Talking about the impact of planting materials on the growth of succulent plants
Sharing with everyone the explanation of succulent plants, discussing the impact of planting materials on the growth of succulent plants, please see the detailed introduction below.
In my view, the greatest function of planting materials is to achieve twice the result with half the effort in plant cultivation. Because creating a suitable environment for plant growth is the key to raising good plants. To put it bluntly, as long as the environmental requirements for plant growth are met, even a fool can grow beautiful flowers. Since the various factors in plant cultivation interact with each other, it means that adjusting a few of these factors can also result in good plant growth. However, we are accustomed to dealing with changes by remaining constant, and among all the elements of plant cultivation, only watering is completely under our control. When faced with various flowers with different habits, planted in the same environment, we mainly control them through watering, which can be imagined to be difficult. This is probably one of the reasons why it is said that "it takes three years of practice to water plants well." Therefore, by changing the formula of planting materials, we can reduce the difficulty of management and improve the success rate of plant cultivation.
The quality of roots is the basis of good or bad plant growth, and it can even be said that raising flowers is about raising roots. If the roots are healthy, the plant will not be bad. Therefore, creating a suitable environment for root growth is crucial. The simplest way to achieve this goal is to find a suitable formula for planting materials, which can reduce the difficulty of creating a suitable environment for root growth and development through watering or other means, achieving twice the result with half the effort, and making plant cultivation simple and enjoyable.
At this point, friends may think that the most important aspect of plant cultivation is the formula of planting materials. However, this is not the case. The suitability of planting materials mainly reduces the difficulty of other aspects of management, such as potting, ventilation, lighting, and especially watering. A good formula of planting materials cannot replace other management methods. To truly cultivate good plants, we cannot neglect the management of other aspects.
So, how much effect can the formula of planting materials have? What kind of formula is suitable for plant growth? I will illustrate this with my experience in cultivating cacti plants.
The function of planting materials is to create a suitable growth environment for the roots. However, since the environment inside the soil is invisible, it is rarely paid attention to. This is actually quite normal and in line with human nature, because most of the time, people are most concerned about superficial phenomena. For example, when seeing a beautiful building, everyone will marvel at its magnificence or grandeur, but who will pay attention to the foundation? Without a solid foundation, even the most magnificent building is just a flash in the pan.
In principle, roots prefer a moist environment (for material exchange) and a well-ventilated environment (for breathing). Of course, the habits of roots of different plant species are different. For example, aquatic plants grow in water for a long time, and although they are moist, they are not ventilated, so they evolve some special structures. Everyone can see that lotus roots have many holes, which are used to transport air (the rhizome of lotus is equivalent to the trunk, who has seen so many holes in a trunk?). Therefore, for most plants, since they do not have such structures, the roots cannot tolerate long-term water immersion, which is the flood tolerance of roots. On the other hand, the root hairs, which are the main absorbing parts, prefer to grow in a moist environment, otherwise they easily dry out and die. It seems that roots are quite demanding, as they cannot tolerate dryness or excessive moisture.
Of course, anything is about finding the right balance. Even though cacti are afraid of waterlogging, they can still survive for a few days. Rice loves water but does not die immediately when it dries. Therefore, we need to control the relationship between the water retention and ventilation properties of planting materials. If we always use the same soil, we can only control different plants through watering and other means. However, as everyone knows, the degree of watering is the hardest to grasp, which can lead to different results, such as some people watering every day and growing well, while others watering every three days and rotting the roots.
However, if we adjust the composition of planting materials, many things will become simpler. Traditional experience suggests "dry orchids and wet chrysanthemums," which means that orchids should be kept 70% dry and 30% wet, while chrysanthemums should be the opposite. But this is based on the use of traditional loam soil, which, although rich in nutrients and suitable in pH, can easily compact over time and become airtight, meaning that the soil has too strong water retention, and watering must be strictly controlled. Now there are special granular planting materials for orchids sold in the market, which are completely granular in structure, allowing water to drain away immediately and not accumulating water, thus providing good ventilation. These granules themselves have good water retention and can slowly release moisture after absorbing water, thus creating a good local environment for the roots. Using such materials to grow orchids in a well-ventilated environment during the growing season, watering every day is fine, and the orchids can grow very lush.
After rambling on for so long, it's finally time to get back to the topic of planting materials. Which planting materials are suitable for cultivation? How should they be proportioned? Next, I will share some immature opinions based on my experience in cultivating cacti. The reason I say they are immature is that I have not compared the results of various planting material formulas, so it is inevitable that I am being one-sided.
Clearly, cacti are among the plants that are most afraid of waterlogging. If you really encounter a super lazy person, that's fine, as long as they remember to water the cactus once a month, that would be great. So, generally, just mixing soil with some coarse sand is enough. However, the problem often lies in our inability to keep our hands still. It's not that we are diligent, but rather that we are driven by impatience or a desire for quick results, and we end up watering frequently. In this case, we must choose breathable materials to grow cacti, and granular materials become our first choice. These materials include:
1. Lan stone: Also known as pumice or lightweight stone, it is a natural volcanic mineral that is light, porous, and pressure-resistant, making it an excellent soil conditioner with good drainage and water retention properties.
2. Vermiculite: A layered structure containing magnesium aluminum silicate secondary metamorphic mineral, similar to mica in appearance, usually formed by hydrothermal alteration or weathering of black (gold) mica. It is called vermiculite because it curls up when it expands after losing water, resembling a leech. Expanded vermiculite is widely used in construction, metallurgy, chemicals, light industry, machinery, electricity, oil, environmental protection, and transportation, and is mainly used in construction, insulation, fillers, and agriculture and horticulture. Its characteristics are moisture retention and breathability, but it can only be used for one year, as it turns into powder after one year and is not suitable for use.
3. Perlite: Volcanic rock expanded at 1200°C. Used in horticulture, it has strong water absorption and retention capabilities, effectively modifying the soil, preventing soil compaction, preventing crop lodging, controlling fertilizer effect and dosage, and as a diluent and carrier for insecticides and herbicides.
4. Xian soil: Mainly used for growing orchids, usually sold in orchid stores, it contains complete nutrients, has good drainage, is pollution-free, and does not contain weed seeds. Its granular structure remains good even after a year of potting. Note that it should be soaked in water before use to absorb enough moisture.
5.塘基石 (Tangji stone): Also a high-temperature treated medium, with more porosity than Lan stone and better drainage, it is also a good medium to use, but its rough surface can easily injure the plant and it is fragile.
6. Coarse sand: This does not need explanation, but note that it is coarse sand, not fine sand. It is not easy to find in cities, but can be purchased directly from aquarium stores, as they use it to line fish tanks. Its characteristic is breathability.
7. Coal slag: Not easy to find in southern cities, and can be replaced with burned coal cakes, which are very economical and practical, with moisture retention and breathability as their only drawback being too dirty. Moreover, asking others for coal cakes might be a bit embarrassing.
8. Ceramsite: Made of clay, it has a spherical particle appearance, uniform particle size, and a reddish-brown color. Its surface has many micro-pores, and its internal structure is crisscrossed, giving it strong adsorption properties.
9. Limestone: Not quicklime, but calcium carbonate, which is not commonly seen in cities and is not usually used for planting flowers, but is very useful for growing cacti as it can improve soil acidity and alkalinity. Usually, small bluish stones found at construction sites can be used as a substitute, which are commonly known as melon seeds.
10. Peat: Buried underground for thousands of years, lake and marsh plants. High-quality peat is brown in color, has high organic matter content, good fiber, loose texture, non-sticky to the touch, strong adsorption, and a slightly acidic pH value. Note: This variety is not granular planting material and has excellent water retention. It is usually not used alone for growing cacti but is mainly used in combination with other materials to increase water retention.
There are also Samo soil,植金石 (植金石), black elephant soil, and others, which will not be listed one by one. You can just search online.
The above planting materials can generally be purchased at professional material stalls in flower markets. Xian soil, Tangji stone, and Lan stone are relatively expensive, while the others are very affordable. In fact, we don't usually need so many planting materials. Just choosing three or four is enough. For example, I like to use Tangji stone, small bluish stones, and some wood ash, and the proportions can be随意 (random).
When choosing planting materials, the principle should be "suitable for the local conditions and economical." The formula should follow the principle of "moisture retention, breathability, and moderate acidity and alkalinity." Therefore, the formula is not mysterious; it mainly depends on the characteristics of the plant and personal habits. If the plant prefers dry conditions and you like to water frequently, then add more breathable materials, and vice versa. This way, you can easily cultivate plants. Give it a try.
The above sharing is a discussion on the impact of planting materials on the growth of succulent plants as a reference suggestion.