How to Choose Plant Soil
Identify the needs of your plant., Choose between organic and conventional potting soils., Determine how often your plants will require fresh soil.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify the needs of your plant.
Look your plant up online, flip through a plant identification book, or read the tag that accompanies the plant when you buy it.
These are ways to find information about the specific needs of the plants you will be adding to your garden, and you can use this material to select the appropriate type of soil your plants require:
Consider, for example, the amount of moisture your plant needs.
A desert plant is going to require sandy potting soil that can drain more easily than the soil for a wetland plant.
Take the PH level that your plant needs into account.
While most potting mixes have a pH of
7.0, a plant like the African Violet requires a more acidic soil, specifically one with a pH of
6.0.Native plants will have specific soil requirements.
Always read more about the specific needs of your plant or ask at your local nursery what the optimum soil and pH are for any given native plant. -
Step 2: Choose between organic and conventional potting soils.
Different plants will require various nutrients, some of which may not always be produced naturally.
The following knowledge will allow you to make an informed decision when the time comes to select the best soil for your plants or garden:
Organic potting soil is eco-friendly, as it is composed of microorganisms, decaying plant material, worms, and other natural elements.
It contains microscopic organisms that add nutrients and minerals to the soil.
Conventional potting soils contain ingredients such as peat, manure, and black hummus.
All fertilizer or nutrients in non-organic potting soil have been manufactured and added by humans. , If your plants require new soil at the start of every season, conventional soil might be a better option for you, for whereas organic potting soil is reusable, conventional soil is disposable.
If you decide to go with organic soil, you will be able to safely recycle ecologically friendly materials in pots or spread them in your outdoor garden.
Conventional soil must be discarded after only one season, when potted plants are no longer able to absorb nutrients from this soil; on the upside, you get to start every season anew with fresh, clean soil. -
Step 3: Determine how often your plants will require fresh soil.
Detailed Guide
Look your plant up online, flip through a plant identification book, or read the tag that accompanies the plant when you buy it.
These are ways to find information about the specific needs of the plants you will be adding to your garden, and you can use this material to select the appropriate type of soil your plants require:
Consider, for example, the amount of moisture your plant needs.
A desert plant is going to require sandy potting soil that can drain more easily than the soil for a wetland plant.
Take the PH level that your plant needs into account.
While most potting mixes have a pH of
7.0, a plant like the African Violet requires a more acidic soil, specifically one with a pH of
6.0.Native plants will have specific soil requirements.
Always read more about the specific needs of your plant or ask at your local nursery what the optimum soil and pH are for any given native plant.
Different plants will require various nutrients, some of which may not always be produced naturally.
The following knowledge will allow you to make an informed decision when the time comes to select the best soil for your plants or garden:
Organic potting soil is eco-friendly, as it is composed of microorganisms, decaying plant material, worms, and other natural elements.
It contains microscopic organisms that add nutrients and minerals to the soil.
Conventional potting soils contain ingredients such as peat, manure, and black hummus.
All fertilizer or nutrients in non-organic potting soil have been manufactured and added by humans. , If your plants require new soil at the start of every season, conventional soil might be a better option for you, for whereas organic potting soil is reusable, conventional soil is disposable.
If you decide to go with organic soil, you will be able to safely recycle ecologically friendly materials in pots or spread them in your outdoor garden.
Conventional soil must be discarded after only one season, when potted plants are no longer able to absorb nutrients from this soil; on the upside, you get to start every season anew with fresh, clean soil.
About the Author
Jonathan Rodriguez
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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