Houseplants Soil Preparation and Care

Whether you are planting seeds, cuttings or re-potting plants each variety has specific considerations that must be adhered to in order to ensure healthy plant growth.

Nutrients
Nutrients such as water, nitrogen, phosphorous along with many other elements are required by all plants to achieve optimum growth. Unlike mammals, plants receive many of these essential elements from the soil they are planted in.

However, not all of these nutrients are derived from soil and water; they are also absorbed from the air. In addition, there are some plant varieties that receive all their essential nutrients from the air.

A thorough amount of research must be done in order to determine which essential elements your specific breed of plant requires in addition to what it receives through water, soil and air. Additional elements that may be required include magnesium, iron, and sulfur in small amounts are just to name a few. It is also important to note, not to rely solely on fertilizer to provide these additional elements.

It is essential to implement a regular testing schedule of the soil to determine which elements your specific breed of plant is lacking. Generally, a fertilizer mixture of 10-10-10- NPK or Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium should be administered at about one teaspoon per square foot. An adjustment to this measurement must be made depending on pot size as well as breed of plant.

If the element of Potassium is not required by your specific breed of plant, an alternative called Blood Meal can be substituted. This fertilizer should be administered at one teaspoon per square foot for most plants. If you have a plant that is slow at growing, adjust the amount of fertilizer accordingly. Plants such as herbs do not require any fertilizer at all.

It is important to remember that administering fertilizer is time sensitive. Most plants require a fair amount during the spring months as this is the rapid growth period. During the summer months, less amounts of fertilizer should be administered. Doing thorough research will help determine how much and during what time your species of plant needs fertilization.

Water
Soil that is clay-like in texture will make it very difficult to maintain a balanced water level for the soil. Clay tends to absorb and retain water, so for this reason a small amount is highly desirable.

The water level present in the soil can be a detrimental part of your plants health. Regular testing can be performed in a number of different ways in order to ensure the soil is not too wet or too dry. The first step is using finger testing, simply place your finger on the surface of the soil and apply a slight amount of pressure. If the soil is moist, but not soaking wet, this is a great start.

Next, it is time to probe deeper. Using a tongue depressor or a round wooden stick, insert it into the soil about one inch in depth. If the soil is wet, the wooden stick will absorb the water and turn a darker shade. While these methods are fine, there are technological instruments that can be used. A Hygrometer will give you a more accurate reading of the water level of the soil. These wonderful little gadgets can range in price from fairly reasonable to highly expensive.

Adjusting the water level is fairly simple. To check for consistency, simply test alternate areas until a desired level is reached. If you are finding it hard to retain a good balance, simply adding a small amount of gypsum to the soil will help break up the clay and allow a more desirable amount of water drainage.

One of the most important aspects of soil preparation and maintenance involves consideration of the volume of the earth present.

Problems can evolve rather quickly if plants are placed in the wrong size pots. Plants placed in a pot that is too large allows for excess soil which can than lead to excess water retention. This problem can result in disease or root rot and can leave your plant unhealthy or dead. Placing a plant in a pot that is too small is also a very serious problem. This can result in root bound plants which can lead to disease as well as death. Doing research on your specific plants can help ensure a healthy and bountiful houseplant garden.

         

Indoor Houseplant Care