some issues with your plants.
Which brings us to the topic of
soil. We always talk about light and
water requirements and not so much
about soil. Plants have long
memories and like to grow in soil
that is similar to their origins. Think
of ferns in deep woodsy humus and
rosemary in dry sandy soil like the
Mediterranean. Good soil structure
supplies appropriate amounts of
water and oxygen. The nutritional
element of soil supplements the
photosynthesis of the plant. More
important is the pH level which may
help or hinder a plant from accessing
certain nutrients but that is another
topic. In fact seeds and cuttings do
best in growing mediums that contain
no soil at all. They are vulnerable to
fungal spores and bacteria present in
soil-based mixes, and the light and
moisture conditions required
encourage diseases like damping-off.
The soil around our houseplants is
an ideal place for fungus growth and
insect population. Outside containers
have special requirements for
drainage and can boost our plants for
great growth and show!
Here are the ingredients for soil
recipes and soil mix recipes.
Garden soil and potting soil:
Ingredients are not often listed. Lift a
bag and if it is heavy it probably
contains more clay; the soil will be
dense and won’t hold much oxygen.
A light bag contains more peat moss
and less clay and will allow more
oxygen and moisture around the
roots but has little soil value. If using
indoors, simply purchase the heavier
bag and amend with peat moss and
close-to-sterile materials like perlite,
vermiculite and sand. If using
outside, compost is the best
amendment.
Compost: Purchased bags of
compost will act as soil conditioner
and organic fertilizer. If using well
composted farm manure aim for
sheep, poultry and rabbit, which are
higher in nutrients than cattle or
horse. Who knew?
Horticultural sulfur is a natural
element sold as tiny pellets and
labeled soil acidifier and add acid to
alkaline soils to lower pH.
Shredded bark: Not to be confused
with chipped, which is used for
mulch; ideal for woody plants to aid
in the exchange of water and air,
boosts microbial life and contributes
nutrients as it decomposes.
Decomposition also uses nitrogen so
adding blood meal prevents a
deficiency in the soil.
Sand: Coarse or sharp builder’s
sand creates spaces in the soil mix,
essential for movement of oxygen
and water. Sold as sandbox or play
sand. Small rock chips are a plus.
Perlite: I once thought this was
simply bits of Styrofoam but it is
really a super-heated volcanic
material. It is a lightweight
alternative to sand. It does not
contain any nutrients and it has a pH
rating between 7 and 7.5. which is
balanced or a touch alkaline.
Vermiculite: Shiny, super heated
flakes of mica, a natural element,
holds moisture and nutrients in the
root zone, releasing them gradually.
It also has small amounts of
potassium and magnesium and same
pH as perlite.
Peat moss: I know I have a few
42 The Rural Voice
What about soil?
Rhea
Hamilton-
Seeger is a
skilled cook
and gardener
who lives near
Auburn.
Gardening
Soil Mix Recipes
Seed Starting
8 parts peat moss
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
Propagating Cuttings
2 parts vermiculite
1 part coarse sand
Geraniums (indoors)
2 parts heavy potting soil
1 part peat moss
1 part sharp builder’s sand
or perlite
1 tablespoon crushed egg shells to
1 quart of soil mix
Window Boxes and Outdoor
Containers
2 parts garden soil
1 part peat moss
1 part vermiculite or perlite
Hanging Baskets
1 part garden soil
1 part peat moss
1 part vermiculite
African Violets
2 parts peat moss
1 part heavy potting soil
1 part vermiculite
1 tablespoon bone meal to 1 quart
of soil mix