Exotic flower Anthurium native to the tropics. In recent years, has gained great popularity among amateur gardeners. The second name is "male happiness." The flower is considered whimsical, requires certain conditions for planting and care. Particular attention is paid to the choice of soil mixtures and its constituent components.
Ground requirements for Anthurium
Experienced flower growers know how to properly prepare the soil for planting an indoor flower. This applies to tropical plants that need external conditions close to their natural habitat. For anthurium grown in an apartment, it is necessary to maintain a constant level of humidity and temperature.
Under suitable conditions, the plant blooms profusely
In the homeland of the flower, in the forests of South and Central America, it grows by attaching itself to the bark of trees or on wood-deciduous litter. The root system of the plant goes into the depths of the nutrient organic layer of fallen leaves, branches, overripe fruits and berries. Nutrient biomass provides Anthurium with everything necessary for normal growth and development.
Note! Garden soil is too dense for anthurium, it does not allow moisture and air to pass through poorly, and is poor in composition. Under these conditions, with a constant oxygen deficiency, the root system quickly rots.
Anthurium cannot be grown in universal soil mixtures, which are suitable for most indoor plants. A capricious flower needs a substrate with the following properties:
- weak acid reaction (in the range from 5.5 to 6 pH);
- ease;
- friability;
- permeability to air and moisture;
- eco-friendly composition.
Adequate air circulation in the basal zone is possible only if coarse-grained draining elements of natural origin are present in the soil.
What soil composition is needed for a flower "male happiness"
The closest in composition substrate suitable for anthurium is the soil for orchids. These representatives of tropical flora come from the same places, and the conditions for their cultivation are largely similar. Both plants prefer well-drained soil that allows moisture and air to pass through to the roots, but does not dry out too quickly.
The soil must be loose
In ready-made soil mixtures recommended for the Orchid and Anthurium family, there are usually:
- Peat in the soil gives it the necessary acidity, makes it lighter and more airy, provides a supply of nutrients.
- Fragments of sod litter add more porosity, moisture and air permeability to the substrate.
- Coarse sand provides lightness of the soil and helps to remove excess moisture from the pot, thanks to it the soil remains loose.
- Leafy soil, consisting of semi-decomposed fallen leaves, adds looseness to the soil mixture, enriches its composition and adds acidity.
- Sphagnum moss is included in the soil for exotic plants to make it easier. It allows you to balance the moisture level at the roots, disinfects the earth and creates suitable conditions for the adaptation of young plants.
- Rotted conifer needles are another component that moderately increases acidity, giving lightness and friability to the substrate. The positive side of its use is the preventive effect on fungal diseases and chlorosis infection.
- A composting mixture, which is decomposed organic matter, makes the soil more saturated in composition. Due to too strong biological activity, this element is never used in its pure form, but only small amounts are added to the already prepared earth mixture.
- Charcoal perfectly drains the substrate, making its structure more permeable to moisture and oxygen. The organic component gives the soil protective qualities, serving as a prophylaxis of fungal infections.
All these components can be part of the soil mixture in various proportions. It depends on the ratio of the listed elements and what the quality of the substrate for anthurium will be.
Should the land for planting and transplanting be different
The floriculturist, who managed to achieve the ripening of the fruits of the considered exotics, may wonder: what land is the anthurium planted in? It will be easier to obtain seedlings from seed by mixing a loose structured substrate with perlite or vermiculite. A good result can be achieved by placing the flower seeds on a sphagnum layer, laid out in a small flat container. When using such bedding from moss, seedlings are expected to appear after 1.5-2 weeks.
Additional Information! Hacked seedlings are dived after the first leaf appears in the sprouts. What land is suitable for transplanting anthurium? Use a substrate that is close in composition to the "adult", but consisting of components of a smaller fraction.
Pros and cons of finished soil and self-made
Knowing what kind of soil is needed for anthurium, you can grow a healthy and abundantly flowering plant. The main advantage of ready-made substrates is the absence of the need to spend time and effort on preparing soil mixtures. It is far from always possible to verify the compliance of purchased soil with the necessary requirements:
- compliance with the proportions of the components for a particular flower (for example, the same anthurium);
- disinfection;
- acidity indicator.
The quality of the finished soil mix can often be called into question. When choosing land in a specialized store, it is important to first familiarize yourself with the description of various brands and make sure the manufacturers are in good faith.
Experienced gardeners love to mix the earth on their own. In the case of "male happiness" this is especially true, since one has to take into account his needs.
How to prepare a soil mixture at home
It can be difficult to find a substrate in the store that is suitable for the Orchid or Aronnikov family (Aroid) family, to which the anthurium belongs. There are several main ways in which the land for anthurium is mixed, which is close in composition to the optimal indicators.
The soil for anthurium can be prepared with your own hands.
Substrate based on universal soil mixture
On the basis of ordinary earth, a good mixture is prepared for indoor flowers, which is suitable for anthurium. Typically, such a soil already contains a sufficient amount of peat, giving it a light and loose structure, as well as creating a weak acidity.
Pine bark, crushed to the state of a medium chip, is added to such a substrate. As a result, the soil becomes more drained, moisture-resistant with excellent breathability.
Ground-based substrate for azaleas and orchids
Another not difficult method for preparing a suitable composition is to enrich the purchased soils for the Azalea and Orchid soils with a number of additional components. The full list of components used will be as follows:
- prepared soil for azaleas;
- orchid substrate;
- moss sphagnum;
- coarse charcoal.
Additional Information! All elements are mixed in equal parts. The soil will turn out to be quite nutritious and corresponding in structure to the needs of the anthurium.
Soil from components collected in vivo
Experienced flower growers use components assembled with their own hands in accessible places to create soil mixtures: in the garden, in the forest, in the field. In natural conditions, you can find such components as:
- peat;
- deciduous humus;
- fallen pine needles or topsoil from coniferous forest.
Before mixing these elements, they are subjected to a disinfection treatment. Steaming is more suitable for peat and humus, and pine needles should be washed with boiling water and kept in a potassium permanganate solution.
It will not be superfluous to add sphagnum, coal and dry pine bark
How to choose a finished substrate
When deciding to buy ready-made soil for anthurium, it is important to understand what composition is suitable. Despite the specificity of the composition, in specialized stores you can find ready-made substrates for the Aronnikov family. Among the manufacturers that today produce land marks for the Anthurium plant, they note:
- Ultra Effect +;
- Auriki Gardens;
- For prof;
- Rich Land.
These popular brands are of high quality. The mixtures they represent have a suitable level of acidity and an optimal content of organic components. In such a substrate, “male happiness” will feel comfortable receiving the necessary nutrition for full growth and development. In addition to the anthurium, the composition is suitable for other representatives of the Aroid family - philodendron, monstera, scindapsus, ivies and vines.
Note! Many manufacturers offer individual components for the preparation of soil mixtures: pine bark and conifer needles, sphagnum, coarse river sand, peat, agroperlite, wood chips.
Having met the new name of the soil mixture from an unknown manufacturer, it is recommended to carefully read the composition of the soil. It will not be superfluous to analyze the reviews of those who have already used this or other substrates of the same company.
What can be added to purchased soil to improve it
The enrichment of the purchased finished composition will depend on what components are included in it initially. If the description says that some standard elements are absent in the substrate (for example, sphagnum or sand), then it is advisable to add them.
You can also mix a mineral complex preparation or organic fertilizer with the purchased soil. However, in order not to harm the delicate root system of the flower, you should follow the instructions on the package.
Fertilizer dosage should be minimal.
Disinfection of land before planting or transplanting anthurium
Land brought from a garden or from a forest contains microorganisms, bacteria, or pests. Having bought the finished soil or having mixed it yourself, often you can not do without the disinfection procedure.
Soil treatment can be carried out with Fitosporin, Gamair or Alarin. This will destroy bacteria and fungal infections.
Interesting information! Often resort to heat treatment, steaming the soil in the oven at a temperature of at least 120 ℃ or freezing it on the balcony in the winter.
Drainage
Without drainage, the water will stagnate, as a result of which the soil can become acidic and cause rotting of the root system. As draining components use:
- crushed brick;
- expanded clay or river pebbles;
- medium broken crushed stone.
Passing through the drainage layer, water is discharged from the pot through special openings.
Problems in growing anthurium due to improperly selected soil
Using inappropriate soil can cause root rot in Anthurium. The root system is gentle and sensitive, with difficulty recovering from ailments. Black or brown spots on the leaves can signal the appearance of the disease.
In a suitable soil, anthurium will feel great and bloom profusely
A flower planted in an improperly selected substrate is urgently transplanted. The procedure itself is carried out extremely carefully. Anthurium is moved carefully, by transshipment, along with all the available root lump of earth.
Note! It is undesirable to remove the substrate in which the plant was located until the time of purchase. You can only carefully remove the topsoil and shed the rest with Fitosporin.
Adhering to these requirements for soil quality, you can grow a tropical flower anthurium at home. The right choice of soil will avoid problems with the treatment of plants, which are very laborious and not always productive.
