What kind of soil to use for planting roses
This article's core guide: Tips for growing roses, what kind of soil to use for roses, detailed introduction follows.
Many balcony gardeners have started to grow roses, but are unsure about the best soil for them. Although roses are not very picky about soil, they can grow in garden soil, peat, nutrient-rich soil, etc., the roots of roses grown in pots are limited in their absorption, so it is necessary to provide soil that is superior to that used for ground planting. The general requirements are soil that can retain heat, drain well, and have moderate fertility, with timely supplements. This means that the potting soil should be well-mixed.
In principle, any soil that is loose and has good water permeability is suitable for growing roses, such as a certain amount of peat or peat soil, a little perlite or vermiculite, mixed with ordinary garden soil. In terms of soil mixing, we also need to consider that roses require a lot of fertilizer, so our soil needs to be fertile. It can be appropriately mixed with some organic soil or organic fertilizer to enhance the fertility of the soil.
Below are some common mixing ratios:
Compost: Garden soil - 30:70
Compost: Garden soil: Perlite - 30:60:10
Compost: Coal slag: Garden soil - 20:30:50
Compost: Decomposed leaf soil: Garden soil - 20:20:50
Compost: Pond mud: Garden soil - 10:30:60
Compost: Carbonized rice husk: River sand: Sawdust: Garden soil - 10:10:20:10:50
Although these mixing materials and ratios are suitable for potted roses, some of the materials can be relatively expensive, and not all gardeners can afford them. Therefore, materials that are easily obtainable can be used for mixing. For example, by-products from edible fungi cultivation, crushed tree bark, crushed straw, and soybean hulls can be mixed with garden soil to become good potting substrates. In summary, regardless of the substrate mixing ratio, it is mainly about mastering the appropriate ratio of solid, liquid, and gas phases. The spaces without capillary action in the substrate (ventilation holes, large pores) are called the gas phase, while the capillary pores that can hold water (small pores) are called the liquid phase. The volume of each of the three phases in the well-mixed substrate is the ratio of the three.
Soil is the main medium for the spread of diseases and pests and the primary place for their breeding. Many bacteria, pests, and eggs can survive or overwinter in the soil, and there are also weed seeds in it. Therefore, the potting soil for roses should be disinfected before use, otherwise, it can cause root soft rot in newly planted seedlings.
Commonly used disinfection methods include:
One is the sunlight disinfection method. Spread the mixed potting soil thinly on a clean concrete floor, wooden board, or metal sheet and expose it to the sun for 3-10 days to kill a large number of bacteria, spores, mycelium, eggs, pests, and nematodes.
Another is the combustion disinfection method. Spread the mixed potting soil on a metal sheet and place some firewood on top. Burning the firewood can not only eliminate the bacteria and pests in the potting soil but also add some potassium fertilizer due to the combustion of plant ash.
The third is formaldehyde (formalin) disinfection. Spray 500 ml of a 40% formaldehyde solution diluted with 50 times water evenly over one cubic meter of potting soil, then heap the soil and cover it with a plastic film for 2 days. After removing the plastic film, spread the potting soil and wait until the formaldehyde odor has completely dissipated before use.
The fourth is the use of carbendazim or mancozeb for disinfection. Sprinkle 40 grams of 50% carbendazim powder or 60 grams of 65% mancozeb powder per cubic meter of potting soil, mix well, cover with plastic film for 2-3 days, then spread the potting soil and wait until the medicine odor has completely dissipated before use.
The above is the detailed content of what kind of soil to use for planting roses, hoping it can be helpful to you!