“Just normal soil la, don't have to think so much about it. It will still grow mah.” I am pretty sure many of us have heard these sayings before, or at least I have throughout my years of keeping my plant babies. Knowing the right type of growing medium can assist you in ensuring that your plants are getting the right nutrients for the long term. Plants' main source of nutrients is the soil they have been placed in and it is crucial to understand what type of plants thrive well in which type of soil or growing medium.
Before anyone proceeds into purchasing the ideal plants that have been on your bucket list, it is crucial to do your research to understand the plant growing conditions better, to avoid wasting your money by letting them die due to suboptimal growing conditions. Plants are like humans! They too require a different standard environment for them to live happily!
Soil is not the only growing medium we can use to ensure that the plants are getting the necessary moisture and nutrients. We can also resort to something of similar components that can help just as much. In this blog, I will be talking about the different types of soilless growing mediums that we can use to grow our green babies at home!
Coconut Coir
Coconut coir, often known as coco, is a waste product from the coconut industry. It is the ground-up husk of the seed, and as a result, it is virtually pure plant fiber. It can store a lot of water, and while aeration is fine, don't overwater it because the aeration levels will quickly drop.
Clay Pellets
Clay pellets have a spherical form and a diameter of around 2 cm (1 inch). They are employed in aquaculture because of the huge particle size, which provides good aeration. Small amounts are utilized most of the time, just enough to keep the plants grounded. Because this media has almost no water retention, fertilizer solution must constantly flow over the roots when utilizing it.
Perlite
Perlite is a mineral that has grown in size as a result of heat. It is exceedingly light and porous, and because it floats on water, it might be cumbersome to use. It's rarely used on its own, although it can help aerate heavier blends.
Vermiculite
It's similar to perlite, although it's a little heavier. It can store more water than perlite, but it can't keep as much air. Vermiculite will retain moisture for a longer period of time than perlite!
Peat Moss
The moss comes from bogs and does not degrade quickly after death, allowing it to be gathered. Because it is a fibrous material, it is comparable to coconut husk; yet, it contains more pollutants, similar to small tree roots.
My personal mix:
Let me share with you guys about my personal soil mix by using only coconut coir, perlite, and gardening soil! I am more of a general mix type of guy with a balanced ratio of 1:1:1 components of coconut coit, perlite, and gardening soil. It gives a nice balance of spaces for air and water movement. It is not as compacted, giving the roots a chance to grow longer and absorb more nutrients. The coconut coir has the ability to retain moisture, perlite helps with aeration, and gardening soil is a good source of nutrients for the plants!
It is always good to play around with the parts mentioned above to see which mix your plants work best with! There is no right or wrong mix. Understand and study the growth of your plants once potted in and monitor the health of your plants.