Soil for anthurium - what kind of soil is needed for a flower

The exotic anthurium flower is native to the tropics. In recent years, it has gained great popularity among amateur flower growers. 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 mixture 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 require 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.

The plant blooms profusely under suitable conditions

In the homeland of the flower, in the forests of South and Central America, it grows, attaching itself to the bark of trees or on a tree-deciduous litter. The root system of the plant goes deep into the nutrient organic layer of fallen leaves, branches, overripe fruits and berries. Nutrient biomass provides anthurium with everything it needs for normal growth and development.

Anthurium cannot be grown in a versatile potting mix that works with most indoor plants. A capricious flower needs a substrate with the following properties:

• weak acid reaction (ranging from 5.5 to 6 pH);
• ease;
• looseness;
• permeability to air and moisture;
• environmentally friendly composition.

It is possible to ensure sufficient air circulation in the root zone only if there are large-fraction drainage elements of natural origin in the soil.

What is the composition of the soil necessary for the flower "male happiness"

The closest substrate in composition, suitable for anthurium, is the soil for orchids. These representatives of the tropical flora come from the same places, and the conditions for their cultivation are very similar. Both plants prefer a well-drained soil that allows moisture and air to flow to the roots, but does not dry out too quickly.

The soil must be loose

The ready-made soil mixtures recommended for the Orchid and Anthurium families usually contain:

• Peat in the composition of the soil gives it the necessary acidity, makes it lighter and more airy, provides a supply of nutrients.
• Fragments of sod litter add greater porosity to the substrate, moisture and air permeability.
• Coarse sand provides lightness of the soil and helps to remove excess moisture from the pot, thanks to which the soil remains friable.
• Leafy soil, consisting of half-decayed fallen leaves, gives looseness to the soil mixture, enriches its composition and adds acidity.
• Sphagnum moss is included in the soil for exotic plants to make it lighter. It balances the moisture level at the roots, disinfects the soil and creates suitable conditions for the adaptation of young plants.
• Overripe coniferous needles are another component that moderately increases the acidity, giving lightness and friability to the substrate. The positive side of its use lies in the preventive effect on fungal diseases and chlorotic infection.
• The compost mixture, which is decomposed organic matter, makes the soil more saturated in composition. Due to its too strong biological activity, this element is never used in its pure form, but only small amounts of it are added to the already prepared earthen 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 the prevention of fungal attack.

All these components can be included in the soil mixture in various proportions. It depends on the ratio of the listed elements what the quality of the substrate for anthurium will be.

Should the land for planting and replanting be different

A flower grower who managed to achieve the ripening of the fruits of the exotic in question may ask the question: in which land to plant anthurium? It will be easier to get seedlings from the seed by mixing the loose structured substrate with perlite or vermiculite. A good result can be achieved by placing flower seeds on a layer of sphagnum, laid out in a small flat container. When using such a moss litter, seedlings are expected to appear in 1.5-2 weeks.

Pros and cons of ready-made soil and prepared by hand

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 that there is no need to spend time and effort on preparing potting mixes. It is far from always possible to check the compliance of the purchased soil with the necessary requirements:

• compliance with the proportions of the components for a particular flower (for example, the same anthurium);
• disinfection;
• acidity index.

The quality of the finished soil mixture can often be questioned. When choosing land in a specialized store, it is important to first familiarize yourself with the description of various brands and make sure that the producers are bona fide.

Experienced flower growers love to mix the ground on their own. In the case of "male happiness" this is especially true, since you have to take into account his needs.

How to prepare soil mixture at home

It can be difficult to find in the store a substrate suitable for the Orchid or Aronnikov (Aroid) family, to which the anthurium belongs. There are several main ways in which the earth 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 soil for indoor flowers, a good mixture is prepared that is suitable for anthurium. Usually, such 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 a state of medium chips, is added to such a substrate. As a result, the soil becomes more drained, moisture-absorbing with excellent air permeability.

Soil-based substrate for azaleas and orchids

Another not difficult method for preparing a suitable composition is to enrich purchased soils for Azalea and Orchid with a number of additional components. A complete list of the components used will be as follows:

• ready-made soil for azaleas;
• orchid substrate;
• sphagnum moss;
• coarse charcoal.

Soil from components collected in natural conditions

Experienced flower growers use components collected with their own hands in accessible places: in the garden, in the forest, in the field to create soil mixtures. In natural conditions, you can find such components as:

• peat;
• deciduous humus;
• fallen needles of a pine or topsoil from a coniferous forest.

Before mixing the named elements, they are subjected to a disinfecting treatment. For peat and humus, steaming is more suitable, and coniferous needles should be rinsed with boiling water and kept in a solution of potassium permanganate.

It will not be superfluous to add sphagnum, coal and dry pine bark.

How to choose a ready-made substrate

Having decided to buy ready-made soil for anthurium, it is important to understand which 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 who are releasing earth marks for the Anthurium plant today, they note:

• Ultra Effect +;
• Aurica Gardens;
• For Prof;
• Rich Land.

These popular brands are of high quality. The mixtures presented by them 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 anthurium, the composition is also suitable for other representatives of the Aroid family - philodendron, monstera, scindapsus, ivy and vines.

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 ready-made composition will depend on what components are included in it initially. If the description says that some standard elements (for example, sphagnum or sand) are missing in the substrate, then it is advisable to add them.

You can also mix a mineral complex preparation or organic fertilizer to the purchased soil. However, in order not to harm the delicate root system of the flower, you should follow the instructions on the package.

The dosage of fertilizers should be minimal

Disinfection of the earth before planting or transplanting anthurium

Land brought from a backyard or forest contains microorganisms, bacteria, or insect pests. Having bought ready-made soil or mixed it with your own hands, it is often impossible to do without a disinfection procedure.

The soil mixture can be treated with Fitosporin, Gamair or Alarin. This will kill bacteria and fungal infections.

Drainage

Without drainage, water will stagnate, causing the soil to acidify and cause root rot. The following are used as drainage components:

• crushed brick;
• expanded clay or river pebbles;
• small broken crushed stone.

Passing through the drainage layer, water is removed from the pot through special holes.

Problems when growing anthurium due to improperly selected soil

Using the wrong soil can provoke root rot in anthurium. The root system is tender and sensitive, with difficulty recovering from ailments. The appearance of the disease can be signaled by black or brown spots on the leaves.

In a suitable soil, anthurium will feel great and bloom profusely.

A flower planted in an incorrectly selected substrate is urgently transplanted. The procedure itself is carried out with extreme caution. Anthurium is moved carefully, by transshipment, along with all the available root clod of earth.

Adhering to the specified requirements for the quality of the soil, you can grow a tropical anthurium flower near your home. The correct choice of soil will avoid problems with plant treatment, which is very laborious and not always effective.