How to loosen the compacted soil in the flower pot? Is soil compaction related to fertilizer?

The soil of the flower pot should be loose and breathable, so that the water can fully penetrate into the soil when watering, providing moisture for the root system. If the soil of the flower pot or other plants is compacted, you must find a way to make it breathable. So how to loosen the soil of the flower pot? Is this problem related to fertilizers?

How to loosen the soil in a flowerpot

The soil that does not compact should be a mixture of multiple soils. A single soil is prone to compaction, so it is better to use pure garden soil, which is easy to compact. We can add some soil rich in organic matter, such as leaf mold, humus, coconut bran, peat, etc., to the soil to improve the air permeability and water permeability of the soil and make it less likely to compact.

It is not recommended to loosen the soil directly, as this will damage the roots of the plants and may cause the plants to die.

Is soil compaction related to fertilizers?

To be precise, chemical fertilizers are not the main factor causing soil compaction, but they are definitely one of the main causes. Generally, there are natural causes such as heavy soil and heavy rain erosion, as well as external causes such as insufficient input of organic matter and excessive use of single fertilizers.

Soil compaction is also closely related to fertilization. Chemical fertilizers have great efficiency and rapid effect, but there is one bad thing. Long-term use of chemical fertilizers will cause the soil to become compacted, water-permeable, and air-permeable, which is not conducive to plant growth.

Therefore, organic fertilizer can be used in combination with fertilization. Organic fertilizer contains a lot of microorganisms, and biological activities can prevent soil compaction. In addition, organic fertilizer contains a variety of nutrients and is a comprehensive fertilizer with slow-release effect, which is not prone to root burn.

There are many kinds of fertilizers, mainly ammonium sulfate fertilizer. The large amount of ammonium fertilizer used directly causes the calcium ions adsorbed by soil colloid particles to be replaced, forming calcium sulfate. Calcium sulfate is difficult to dissolve in water and gradually deposits to block soil pores, resulting in soil compaction.

How to Make Your Own Organic Fertilizer

Organic fertilizer is very good for growing flowers. We can make some homemade organic fertilizer for growing flowers. Homemade organic fertilizer is usually made from kitchen waste. Here is a brief introduction to the production of several types of organic fertilizer.

Fermented rice water is a relatively simple organic fertilizer. The rice water is put into a bottle and left for a period of time. It can be used after it is fermented and decomposed. It takes about half a month for the rice water to be fully decomposed.

Cake fertilizer water, use peanut cake or some bean cake, soak in water, decompose, add water to water the flowers. Cake fertilizer water needs to be decomposed for 2-3 months.

Composting, placing kitchen waste, fruit peels, rotten vegetable leaves, tree leaves, etc. in an empty bucket for fermentation. The composting process takes a long time, several months.