Restore The Soil To Keep Your Plant Healthy!
Based on how quickly the plants use the nutrients in the potting soil, it will last you a long time. When may you restore the soil and how should you restore the soil? As a basic guideline, the soil in your potted plants should be changed every two years. This is subject to the soil’s state. You may need to alter the soil once a year with some fast-growing plants. You might not need to replace the soil for several years if you have slow growing plants.
Steps To Restore The Soil
Spring is the perfect time to restore the soil in the pots. The plants are concentrating on establishing new roots and foliage at this time. As they can adapt well during the growth phase, altering the soil will give them less stress. Now, learn more about the step-by-step guidelines:
- To begin, gather the necessary items, which include fresh or regenerated potting soil, a large enough pot, flat stones, a watering can, and the existing potted plant.
- Place some stones in the new pot’s base. This will keep the potting soil from draining out the drainage holes. Ascertain that the stones do not obstruct the drainage holes.
- Fill the new pot with fresh potting soil until it reaches a height where the existing plant may be placed.
- Remove the root ball and the plant from the pot. This is simple to perform if you have a plastic pot. Both you have to do now is tap the pot on all sides until the plant slides out.
- You may need to tap the plant multiple times if it is in a terracotta container. If the plant is stuck inside the pot, you may need to break it.
- Take a small amount of soil from the bottom of the roots to see if they are healthy or if they need to be trimmed. You can untangle and clip part of the roots if the plant has gotten root-bound.
- Place the root ball in the new pot such that the plant’s base is only a few inches below the pot’s rim.
- You can keep adding potting soil to the sides of the plant until it settles into its new container. Then water the plant thoroughly with the watering can.
What’s The Best Way To Revive Old Potting Soil?
The plants will have taken all of the nutrients from the potting soil after a few years you restore the soil. And the texture would have hardened, rendering it unsuitable for plant growth. However, you can revitalize this old potting soil and restore the soil then use it to grow a plant once more. Here are the steps:
- The first step is to make sure the soil is free of any undesired things. Break up the earth and spread it out on a tarp.
- Remove any roots, leaves, plant parts, or debris that you may find in the soil. Water the soil well to restore its delicate, airy texture. Allow the soil on the tarp to dry.
- You must solarize the soil in order for it to kill any dangerous pests or diseases that may be there. Cooking the dirt in an oven is the best technique to do this.
- In a disposable tray, spread the dirt into a 4 inch thick layer. Make a hole in the center of the aluminum foil and wrap it around the tray.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and add the dirt on the tray.
- Allow the soil to roast for at least 30 minutes in the oven to guarantee sterilization. To destroy all bacteria and viruses, the soil must be heated to a temperature above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you don’t want to use the oven, a black plastic bag will suffice. Fill the black plastic bag halfway with potting soil and tie it shut. Place the plastic bag in a clear container and expose it to the sun for the entire day.
- You must cool the soil to room temperature after it has cooked in the oven or in the sun.
- Now that the potting soil has been sterilized, you must boost the soil’s nutrients. Adding an equivalent amount of compost is the best way to do this.
- The compost will enrich the potting soil with organic nutrients and microbes. You can also fertilize the soil with an all-purpose fertilizer. For every gallon of soil, add one tablespoon of slow-release fertilizer.
- You can either restore the soil right away for your plants or save it in a dry, airtight container for later use. Potting soil can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Last Words
Every year, inspect the condition of the potting soil. If you water your plants and the water simply goes through the soil, it’s time to restore the soil.