Preparing your personal philodendron potting blend - a simple method for cultivating these preferred tropical home plants
For those with a green thumb and a love for philodendrons, creating a custom potting mix can be a rewarding endeavour. These tropical houseplants, known for their wide range of colours and leaf shapes, thrive in a well-draining, fertile soil that mimics their natural epiphytic environment.
The core ingredients for a successful DIY aroid potting mix are coco coir, perlite, and orchid bark. Coco coir, a sustainable alternative to peat moss, provides excellent moisture retention, while perlite, a lightweight volcanic glass, improves aeration and drainage, preventing soil compaction and root rot. Orchid bark adds a chunky texture and structure, anchoring roots and maintaining air pockets within the mix.
Optional but beneficial additives include horticultural charcoal, which helps improve soil structure, drainage, and reduces issues with mold and mildew, and worm castings, an organic fertilizer that supplies essential plant nutrients, enhancing overall soil fertility and plant health. Potting soil may also be added to provide additional nutrients and structure, especially in mixes aimed at broader tropical houseplants.
Here are some example DIY recipes: - Equal parts coco coir, perlite, and orchid bark as the base mix. - Two parts coco coir, one part perlite, one part orchid bark, with optional horticultural charcoal and worm castings. - A chunky mix with coco chips, coarse perlite, horticultural charcoal, orchid bark, and potting soil in varied ratios for a more nutrient-rich medium.
By combining these ingredients well before using them in potting up a philodendron, you can create a light, well-draining yet moisture-retentive mix that promotes healthy root growth and reduces common issues like yellowing leaves and root rot.
Even with the inclusion of worm castings in the DIY potting mix, philodendrons can still benefit from additional fertilizer during spring and summer. These plants prefer bright, indirect light and can tolerate some shade.
Using any single ingredient from the DIY philodendron potting mix recipe as an amendment in commercially available houseplant potting mix is a quicker DIY option. However, creating your own potting mix can aid in the growth of the plant, ensuring it receives the perfect balance of moisture retention, aeration, and drainage.
In summary, coco coir, perlite, and orchid bark are the essential core ingredients, optionally enhanced with horticultural charcoal and worm castings to make the potting mix ideal for philodendrons. With this DIY guide, you're well on your way to creating the perfect potting mix for your beloved philodendrons. Happy gardening!
When crafting a homemade potting mix for philodendrons, horticultural charcoal and worm castings can optionally be added alongside the essential core ingredients of coco coir, perlite, and orchid bark. This DIY mix promotes healthy root growth and helps reduce common issues like yellowing leaves and root rot. Additionally, even with the inclusion of worm castings, philodendrons can benefit from additional fertilizer during spring and summer.
